Author Topic: Help with my Feta, Curd problems  (Read 2404 times)

RouxBdoo

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Help with my Feta, Curd problems
« on: August 13, 2014, 05:39:31 AM »
OK guys, I am a newbie and some batches have been good but it takes too long to drain.  I am inconsistent with my Feta, here is the recipe I tried last time.  I had been making one gallon batches but still had curd problems.  I have to let it hang longer or the curd mass splits and crumbles.  Please check my amounts/levels of rennet, lipase, culture, ca-cl, etc.  The cheese tastes good but I have to drain it for a day and a half and then last time it still fell apart. 

1 3/4 gallons cow's milk (all my stainless steel pot will hold)
1/2 tsp lipase in 1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp ca cl in 1/4 cup water (Ball brand Pickle Crisp)
Bring up to 86°
1/4 cup buttermilk (I used buttermilk with the culture since I was afraid the packet wouldn't be enough for over one gallon of milk)
1 dose packet mesophilic culture (New Engand Cheesemaker DS C101)
Wait 1 hour
1/4 tsp plus 5 drops rennet in 1/4 cup water (New Engand Cheesemaker, liquid, animal)
Wait 1 hour
Cut curd
wait 5 mins
stir lightly for 20 mins
etc.

The curd is weak, am I using enough rennet, some recipes seem to go from one extreme to another.  I just want a consistent recipe.  I have bought a better thermometer, this new one is digital, might've had temp problems.  Also using Walmart milk, not supposed to be ultra pasteurized.  Am changing milk to local milk brand assures me it isn't UP.  I also use flour sack cloths to drain.  Too heavy?  I've heard them recommended.

I know this is lengthy but I am trying to get all info in there.  Thanks in advance.  I really want to have a consistent, tasty cheese before I venture into it any more.  I marvel at the knowledge on this board.

RouxBDoo

JeffHamm

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Re: Help with my Feta, Curd problems
« Reply #1 on: August 13, 2014, 08:06:50 AM »
Hi RouxBDoo,

Welcome to the board.  Trying different milk is probably the right thing to do.  Weak curds are usually a result of poor milk.  However, you mentioned how different recipes call for different amounts of rennet.  The thing is, rennet comes in a wide range of strengths, and for some reason recipes often leave out the strength information.  For example, I have 3 different rennets, for an 11 litre make I use 0.6 ml of the strongest one of them, 1.6 ml of the medium, and around 6.5 ml of the weakest!  So, just over a factor of 10 between the extremes.  The thing to do is to first start with the amount recommended on your package of rennet.  When you add your rennett to the milk start a timer and float a small yogurt container (cleaned and sanitised) in the milk.  If you tap it it will sail around freely.  Every minute or so, give it a nudge and observe what it is doing.  It will eventually start to move less, as the milk thickens and starts to set.  Start tapping every 30 seconds, or so, until you find the point where a nudge won't move the container anymore; it snaps back into place like a cartoon character with their feet in glue.  That is the flocculation point.  You want that to happen between 10 and 15 minutes after you added your rennet.  If it takes more than 15 minutes, use a bit more rennet next time, if it sets up faster than 10 minutes, use a bit less.  Each make adjust until you get the floc point in the 10-15 minute range.  (note, you may find that different cheeses will require slightly different amounts of rennet since the temperature and acidity of the milk all influence how the rennet works). 

So, let's say you've got it to 12 minutes.  Now, you will see in some makes that people say "I used a 3x multiplier", which just means, take your 12 minutes to reach floc, multiply by 3 for 36 minutes, and cut the curds 36 minutes after adding the rennet (note, you've used up 12 of those 36 minutes already just getting to the floc point).  What this is doing is adjusting the procedure based upon how the milk is responding to the current cultures and rennet - so  you will get more consistent outcomes by doing this rather than just following a set time that most recipes list.

Hope that is clear?

- Jeff

Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: Help with my Feta, Curd problems
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2014, 06:00:02 AM »
Hi RouxBdoo,  Welcome also to the forum, hope you get to stay.  Check the make notes below.  Please feel free to ask any questions.  On Rennet strength, the IMCU rating, should be on the bottle. (Internation Milk Coagulation Units).
http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,12962.0.html

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RouxBdoo

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Re: Help with my Feta, Curd problems
« Reply #3 on: August 22, 2014, 11:26:37 PM »
Well, I changed milk sources, added more rennet it curded great and didn't require extra hanging time.  We'll see how it tastes.  I watched the Hoegger Farm lady and she used quite a bit more rennet. 

I made a one gallon batch using 2% milk (for my wife who's on a low fat diet), and it was textbook perfect.  Thanks for the suggestions.  I did the flocculation test and it set in just a few mins.

RouxBDoo

Offline Gobae

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Re: Help with my Feta, Curd problems
« Reply #4 on: October 20, 2014, 12:59:06 PM »
The thing to do is to first start with the amount recommended on your package of rennet.  When you add your rennett to the milk start a timer and float a small yogurt container (cleaned and sanitised) in the milk.  If you tap it it will sail around freely.  Every minute or so, give it a nudge and observe what it is doing.  It will eventually start to move less, as the milk thickens and starts to set.  Start tapping every 30 seconds, or so, until you find the point where a nudge won't move the container anymore; it snaps back into place like a cartoon character with their feet in glue.  That is the flocculation point.  You want that to happen between 10 and 15 minutes after you added your rennet.  If it takes more than 15 minutes, use a bit more rennet next time, if it sets up faster than 10 minutes, use a bit less.  Each make adjust until you get the floc point in the 10-15 minute range.  (note, you may find that different cheeses will require slightly different amounts of rennet since the temperature and acidity of the milk all influence how the rennet works). 

So, let's say you've got it to 12 minutes.  Now, you will see in some makes that people say "I used a 3x multiplier", which just means, take your 12 minutes to reach floc, multiply by 3 for 36 minutes, and cut the curds 36 minutes after adding the rennet (note, you've used up 12 of those 36 minutes already just getting to the floc point).  What this is doing is adjusting the procedure based upon how the milk is responding to the current cultures and rennet - so  you will get more consistent outcomes by doing this rather than just following a set time that most recipes list.

Hope that is clear?

That has got to be one of the best descriptions of flocculation I've ever seen! I'm going to start doing this!

Offline botanist

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Re: Help with my Feta, Curd problems
« Reply #5 on: October 30, 2014, 10:49:44 PM »
Sounds like your problem was solved.

Here's my recipe for goat's milk Fet-ish

4gallons milk
¼ tsp MM100 (I've tried various cultures including those 'for Feta' and like this best for flavor)
¼ tsp lipase (kid is stronger than lamb, choose whichever you want)
¾ tsp CaCl2 (essential for pasteurized milk, goat milk whether pasteurized or not, and if you are going to store in brine)
½ + 1/8 tsp single strength rennet (kid, lamb or veal/calf) if using goat’s milk and ¾ tsp if using cow’s milk
Saturated brine (2.5 lb salt per gallon water/whey) with ½ tsp CaCl2 solution.  The calcium chloride ‘firms’ the milk and cheese structure and will help prevent the cheese breaking down in storage brine, if used.
Storage brine = a light brine; to 1 gallon boiled water (or distilled water – even better 3 qts water + 1 qt feta whey), add 13 oz kosher salt and ½ tsp CaCl2 solution

•   Heat milk in a waterbath to 86°F for goat milk, 88°F for cow milk, gradually over a 20 min. period, stirring occasionally.  When target temperature is reached, sprinkle culture and lipase over the milk surface and cover pot to allow hydration, for 5 min.
•   Stir gently, up and down, 20 strokes with cheese ladle.  Ripen for 60 minutes, maintaining temperature.  Leaving the pot in the waterbath may increase the heat, so either remove the cheese milk from the waterbath or add cool water to the bath.
•   Mix CaCl2 with ¼-1/2 cup of lukewarm water and stir into cheese milk as with the culture.
•   Mix rennet with ¼-1/2 cup of lukewarm water and stir in.
•   Cover and let rest until clean break (CB), which may be 30-60 min, depending on milk used (species, stage in lactation)
•   Cut curd into ½” cubes and let rest 5 min to heal cut curd
•   Very gently stir while reheating to 86-88°F (goat and cow milk, respectively), if curd temperature has declined.  Stirring (with or without heating) firms the curd and encourages whey drainage.  Do not stir too vigorously or the cheese will be rubbery.  Total time of stirring (off and on) = 45 min.  Allow curd to rest for 10 min.
•   Remove whey to curd level and drain in cheesecloth hanging (this speeds drainage) for a ‘rustic’ formed cheese that can be cut into large cubes, or in square molds (with or without cheesecloth).  If using molds, these may be stacked 2-3 high, rotating order of molds in the stack at every flipping .of the cheeses.  This presses the cheeses, much like hanging.  Ripen the cheese at room temperature to develop acidity (won’t occur in the refrigerator), but preferably not above 78°F.  The acidity will help the cheese maintain its shape in the brine
•   Flip the cheese after 10-15 min for even whey drainage, then again at 30 min and 1 hour.  Drain 24 hours at room temp to develop acidity.  If hanging to drain, flip at 30 min. and 1 hour for the first 2 hours.
•   Remove cheese from mold(s) or cheese hung in cheesecloth.
•   Brine in the saturated brine for 8 hr per 1# of final weight, flipping halfway through and salting the exposed surface.
•   Air-dry the brined cheese at 50-55 °F for 1-3 days, turning daily.  Store in ‘storage brine’ in the refrigerator.
before goats, store bought milk = chevre & feta, with goats, infinite possibilities, goatie love, lotta work cleaning out the barn!