Author Topic: My 4th Staffordshire  (Read 3789 times)

JeffHamm

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My 4th Staffordshire
« on: October 20, 2013, 05:57:04 AM »
Hi,

My last make of this has been a real success, so I thought I would give it another go and have one ready for the holidays.  This is a very easy make for those just starting out, and the cheese is ready in 2 to 3 months, so a good compliment to caerphilly. The store didn't have smaller bottles of cream though, so I was forced, forced I tell you, to up the cream to 500ml.  I have now found the official limit of my pots, which is 11.5 litres (actually, I'm pretty sure they over-fill the milk bottles, so the limit is 11.5 listed).  This over creaming may over do it as sometimes less is more (in fact, next time I make Mozz I'm going to move towards less cream as I think that may be part of my problem).  Anyway, this make seems to have gone well.  Cheese is in the press for the overnight press.  Will post photos and end-results as they become available.

- Jeff

Staffordshire Sunday, Oct 20, 2013.  Sunny.  Air pressure:1011 19 C 66% humidity
from (http://www.ukprotectedfoods.com/staffordshire-cheese-pdo/)

11 L whole milk (Budget Blue TOP; 3.2g protein/100ml 3.3g fat)
500 ml cream (Pams; 2g protein/38g fat for 100 ml) (total = 5.63g and 3.51g/pro / 100ml; 0.63:1 p/f ratio)
Starter 1 cube mw3 * 1 cube buttermilk
7.9 ml Renco rennet (65 IMCU)
2.5% salt by curd weight
½ tsp 50% solution CaCl2
6.26” tomme mould
1)   Add CaCl2 to milk during prep.
2)   Add starter
3)   Warm to 32.5 – 35 C (34.0 C  7:23 am)
4)   Ripen 60-75 minutes (7:23 - 8:??; ??.? C at end)
5)   Ensure temperature between 31 and 33 C, if not warm to midrange)
6)   Add rennet (7.9 ml Renco) (8:26:15 temp 33.0 C)
7)   Floc time 8:36:15 = 10m 00sec 3.5x floc = 35m 00sec cut time 9:01:15  (NOTE: in original info, rennet to cut is described as 45-50 minutes in one place, but in same document as 35-45 minutes, so multipliers anywhere between 3.0 and 3.5 look good)
8)   Cut curds (size not specified so I go with 1 cm cubes); heal 15 min (9:08-9:24)
9)   Keep temp at 30-32 C and stir for 40 minutes (9:24-10:05; 32.7 C)
10)   Allow curds to settle 30 minutes (10:05-10:35)
11)   Remove whey (whey off requires 35 minutes in large batch, so settle for 30 min above; done 11:03; placed 3 litres of whey on top of “sacked” curds to help expel whey)
12)   Break curds every 15 minutes over 45 minute period (11:18 & 11:33 & 11:48)
13)   Mill to thumbnail size and add salt (2.5% by curd weight curds - 1902g x 0.025 – 47.6g)
14)   Mix salt by turning curds 4 times (more will dry out curds too much)
15)   Move to cloth lined mould, press  at 2 PSI over night at 21-25 C) (10 kg = 0.72 PSI for 30 min11:05- 11:35 , then flip/redress and 20 kg 30 minutes 12:42- 1:12, and then flip/redress and 30 kg = 2.15 PSI 1:15- 6:30 then 35.2 kg overnight  6:30 pm - 6:00 am.) 
16)    Cheese out of the press 1700g 15.6 x 7.7 cm  = 1471 cm3 = 1.16g/cm3 (great knit)
17)   Age at 7-10 C, turn daily for a week, then weekly
18)   Age 2-4 weeks (mild) or up to a year.
Got 538 g ricotta; raised to 92.2 C, added ¼ cup apple cider vinegar & 8 g salt (1.5% by weight).

During affinage, after a week, start wiping down with a saturated brine (leaving the down side dry).  Do this for 10 - 14 days, after which, just wash if blue mould shows up.  It may pick up a wild b.linens, which is fine, but don't let it get too out of hand and brush it back to the cheese after a month.  You aren't trying to keep this a pristine rind, but just free from wild blues, etc. 
« Last Edit: October 25, 2013, 06:46:00 PM by JeffHamm »

JeffHamm

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Re: My 4th Staffordshire
« Reply #1 on: October 20, 2013, 05:33:13 PM »
Out of the press this morning, with a final weight of 1700g on the nose!  A bit of a slant as the weights shifted a bit through the night, but not too bad (about 8.2 on the high side and 7.5 on the low, so roughly 7.7-7.8 cm in height on average).  Final density of 1.16g/cm3 is pretty typical.  The knit is great, so shouldn't be any mould issues.  The extra cream has made this one quite fatty, and in the clean up of the cloth, etc, this morning I'm sure I lost a fair bit of butterfat as everything was quite greasy feeling.  Still, not too bad, and the final cheese should be quite nice if I can keep the affinage on track.

- Jeff

Offline H-K-J

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Re: My 4th Staffordshire
« Reply #2 on: October 20, 2013, 07:09:38 PM »
Looking really nice Jeff ^-^
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JeffHamm

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Re: My 4th Staffordshire
« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2013, 07:25:06 PM »
Thanks H-K-J!  This should be really good around Christmas/New Years if all goes well in the aging process.  Since that is not necessarily the case with the cheesemaker, I'll just withhold any predictions concerning the cheese at this time.

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: My 4th Staffordshire
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2013, 05:40:05 AM »
Moved this one into the cave today.  It now weighs in at 1576g, 15.6 x 7.0 cm = 1.18 g/cm3.  Interesting, the density of this one has increased a bit since coming out of the press.  Mind you, it's also a bit bulged, so one face is larger in diameter than the other so the 7.0 cm measurement is just the average of the other two.  That estimate could be off enough to influence the accuracy of that calculation.  Anyway, it's looking good.  The cream has given it a very yellow colour.  Nice.

- Jeff

Offline Boofer

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Re: My 4th Staffordshire
« Reply #5 on: October 25, 2013, 03:49:38 AM »
Another fine effort, Jeff! :D

It escapes me at the moment...how would you characterize the flavor and texture?

-Boofer-
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JeffHamm

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Re: My 4th Staffordshire
« Reply #6 on: October 25, 2013, 05:38:05 AM »
Hi Boofer,

Broadly speaking, this is a really nice moist, mild cheddar type cheese.  The flavour is very clean, but not by any definition bland.  As it ages, it sharpens but not like sharp aged cheddar, rather it just heightens itself and become a bit more bold in presenting itself.  It's softer in the paste than a cheddar, not not soft like a mould ripened cheese.  It is slow on the attack, and the flavour builds, and has a long finish.  It can pick up some wild moulds, which can (depending upon the mould of course) add a nice dimension.  This could make for a nice base for a mild blue, one that would be ready quickly, though I think perhaps a strong blue might over power?  My very first make was very bland, but I think I vac. sealed that too early and the flavour never developed.  The 2nd make I added more starter, and it became much drier and sharper as a result, which I don't think is to form.  The 3rd make is the one I'm describing above, which is what I think it should be like.  It shouldn't have the sharp tang that caerphilly has.

This cheese really peaks, at least for me, at 2 to 3 months.  But, to be fair, I've not tried aging one out to 6 months or longer.  It could do well, though I might cut the floc to 3 and stirr a bit longer to expell more whey. 

Offline Boofer

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Re: My 4th Staffordshire
« Reply #7 on: October 25, 2013, 03:00:21 PM »
Your description had me envisioning handcrafted wine, beer, and fermented food tastings. ;)

Sounds intriguing. I've been on the hunt for a moister cheese with Cheddar character. In pursuit of that goal, I've tried to capture it here.

I'll grab your recipe (thank you very much! :)) and file it "Under Consideration".

-Boofer-

Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

JeffHamm

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Re: My 4th Staffordshire
« Reply #8 on: October 25, 2013, 06:43:33 PM »
Thanks Boofer.  One thing to add to those notes.  After a week, start washing it with a saturated brine (leaving the down side dry) and do this for 10 to 14 days.  After that, just wash it if moulds show up.  It may pick up a wild b.linens growth, which is fine, but keep it in check and brush it off if it gets thick.  The idea is to not let the rind get too wild, but you're not trying to keep it pristine either. 

- Jeff

Offline Boofer

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Re: My 4th Staffordshire
« Reply #9 on: October 26, 2013, 12:25:52 AM »
Thanks Boofer.  One thing to add to those notes.  After a week, start washing it with a saturated brine (leaving the down side dry) and do this for 10 to 14 days.  After that, just wash it if moulds show up.  It may pick up a wild b.linens growth, which is fine, but keep it in check and brush it off if it gets thick.  The idea is to not let the rind get too wild, but you're not trying to keep it pristine either. 

- Jeff
Good steerage, Jeff. Thanks.

-Boofer-
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

JeffHamm

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Re: My 4th Staffordshire
« Reply #10 on: February 15, 2014, 11:49:05 PM »
Hi,

Ok, the Stilton is gone so it was time to open another cheese.  I've cut into this Staffordshire, which is 119 days old.  It now measures 14.7 x 6.6, and weighs in at 1306g, for a density of 1.17.  The paste was very smooth to cut.  I've had a nibble, and it has a very creamy and smooth mouthfeel.  Good moisture content.  A bit of a spiciness, which I hope isn't bitterness once it warms up!  I overdid the cream in this, so the fat content is very high, and while that sounds good it can lead to flavour issues.  We'll see.  Anyway, provided it's not bitter, this seems to be a really good outcome.  I'm about to make an omlette with some of it to see how it melts. 

You can see where a bit of mould got into the paste where the rind cracked a bit.  But, it doesn't seem to have gotten far, which is a good thing.

- Jeff

Melts beautifully in the omelette!  That's good, as often I have issues with non-melthing cheese.  And, the spiciness I was tasting is the wild b.linens.  As it warmed up a bit I realized what it was.  So, I'm quite pleased with the result.   On the next make I'll back the cream down to get a p:f ratio between 0.85 and 0.9 I think.
« Last Edit: February 16, 2014, 12:05:02 AM by JeffHamm »

Flound

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Re: My 4th Staffordshire
« Reply #11 on: February 16, 2014, 09:04:00 PM »
Looks good, Snags.

Can't wait to try my hand at this make.

Edit; slipped you a cheese for this one, amigo.
« Last Edit: February 17, 2014, 10:44:55 AM by Flound »

Offline H-K-J

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Re: My 4th Staffordshire
« Reply #12 on: February 16, 2014, 09:16:41 PM »
I may have to try this type myself.
the paste is looking very nice,
AC2U for another great cheese Jeff
Never hit a man with glasses, use a baseball bat!
http://cocker-spanial-hair-in-my-food.blogspot.com/

JeffHamm

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Re: My 4th Staffordshire
« Reply #13 on: February 20, 2014, 05:36:47 AM »
Thanks guys.  Really pleased with this make.  Next time I might leave out the washing with the brine as this encourages the b.linens growth.  I like that, but I want to try one with a more wild mould rind next time.  This is a nice easy make, a good starter cheese, though it takes a bit more time to get feedback then caerphilly.  A good one to include amongst the caerphilly, lancashire, cheshires, and dunlops though.

- Jeff

graysalchemy

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Re: My 4th Staffordshire
« Reply #14 on: February 20, 2014, 09:44:12 AM »
What a great looking cheese. Well done  :)