Author Topic: Swelling cheese during brining  (Read 6210 times)

bgreen

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Swelling cheese during brining
« on: December 14, 2013, 06:41:20 PM »
Hi

I have just made a Gouda yesterday and after sitting in the brine over night(room temp) for 14 hrs the cheese has swelled on the top and bottom.... see the photo.  At the same time i made a few small Goudas from the same batch of curds. These have not swelled.  These were brined for 1 hr and left over night at room temperature to dry(about 24 C.)  Do i need to be concerned?  I also have more of the same batch of milk that i was going to use to make another cheese today.

I would be interested in your comments.

Thanks for your help... Cheers Bruce



cowboycheese

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Re: Swelling cheese during brining
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2013, 07:17:59 PM »
My radar is on this thread. My last three Gouda makes gained a smidgen of a pot belly in the brine too - though not nearly as much as in your picture. My brine room is sitting at about 58%. What temperature is your at?

bgreen

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Re: Swelling cheese during brining
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2013, 07:38:16 PM »
Hi

My brine was out at room temp over night and it was a humid night... i would think that the temp was around 20 - 24 C. Was your Gouda still edible?  I have just placed on the draining mat and it already seems to be "flattening out"
« Last Edit: December 14, 2013, 08:18:42 PM by bgreen »

cowboycheese

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Re: Swelling cheese during brining
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2013, 11:47:06 PM »
The gouda(s) have turned out fine. It may be to do some moisture/salt intake into the wheel that causes a bit of swelling. All of mine (mostly) flattened out after a while in the cave. Hopefully one of the local experts will chime in and speak some science...

bgreen

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Re: Swelling cheese during brining
« Reply #4 on: December 15, 2013, 12:06:36 AM »
Thanks for that... maybe i don't have to look at a cottage industry of fattening pigs after all... will wait and see!  The interesting thing is that the small cheeses that weigh about 250gm and that i brined for 1 hour have not got any blotting so i guess that may be the answer, but i guess it may just be the physics of their size etc?  I will wait to see if anyone else has other useful comments. 

I read a post on here about brining temp best being done around 10 - 15 degrees Celsius, so i think i might try brining in the cheese fridge from now.

Thanks for your help... cheers bruce



Spoons

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Re: Swelling cheese during brining
« Reply #5 on: December 15, 2013, 05:31:43 AM »
I am not familiar with this troubleshoot, so I may not have a definitive answer to your bloating gouda, but here's a few guidelines on brining:

- Brining temp range : 12 - 15C
- Salt level: 18 - 22% (try to avoid 26% saturated, or levels higher than 22%)
- Add CaCl2 and adjust PH level similar to cheese
- Hard cheeses generally stay in brine 3 hours per pound per side (but follow recipe instructions)
- When not in use, the brine is best kept refrigerated.
- Check the forum's wiki page on Brine maintenance for properly keeping and storing your brine.

If the bloating problem repeats itself and the brine is well maintained and adjusted, then the problem is something other than the brine.

bgreen

  • Guest
Re: Swelling cheese during brining
« Reply #6 on: December 15, 2013, 07:30:37 AM »
Hi Spoons

Thanks for the informative reply..... i have made another Gouda today with the same milk...  and same brine... this time... brining at 12 degrees C so hopefully in the morning all will be all good. I have been following the other points you mention, the only variation is the temp which i had not even thought about that.  The other cheese is reducing in swelling so i am thinking it is not contamination ... and not looking like an imminent explosion......but still waiting for the definitive!... thanks again

Cheers bruce

Offline Boofer

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Re: Swelling cheese during brining
« Reply #7 on: December 15, 2013, 02:55:53 PM »
Hey, Bruce, if you were to provide additional detail about your make perhaps you'd get more guidance.

Some of my Goudas have swelled because of the gas-producing cultures I used.

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

bgreen

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Re: Swelling cheese during brining
« Reply #8 on: December 16, 2013, 03:20:48 AM »
Hi Boofer

I used the following recipe which i have used several times before and found it good.....

http://www.wacheese.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81:gouda-washed-curd-howto&catid=43:moderate-cook-temp&Itemid=66

I used a primer culture 120 ml MM100 & 120ml Flora Danica.  16 litres of raw milk... 4 of which was low fat.  Pressed 6 hrs at 5psi after initial light direct press in whey.. Make seemed to go as others... the only real difference was a hot day as stated and brined over night at room temp.... about 22 degrees C.  Now after it has been in the cave for 24 hrs the swelling has all but gone. 

I made another Gouda yesterday with the same milk, same culture and same recipe.... but brined at 12 degrees C overnight... no swelling in the morning, so i am assuming it is something to do with the brine temperate.

Any comments would be appreciated... or alternative explanation?  Cheers bruce

cowboycheese

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Re: Swelling cheese during brining
« Reply #9 on: December 16, 2013, 06:35:46 PM »
I use the same recipe and I seem to always get a bit of swelling in the brine - nothing more than 1/4" or so out from the center. After a couple days of drying though, it is all gone and back to flat. FWIW I added a bit of LH100 to my last run of that recipe - pushing for a bit more sweet and less tang.