Hi,
It's been awhile since I've made a Wensleydale, so I thought I would give it another go. I found this make on a small dairy's site, and they described a 1000 Litre make. I was able to get enough information (except the pH targets, but they did indicate where they were waiting for certain pH targets to get reached, without saying what those targets were - those experienced with pH in making cheese could work out likely values). Anyway, this is a long procedure, but a fairly easy one without any particularly difficult steps. I've had it turn out some fantastic cheese, so I know it works. Fingers crossed this is one of them! This could be cut into at Christmas, but I might age it out a few months longer.
Anyway, it's just going down for its overnight nap, so I'll try and get some photos up tomorrow when it comes out of the press.
- Jeff
Wensleydale Cheese: Sunday, Oct 13, 2013 (sunny, 19.0 C )
11 litres Home Brand Standard (blue Top) (pf 0.94:1)
100 ml Pam’s Cream (0.05:1 p:f = total p:f of 0.86:1)
2 ice cube MW3
1 ice cubes buttermilk
½ tsp CaCl¬2 (50% solution)
1.77 ml 280 IMCU calf rennet
Mould: 6.25” diameter
2 tbs salt
1) Add CaCl to milk while prepping equipment
2) Add starter and warm milk to 32 C (time 7:47 temp 32.0 C)
3) Cover, wrap in towels, and ripen 1 hour 20 minutes (time 7:47 - 9:10 finish temp: 31.0 C)
4) Add Rennet (time 9:10:00 – floc time 9:21:0)
5) 3.25x floc (time to floc 11 m 00 sec = wait 35 m 45 sec = cut time 9:45:45)
6) Cut to 1 cm cubes (9:45:45 31.1 C)
7) Rest 5 minutes (time 9:53 – 9:58;)
8) Hold temperature, stir gently for 1 hour 30 minutes (wait for acidity target; temp 31.0 C time 9:58 - 11:30 finish temp 31.8 C – raised temp as we went to keep it around 32 ish)
9) Drain whey (they take 15-20 minutes to do this; for home maker, add 15 minutes to step 8? 11:35 - 11:50)
10) Form a curd cake, and cut into blocks (time 11:50 - 12:00 2l of whey as press cut at 12) Turn every 10 minutes for 30 minutes (3 turns; as it raises to an acidity target if you have them; flip times 12:10 - 12:20 - 12:30)
11) Cut into 5 cm cubes and keep curds warm 30 minutes (wait for acidity target if you have them) (time 12:30 – 1:00).
12) mill into fine crumb
13) add salt
14) Press in the pot 30 minutes (15 kg; 1.08 PSI 1:15 – 1:45)
15) flip redress press in the pot 30 minutes (20 kg; 1.43 PSI 1:45 - 2:15)
16) flip redress press in the pot 1 hour (35.2 kg 2.53 PSI 2:15 - 3:15)
17) flip redress press in the pot 25 hour (35.2 kg 2.53 PSI 3:15 - 3:40 & intermittently until 6:00 pm)
18) flip redress press 24 hours (officially they build up to 40 psi! So press as heavy as you can; 35.2 kg; 2.53 PSI; 6:00 pm – ?:?? am flipped ????g – flipped ?:?? pm – out of press 5:17 pm 1492 g dimensions 15.7cm x 6.7 cm = 1296 cm3 = 1.15 g/cm3) Fantastic Knit. Nice colour
19) air dry
20) cave and age (minimum 4 weeks)
Made ricotta (got 420g ; raised to 92.5C and added ¼ cup apple cider vinegar and let sit for 10-15 minutes).