I had today off so I decided to make a cheese. I wanted to try some different techniques so a washed curd Tomme was what I decided to go with. Was thinking about a Reblochon but I don't have enough molds to do a three gallon make and get the right form factor.
I used Linuxboy's washed curd Tomme recipe.
Three gallons of raw milk (at $15/gallon!!
)
3/8 tsp MA 4002 (1.00 g actually)
1/8 tsp PLA (the flavor of Savoie in a pouch it says)
39 drops single strength veal rennet
Heated milk to 88 degrees and added starter and mold. Ph of the milk was 6.92 to start. I don't know if it's the meter or if all the milk around here is alkaline.
Ripened to 45 minutes until pH was 6.78.
Added diluted rennet and got a floc in exactly 10 minutes (39 drops gives 13 or so in the creamline milk I can get so I guess I should use less in raw milk.)
Floc factor 3.5x
Cut after 35 minutes total. Strong curd! Cut to pea sized (1/4) inch.
Healed the curd for 10 minutes then started to raise to 92 deg over the next 15 minutes while gently stirring.
Removed 1/2 gallon whey and replaced with 130 degree spring water. Stirred 10 minutes.
Removed 1/2 gallon whey and replaced with 130 degree spring water.
Second addition yielde 100.5 degrees.
Stirred for about 30 minutes until the curd matted slightly but still could be separated when pressed in the palm.
Drained whey and formed curd under remaining whey into pile approximately the size of my mold and let it mat for 10 min.
pH now 6.45
Sprayed cheesecloth with vinegar and pressed the curd into the mold.
Pressed under warm whey 15 min with .2 psi. decent knit already but the wheel is very soft and flimsy.
Flipped pressed under warm whey 30 minutes. pH now 5.8.
next press will be at room temp for 1 hour with 8 pounds pressure total. pH 5.6
Hit pH of 5.35 after 5 more hours so into the brine it went for 12 hours.
Knit looks really good and it smells nice. It's in the room temperature drying phase now. Since this place is practically a desert it shouldn't take more than a day or two even in the covered cake plate.
Will post pic's at next flip.
i plan on the standard rind wash of daily for 10 days then every other day for a week and then every four days until it's ready to dry off.
And the picture.....Actually the second pressing for 30 min was probably kind of light due to the geometry of things I had set up but I fixed that for the one hour press.