I've made a few fresh cheeses and enjoyed some good product, but I'm really struggling with producing a decent hard (or semi-hard) cheese. Recently I made a Gouda (my first) and I have some questions. The texture of the cheese is gummy and somewhat sticky. The paste is not very pliable, but not quite crumbly. Overall, it is not to my liking. I would prefer something more pliable and not so sticky in my mouth.
Where did I go wrong? Where should I focus my efforts to move the texture in the right direction.
Thanks!
Tony
Gouda
Recipe source: Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking
2 Gallons whole milk – Roundy’s
½ tsp. CaCl
1 packet mesophilic starter (New England Cheese)
¼ tsp. rennet
1. Warm milk to 88°. Add starter. Hold for 45 minutes.
2. Added CaCl. Stir. Hold for 5 minutes.
3. Added rennet. Stir. Rest for 45 minutes.
4. Cut curd to 3/8”. Rest for 5 minutes. Continue to hold at 88°.
5. Hold at 88° for 20 minutes.
6. Drain 2 quarts whey.
7. Add hot water (160°) to bring temp to 101° over a period of 10 minutes.
8. Hold at 101° for 20 minutes.
9. Drain whey to level of curds. Press to consolidate curds. Drain remainder of whey. Place in mold and press according to the following schedule: 15 min – 1lb, 30 min – 2 lb, 60 min – 5 lb, 2 1/2 hours – 10 lb.
e. pH reading was still around 6.1, but hard to tell with poking the meter into the pressed cheese.
10. Heavy brine 6 hours.
11. Yield: 33 oz. the following morning.
12. Weight at waxing: 30.3 oz.