Author Topic: Stilton aging and mould growth  (Read 5587 times)

Matthewcraig

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Stilton aging and mould growth
« on: January 31, 2014, 09:49:31 AM »
I have recently made my first stilton and have had it aging for about 4-5 weeks now and I was just wondering what it is meant to look like, do any people on here have pictures of there stilton, if not I can post one and someone can tell me if it looks ok?!?

Geodyne

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Re: Stilton aging and mould growth
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2014, 09:56:53 AM »
Hi Matthew,

There are lots of pictures of stiltons on the forum. I suggest that you use the search facility to look for stilton, or have a look through the adjunct- blue cheese part of the forum.

Do post a photo, and any details of the make you have. That will help us understand how your make has gone.

Matthewcraig

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Re: Stilton aging and mould growth
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2014, 10:35:09 AM »
Here are two pictures of it!

Geodyne

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Re: Stilton aging and mould growth
« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2014, 10:43:24 AM »
That's looking quite good to me. All stiltons at 4-5 weeks are scary-looking things, but you have a good mix of blue and white moulds and nothing unhealthy-looking. I can see you've pierced it, so those blue moulds should be getting the air they need inside the cheese to work their magic.

Two things jump out at me. Your stilton is quite spread out at what is the top in the photo, which suggests to me that perhaps you've not been turning it as much as it would like or that it was still a bit too wet when it came out of the mould. The fact that the blues are only on the top suggest that you have been keeping it at slightly too low humidity. Have you been turning it daily? Also, what does it smell like? Does it smell like stilton, or are you getting an ammonia air from it?

While keeping a stilton, I'd recommend that you turn it daily and also to take it out for half an hour or so each day to let it breathe so the ammonia from the bacteria doesn't build up.

Edited to add: I can see that the sides of your stilton are going a bit brown as the moulds die down. Mine do that as well at around the 4-5 week stage. You may like to let it dry out a bit so it's a bit less slimy, or consider eating it now or vacuum-sealing it for later at this stage.

Matthewcraig

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Re: Stilton aging and mould growth
« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2014, 10:46:01 AM »
I have been turning it everyday apart from last week, I was out on business so I couldn't turn it for three days, is there anyway I can fix that or do I just keep Turning it?


Geodyne

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Re: Stilton aging and mould growth
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2014, 10:48:54 AM »
By the 4-5 week stage you can get away with turning it every few days, that's no problem. What temperature have you been keeping it at?

On the whole, I'd say you have a very tasty cheese there.  :)

By the way, welcome to the forum!

Matthewcraig

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Re: Stilton aging and mould growth
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2014, 10:51:40 AM »
7-11 it varies slightly and thankyou I sure hope it is, as you can tell I am a bit of a newbie to this forum is there somewhere you can post recipes?

Geodyne

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Re: Stilton aging and mould growth
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2014, 10:55:16 AM »
There absolutely is. If you scroll a bit further down the forum you'll see a pile of boards for the different types of cheese. You'll like to check out the blue cheese section: http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/board,79.0.html


Matthewcraig

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Re: Stilton aging and mould growth
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2014, 10:58:11 AM »
Ok thankyou very much you have been a massive help today! :D

Geodyne

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Re: Stilton aging and mould growth
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2014, 11:00:38 AM »
That's what we're here for. This forum was a huge help to me when I was starting out (I still am really, I've only been making cheese for a few months), it's nice for me to be able to pass that on.

Good luck with your cheese, and please update this thread with photos to let us know how you went!

Matthewcraig

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Re: Stilton aging and mould growth
« Reply #10 on: January 31, 2014, 12:30:56 PM »
I sure will

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: Stilton aging and mould growth
« Reply #11 on: January 31, 2014, 08:05:13 PM »
Here's a picture of the one I did quite a while back.
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Matthewcraig

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Re: Stilton aging and mould growth
« Reply #12 on: January 31, 2014, 10:18:46 PM »
Yes that looks a bit like mine in some parts however today I took a tiny sample from the inside and it had the texture of a Camembert but also had blue lines and in the center was slightly crumbly while still having a Camembert characteristic, is this a problem?!? I did taste a bit and it is amazing already and as already stated it only has been ageing for a few weeks it has the flavour of stilton with the creaminess of Camembert, the only cheese I can think of that is close to it would be a Cambozola.
« Last Edit: January 31, 2014, 10:27:41 PM by Matthewcraig »

Geodyne

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Re: Stilton aging and mould growth
« Reply #13 on: January 31, 2014, 11:47:16 PM »
Could you post details of your make please Matthew? That will help us determine any problems.

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Re: Stilton aging and mould growth
« Reply #14 on: February 01, 2014, 01:51:01 AM »
and some pix???
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