I was aiming for a softer more tender cheese, but still able to be cubed up for eating, and not so salty! This was my best attempt yet at making feta. It is now about 5 weeks along, with very good flavor and texture. Salad tonight of tomato and cucumber from the garden, with feta!
Feta # 7 Made 9-2-13
1 gallon non-homogenized, pasteurized whole milk
1/8 tsp MA4001
1/32 tsp mild lipase (in ¼ cup water)
1/4 tsp calcium chloride (in ¼ cup water)
0.7 ml calf rennet
Flocculation multiplier of 4
Saturated Brine
8 percent whey brine
Target
Brine at 4.6 – 4.8
12:30 To temperature at 90 degrees. Starter and sprinkled on and rehydrated for 5 minutes. Starter stirred into milk and covered to keep warm for one hour.
1:30 Temp 88 degrees. Lipase andcCalcium chloride stirred in, then waiting 5 mins. Stirred in rennet. Flocculation 10 mins. Using multiplier of 4, clean break at 40 mins.
2:20 Cut into vertical columns about 1.5 inches, and let rest 10 mins.
2:35 Used spoon to gently cut horizontally about 2 inches. Then gently started moving curds with a gloved hand.
3:00 Temp 88 degrees and pH 6.5. Letting curd rest under whey.
3:10 Decided (per Caldwell) to drain curd now. Poured into cheesecloth bag. Whey was reserved for later use as brine.
3:40 Whey pH 6.4
4:00 Turning cheese, whey testing at pH 6.3
5:10 Flipped cheese and tested whey pH at 6.1
6:00 Flipped and placed into basket mold. Whey pH 5.6
9:00 Flipped and whey pH 5.1
10:00 Flipped and whey pH at 5.0.
6:00 AM next day…. Now at whey pH of 4.9. Into the saturated brine for 8 hours.
2:00 Out of the brine and weighing 19.5 oz.
The cheese was put into cave on mat to dry for 2 days. Then into 8 percent brine made from the reserved whey. Then into regular frig.