Author Topic: MOZ Cheese went off in a day after stretching  (Read 1823 times)

middlemayfarm

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MOZ Cheese went off in a day after stretching
« on: October 01, 2013, 03:34:34 PM »
Having a horrible time getting moz cheese to work.  Finally broke down and purchased a PH meter.  Used the recipe at (http://wacheese.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48:traditional-mozzarella-howto&catid=43:moderate-cook-temp&Itemid=66).  The Washington cheese guide seemed to give me a detailed PH points to reach.  The basics of the recipe were:
3 gal raw goat milk  (did not Pasteurize)
heat milk to 88 degrees.
1/4 tsp of TM_81 DVI thermo
waited 2 hours had a ph drop of .2
add 3/4 tablet rennet
floc time 3 minutes
waited a total time of 10 minutes
cut curd to 1 inch squares and healed for 10 minutes
cut curd to .5 inch squares and healed and stirred at 104 degrees for a total of 50 minutes
drained when PH reached 6.0
put in cheese cloth for 30 minutes until PH reached 5.3
stretched cheese fine
glowed in the excitement of finally making good cheese

NEXT day.....cloud of darkness returned
The cheese was just slightly dry and had a off taste.  Like it was going bad after less that 24 hours.  The off taste seemd to get worse as the time went on.

I am suspicious of the 30 minute drain time.  Everywhere it mentions a 3 hour bag time.  But my PH was down low fast. 

The cheese did weep a milky fluid when we ate it that night.

So what did I do wrong to get the cheese to go bad so fact?

The things that seemd odd was a 3 minute floc time and a 30 minute drain time.  I'm wondering if I should pasteurize before I make the cheese.  I am only doing the cheese for home use, so I was trying to avoid the extra time step.  But if I have to, I have too.



linuxboy

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Re: MOZ Cheese went off in a day after stretching
« Reply #1 on: October 01, 2013, 05:37:56 PM »
That's a bit fast of a pH drop after draining. In my recipe that you use the design is to acidify up front to achieve a more consistent stretch, and then reduce the time the curds sit before stretching. It usually works very well. In your case, I think there was a milk contamination issue. Try and see if pasteurizing makes a difference. And if you want, shorten the pre-ripening by a little bit. From 2 hrs to 1.5. Will give you more acidification time before stretching.

middlemayfarm

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Re: MOZ Cheese went off in a day after stretching
« Reply #2 on: October 01, 2013, 06:41:04 PM »
Linux boy,

Thank you for your response.  Did I understand you correctly, the recipe I was using was yours? 

You mentioned the decrease from 2 hours to 1.5 hours time period.  The reason I waited the 2 hours was looking for a .2 drop in the ph to show the culture was working.  I think I came across that number in another recipe.  So the drop is not that important?  I was trying to get away from just generic "times" since I have had a miserable time making moz cheese.  I was going for a trigger event that caused me to go onto the next step.

So does there need to be a .2 PH drop?

I always hear how the raw milk is the best for making cheese.  Can not say why.  I've been confused weather to pasteurize the milk or not.  I guess I can try it.

Tim
« Last Edit: October 01, 2013, 06:55:53 PM by middlemayfarm »

linuxboy

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Re: MOZ Cheese went off in a day after stretching
« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2013, 07:12:16 PM »
Quote
Did I understand you correctly, the recipe I was using was yours? 
Yes, I wrote that one. Usually needs a little customization based on the milk. Small tweaks like timing and slight pH variation (eg 6.1 drain). Depends on the protein.
Quote
.2 drop in the ph to show the culture was working.
In mozz, the wait is not exactly about activity of culture. It is to produce acid and to break down protein BEFORE you set it with rennet. What that protein breakdown does is it helps to set the stage for stretching by breaking down the calcium bonds in milk protein. And stretching is breaking those bonds and rearranging them to orient proteins. So usually you have to break down some of the protein before adding rennet, and then wait and break some more down before fusing the curds together, and then wait a bit more to break the proteins after the curd is a whole.

Quote
So the drop is not that important?
It's crucial. But the degree of drop is open to some flexibility. Some milks I have used need much more of a drop, even .3. Some milks only .1. For normal milk, the usual amount is somewhere around .2, but you can alter it a little to tweak the parameters.

Quote
generic "times" since I have had a miserable time making moz cheese.
In this case, it is not generic. It is based on the performance achieved with your milk and culture and situation. So using time, provided all else remains equal, isn't a bad approach. Time is inexact when there are too many other variables. Eliminate variables, time is more reliable.

Quote
Can not say why.
because it has not been damaged due to processing (other reasons, too, like greater flavor and aroma from native microbes and enzymes). But gentle pasteurization and handling make for a fine cheese.