Author Topic: Classic milled Curd, English Cheddar style  (Read 6222 times)

Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: Classic milled Curd, English Cheddar style
« Reply #15 on: August 24, 2014, 01:40:25 AM »
And my control sheet -  for those who can read it. :)


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Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: Classic milled Curd, English Cheddar style
« Reply #16 on: August 31, 2014, 10:24:41 PM »
Waxed and housed.  see you in 6 months
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JeffHamm

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Re: Classic milled Curd, English Cheddar style
« Reply #17 on: August 31, 2014, 10:27:27 PM »
Looks good Mal!  Looking forward to the taste report.

Offline Boofer

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Re: Classic milled Curd, English Cheddar style
« Reply #18 on: August 31, 2014, 11:37:41 PM »
And my control sheet -  for those who can read it. :)
Now that's a real worksheet!  Looks like you rolled the dice on the rennet. ;)

-Boofer-
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Spoons

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Re: Classic milled Curd, English Cheddar style
« Reply #19 on: September 01, 2014, 12:41:43 AM »
I love the spreadsheet! I wish I were that organized.

Looks like you rolled the dice on the rennet. ;)

-Boofer-


LOL! Now that's record keeping! 6 months from now, we'll go "Hey Mal, how'd that 2.6 cheddar do?"

All kidding aside, I guess you're using a syringe? If so, how's that working for you? I'm asking because I'm always looking for ways to improve and using a syringe might be my next change.

Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: Classic milled Curd, English Cheddar style
« Reply #20 on: September 01, 2014, 02:08:54 AM »
I suppose I did roll the dice a bit on the rennet - as I couldn't get 2.5 on the syringe !! Hindsight being 20:20 I'll use 2.8 next time.  I was also being a bit cautious as I was using a new milk and reading that increased protein and fast coagulation in the milk help create a firmer casein matrix but where the pores are courser, leading to the possibility to increased fat loss, I erred on the side of caution ... Should have trusted my notes a bit more :).  The recipe was calling for curd cutting at 45 minutes and the 52 minutes by the Flocculation calculation I think worked out ok.  The pH targets and weight of the final cheese seemed acceptable.  This is what Artisan Cheese is all about getting it sort of right and working with each and every cheese we make.  I was getting into the science of it all and while reading about the technology of cheese making can sometimes cloud the Artisan appeal of why we do it in the first place.  I suppose if absolute consistency is required -  the supermarket is just down the road :), but that isn't why I do it.  Edible Art, Fromage du Jour ... !

CheeseOn
 8)
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Offline Boofer

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Re: Classic milled Curd, English Cheddar style
« Reply #21 on: September 02, 2014, 04:52:27 AM »
I was getting into the science of it all and while reading about the technology of cheese making can sometimes cloud the Artisan appeal of why we do it in the first place.  I suppose if absolute consistency is required -  the supermarket is just down the road :), but that isn't why I do it. 
For the sheer love of it all.... 8)

You get a lttle basic knowledge and then infuse your character with every cheese you create. They may not all be terrific crowd-pleasers, but it's something you have crafted and transfixed. I get a deep sense of satsfaction when I finish making a cheese and put it in the cave to age. For me, it signifies hope and a promise for something truly special in the future. With everything going crazy around the world nowadays, it's especially encouraging to have some control over something. Maybe it's just the illusion of control. Whatever. For now, it's enough.

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Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: Classic milled Curd, English Cheddar style
« Reply #22 on: November 24, 2014, 12:20:45 AM »
This one I had to pull early.  Reason - there was something on the surface of the cheese originally and about the 2 month mark Itried to repair it by removing the wax over the mould site and remove the moulp and reseal - outcome... Not so good.  2 weeks after the repair the mould reappeared and whilst not spreading was a concern.  The next couple of weeks showed that the situation was getting worse.  So with the St Paulin this weekend I removed the wax.  There was a considerable amount of softening under the mould but these was not funny colours or funky smells so it was decieded to cut off the mouldy bits and bag the rest.  Had a taste test and OMG... it was wonderful !!  Although it was a Cheddar it was just semi hard.  My wife loved it and said it tasted like a Colby... meh !!! so what, it was still cheese and very nice. 

Lessons learnt.

1. Cant really repair mould under wax..  Remove totally and affanage from there.
2. Need a better coating system -  wax is ok.  I'm leaning to the more traditional coverings Cloth Banded and Natural rinds.
3. Just because you have put it in the "Cave' this can still change.. 

The cheese still had mechanicial opening so therefore if you are following this recipe - More weight !!

--Mal 
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Spoons

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Re: Classic milled Curd, English Cheddar style
« Reply #23 on: November 24, 2014, 12:42:27 AM »
Congrats on your cheese, Mal! Looks like the  3.0 2.5 2.6ml rennet worked out ;)

The colby thing is probably because it's only 3 months old. Quite mild still. Pressing a milled cheese is not easily done at home, especially if you want a perfect paste. I'm still working on that, I recently rigged my press so it can press around 20PSI with only about 25 lbs of weights. Either I'll end up having a perfect paste or end up killing the cheese mould...

Anyways, congrats!

A cheese for you!

Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: Classic milled Curd, English Cheddar style
« Reply #24 on: November 24, 2014, 03:37:07 AM »
Thank-you :).  Though there are quite a lot of Mechanical openings, the mould did'nt get into the interior.  There was no bitterness in the cheese and my dithering with the rennet didn't affect it, I don't think. My press can get to quite a high but I'm not sure the Cheese Form will hold 25 PSI.  I can hang 5Kgs at the end of it and could go higher without too much trouble. My main cheese form is 165 mm so I'll have to calculate out what 25 PSI would be.

-- Mal 
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qdog1955

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Re: Classic milled Curd, English Cheddar style
« Reply #25 on: November 24, 2014, 10:28:47 AM »
Ozzie-----at what temp. are you waxing? Since I started waxing at 250 degrees, I haven't had any mold under my wax-----I have had all kinds of other problems, but no mold.  I am currently testing the coconut oil and the lard coating, to see how that works and would love to try the cream wax I read about on the Forum----but it seems awful expensive-----as if this is a cheap man's hobby ;)
Qdog

Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: Classic milled Curd, English Cheddar style
« Reply #26 on: November 25, 2014, 12:33:00 AM »
I think where I went wrong was trying to fix a little spot of mould by just removing the wax around that area and attempting to replace the wax.  I probably should have removed it all, cleaned the rind, air dried and then re-waxed.  But really - I'm going to stick with the 'Tranditional' - reasonably low cost  -  of cloth bandaging and lard.  It keeps the cheese from drying out but lets it breathe.  Everytime I've used that it has been wonderful.  I can't get cream coating for any realistic price in Brisbane either. 

--Mal
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