One of 5 cheeses made for my daughter's wedding 7-5-14, so it aged a little over 5 months. The paste sliced easily though it was a bit crumbly. The cheese was creamy, mildly sharp, and very good.
Cheddar 1-25-14
2 gallons pasteurized cream top milk (pH 6.6)
¼ tsp MA4001
Pinch Flora Danica
½ tsp CACL in ¼ cup water
1.5 ml single strength calf rennet
4 tsp salt
Targets:
Rennet: 6.5 (actual 6.5)
Cutting: 6.5 (actual 6.5)
Drain: 6.2 to 6.3 (actual 6.2)
Milling: 5.3 to 5.4 (actual 5.3)
Flocculation multiplier: 3.5
Cooking curd: 90 degrees to 102 degrees in 30 mins
11:00 Milk to 90 degrees, added starter, waited 5 mins and stirred in. Covered and rest 45 mins.
11:50 At temp still, pH now 6.5. Stirred in calcium and rennet. Flocculation in 11 mins. Target cutting at 39 mins.
12:32 Clean break and cut curd in approx 3/8 inch size, rested 5 mins
12:40 Began heating curd, temp starting at 85, aiming for 102 in a little over 30 mins
1:15 At goal temp of 102, pH of whey 6.5 and keep on stirring….
1:30 pH 6.4
2:05 pH 6.3 Temp still 102, curd firming up
2:12 Temp 102, curd nice and squeaky, and sticking to my top hand after pressing a bit together to squeeze out the whey. Measured pH at 6.2 - Drained whey, pressing curd together on one side of the pot with it tipped a bit, and keeping warm. Turning over after 15 mins.
2:53 Whey pH 5.8, began cheddaring. Curd mass cut into 1 inch slices and stacked, repeating 4 more times every 15 mins.
3:10 pH 5.7
3:40 pH 5.5
4:00 Whey pH 5.3, cut up curd to mill… adding salt. The chunks of curd were so firm I was afraid they would not knit together!
4:10 Into cheesecloth lined form, pressing in pot keeping temp about 80 degrees with a bag of warm water. About 18 # on the press.
4:40 Not formed enough to flip. Back into pot with about 27 # keeping temp about 80 degrees still. Whey pH 5.2
5:15 Nice enough knit to flip and redress. Pressing with 45 # Whey pH at 5.1. Keeping towels around for warmth.
6: 15 Flipped, redressed and pressing at 72 # No longer feeling like I need to worry about knit.
7:20 Nicely knit, redressed and returned with 90 #
10:00 Naked in the press with no weight other than that coming from the bar.
7:30 am Very nice looking, firm, smelling lovely. Knit is very good. Weighing in at 1 #, 11 oz. Into the cave in a box for humidity.
2-2-14: 1 # 10 oz. Out of box (85%humidity) into cave with light olive oil coating.
2-3-14: Significant cracking evident (75 % humidity)trying another coating of olive oil.
2-5-14: Vacuum sealed it.