Author Topic: Gouda # 4 ***Update***  (Read 1151 times)

Offline scasnerkay

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Gouda # 4 ***Update***
« on: March 10, 2013, 04:37:55 AM »
I am loving this cheese. It is 2 months along. I am not sure why, but it is soft and very creamy, melting well. Lovely aftertaste.Quite a few mechanical holes in spite of pressing under whey. I do not think this would be a good one for trying to age out since it is so moist and soft. But it sure is good now!!
I realized it had been a year since making a gouda cheese, and since it happens to be one of my husband's favorites I thought it would be a good selection today.
I am not sure there is any logic to this, and I do not know if it will have any impact on the outcome, but I decided to add the Flora Danica starter quite a bit earlier than the MM100, looking for it to have more chance to develop flavor...

Gouda 3-9-13  Cheese # 42
2 gallons cream-top milk pH 6.7
1/8 tsp Flora Danica
1/8 tsp MM100
¼ tsp Calcium Chloride in ¼ cup water
1.7 ml single strength calf rennet in ¼ cup water

Flocculation multiplier 3
pH targets: 6.4 drain, 5.5 brine

11:00 Added Flora Danica to cold milk, stirred in, and slowly started heating.
11:50 Milk to 86 degrees, added MM100, let rehydrate, then stirred in. Left at temp for 30 mins.
12:30 Temp 86 degrees, pH 6.6. Stirred in calcium chloride and let rest 5 mins.
12:35 Stirred in rennet. Flocculation in 13 mins, X 3, about 40 mins.
1:15 Clean break, cut about ½ inch curd, healing for a bit over 5 mins.
1:25 Gently stirring and breaking larger curds. Stirred about 25 mins. Whey pH 6.5
1:50 Started washing curds, in 3 rounds. Removed (and reserved) 4 cups of whey replacing with 130 degree water, while stirring, 5 mins. Removed (and reserved) 6 cups of whey, replacing with 6 cups of water, stirring a bit over 5 mins. Removed and discarded 6 cups of whey, replacing with 6 cups of water, and temp now 100 degrees.
Continued stirring more vigorously, waiting for curd to be ready
2:55 Finally, pH 6.4, curd squeaky, matting when squeezed (and sticking to my upper hand a la Caldwell). Let curd settle about 5 mins, getting form ready for pressing under reserved whey. Pressed with 10 # about 15 mins under whey.
3:30 Moved to press with about 18 # for 20 mins
3:50 Redressed, knitting well, returned to press with 18 # for 30 mins.
4:20 Redressed, looking good! Whey pH 6.2. Back into press with about 27 #.
5:45 Redressed, minimal whey coming off, but enough to measure at pH 5.7
Back into press with about 45 #.
7:00 Managed to get a bit of whey, measuring pH 5.5. Undressed the cheese and put back into the form “naked” for smoothing.
7:30  Weighing in at a hair under 2 #. Placed in the “cave” for overnight, and I will brine it for 6 hours tomorrow. I am hoping this is a logical delay technique.

« Last Edit: May 11, 2013, 11:44:00 PM by scasnerkay »
Susan

JeffHamm

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Re: Gouda # 4
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2013, 05:30:39 AM »
Very good knit on that.  Well done. 

- Jeff