Curd Matting

[Mary Ruth]

How exactly would you experienced cheesemakers describe 'matting"  and if you found it in your product what would you do about it?  Thanks in advance

[Mary Ruth]

I think matting is basically 'clumping" rather than stuff that looks like small to huge popped  popcorn but I am not sure...   I think, I hope, if I have something like popcorn I am ok but where better to ask than here   Thanks in advance

[Cheese Head]

Hi Mary Ruth

In my experience, this is referred to cut curds where if you don't give them a small stir every now and then they will re-"glue" or mat themselves back together. This is bad as they need to have even size and surface area to evenly release whey, otherwise some curds will be dryer than others when you go to the next stage of gravity draining or pressing depending on your recipe. Thus resulting in a somewhat uneven moisture density cheese.

[Mary Ruth]

Yeah, that's about what I was thinkin'....but i find myself questioning everything when I am making a batch.  I find the more I make the more confident I am....course I wont know for weeks and then who knows.  I am soooo glad I found this forum, you guys don't even know . 

I think cheesing is a blast!