Author Topic: My 3rd Munster  (Read 4138 times)

JeffHamm

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My 3rd Munster
« on: August 30, 2014, 10:28:51 PM »
Hi,

This was such a treat last time that I figured I have to get another one going right away.  I've remembered to use the non-homogenized Silver top milk this time, which ups the fat content and also results in a firmer curd.  This is a really quick make (at least to the point of getting it in the mould, there's the continual flipping through the day, but that is just when you think of it and it isn't a disaster if you have to go out through the day, and no need to get up through the night or anything).

Anyway, once this is out of the mould tomorrow, it will go straight into the cave.  So, as my last one ended up getting contaminated with wild geo and blue mould, I've prepared it's own container this time.  I moved my bitto in with the tomme, and took the bitto's old box, poured in a kettle full of boiling water and soaked the mats and chopsticks that I use to keep the cheese off the bottom (to avoid sitting in whey, and to allow air to get to all sides).  Then, gave everything a good soapy wash and another boil wash.  That should, fingers crossed, have got the box as free from contaminates as I can get it.  So now, the hope is, the b.linens will grow without too many helpers joining in and ending the aging process.  Will see how that works out for me in a few weeks I suppose.  :)



Munster (200 Easy Homemade Cheese Recipes, where it is spelled Muenster) Sunday, Aug 31, 2014
2 Litres Silver Top (creamline 4% fat, 3.1% protein)
3 Litres Homebrand Standard (3.2% fat, 3.1% protein : gives 0.87:1 P:F Ratio – target 0.88:1)
2 ice cube buttermilk
1 ice cube crème fraiche
1/20th B. Linens (or less)
¼ tsp CaCl2 in egg cup water
Rennet (0.8 mls 280 IMCU Calf rennet)
Salt
brine for washing (6 g salt to 194g water)
6 ½ inch tomme mould with follower

1)   Add CaCl2 while setting up
2)   Add culture and b.linens to milk and warm to 32 C (7:22 32.2 C)
3)   Ripen 15 minutes (7:22 - 7:37 31.8 C raised back to 32.1 C)
4)   Add rennet (7:39:00 floc time 7:52:00 = 13 m 00s 4x floc = 52m 00s cut time 8:31:00)
5)   Cut to 1.25 cm cubes (8:31 - 8:33) (so 4.6x floc used)
6)   Ensure temp is 32.0 C ( 27.2 C raised back to 31.2 C)
7)   stir gently for 15 minutes (8:41 - 8:56)
8 )   Let curds settle, cover and rest 30 minutes (8:56 - 9:26)
9)   Drain whey to level of curds, then gentle transfer curds to cloth lined colander
10)   Drain 30 minutes (9:34 - 10:04)
11)   Ladle soft curds into mould (but press them lightly to ensure they are spread evenly – used coffee cup full of water; put mould in pot with lid, and fill cup with boiling water to keep pressing environment warm and moist) and drain 24 hours (flip several times over this period and remove any whey – keep cheese above the whey (10:10 – flipped 11:15, fusing nicely – again 12:30 - 1:40 – 3:25 – 5:40 – 6:30 – 8:00 pm - 6:00 am – 4:15 pm – 752g 15.6 x 4.0= 765 = 0.98 g/cm3)
12)   If cheese still too soft to handle, continue to drain/flip for 6-7 hours more (??:?? - ??:??)
13)   Sprinkle each face with ¼ tsp salt up to 1 tsp for larger cheese (6.25” tomme mould, used ½ tsp each face )
14)   Place cheese in ripening container and ripen at 13 C, 85% humidity
15)   Flip cheese daily, remove any whey until no more released (about 3 days; was dry first day)
16)   Start washing every for 2 weeks (smaller cheeses) to 3 weeks (larger cheeses).  Orange smear should start to form after 10 days or so. (Started washing Wednesday, Sept 3, 2014 PM).
17)   Can be eaten at this point, or continue to ripen up to 3 months (gets stronger the longer you continue to ripen it).
18)   Rind should be soft and moist, but not sticky.  Once the rind is where you want it, wrap in parchment paper and store in regular fridge to extend.


NOTES: the curd and resulting cheese is much firmer than my last make (which didn't use the 2 litres of cream line milk).  This should make the cheese stand up to the washing and ripening process a bit better, so as long as we can keep it clear of mould we should be fine. 

I'm using 6-8 g of salt in 144 g of water as my solution, so around 4-5% brine.  Didn't add any b.linens to the brine this time.

Tuesday, Sept 16, 2014: getting a really good schmeir now. 

Saturday, Sept 20, 2014: very aromatic.  Salted both faces and the sides as there have been one or two black spots wanting to form.  B.Linens are starting to show a bit.


???day, ???? ??, 2014: 15.? x ?.? ???g; ?.?? g/cm3
« Last Edit: September 20, 2014, 07:34:48 AM by JeffHamm »

Offline Boofer

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Re: My 3rd Munster
« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2014, 01:14:07 AM »
You're Non-Stop, Jeff!  :)

So the Munster is that good, huh? I have been considering a washed rind of some kind: Munster (because of you!), Reblochon, Esrom, or Taleggio. I seem to be hesitating because they are here and gone if you're not paying close attention. Whereas the semi-hard cheeses I have been focused on can stick around a lot longer, without a lot of adult supervision. ;)

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JeffHamm

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Re: My 3rd Munster
« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2014, 05:59:12 AM »
+Hi Boofer,

I've not been making a huge amount lately, but I've done a series of updates on rind developments and such.  That's mostly just taking photos during the daily inspection.  If you go for a washed rind, this is a pretty quick make and easily allows for a 2nd cheese to be made on the same day.  This started around 7:30 and was in the mould before 10:15.  Requires a few flips, which one can do while making another cheese, etc.  And, I know you're not against a multi-make day when the situation calls for it.

You could pair this with a bitto make, and be in for a quick treat, and another in a dozen years or so.  Patience has its rewards. ;)

Anyway, here's the Munster at the 5:40 flip, so about a third of the way though the pressing (which will end tomorrow after work).  No chance to weigh it as it's a bit soft, but it holds shape and can be flipped without any real trouble.

- Jeff
« Last Edit: August 31, 2014, 06:33:04 AM by JeffHamm »

JeffHamm

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Re: My 3rd Munster
« Reply #3 on: September 01, 2014, 05:15:41 AM »
Ok, out of the press at around 752g, measuring around 15.6 x 4.0 cm, for a density of 0.98 g/cm3.  Measurements might be a bit out as things were a bit hectic and rushed.  Anyway, looking fine, and it's now salted (1/2 tsp each face) and in the cave.  Will start washing in 5 to 7 days with a 3-5% brine solution.  Could try a "stinking Bishop" approach and use Perry (pear cider), but I don't have any and would have to remember to pick some up.  Might try that on a later make.  For now, just want to get things consistent with the make I think.

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: My 3rd Munster
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2014, 06:34:00 AM »
Just an update to show the rind development.  The b.linens are coming along nicely.  The rind is a bit tacky, but I've not been washing it much so it's not slippery.  Well, not too slippery anyway.  Haven't weighed it recently, but probably in the 700g range.  Overall it's doing well.  Has a bit of an aroma, but not too bad.  Haven't been told to find the dead rat yet, so still a way to go I guess.  Anyway, a bit of mould occasionally shows up, and then I give it a wipe down, but other than that, pretty low maintenance.  Will probably cut it near the end of the month.

- Jeff

John@PC

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Re: My 3rd Munster
« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2014, 12:16:44 PM »
Sounds like it's time for another "munster match"  ::)?  Then again you're getting so good Jeff that I'll concede the munster and concentrate on the ale-washed for now ;).

JeffHamm

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Re: My 3rd Munster
« Reply #6 on: October 08, 2014, 06:15:40 PM »
I've not tried an ale washed one yet.  This one has benefited from using the creamline milk, and from giving the ripening container a complete boiling water cleaning before aging the cheese.  A few bits of mould have still managed to show up, but the wash routine seems to have kept them at bay and now the b.linens are coming on strong.  Next one of these I'll do I think I'll try washing it with pear cider, which is what stinking bishop is washed with (although I won't have the right cider and the cheese will be the wrong size, etc, a perry wash could be fun to try - I'm also less inclined to just drink the wash as I have a hard time with pouring salt into a perfectly good ale!  Although, we used to have to add salt to draft beer in Nova Scotia, and Canada, as "draft" was overly carbonated and a pinch of salt helped get rid of it).

- Jeff

John@PC

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Re: My 3rd Munster
« Reply #7 on: October 08, 2014, 10:25:36 PM »
I'm also less inclined to just drink the wash as I have a hard time with pouring salt into a perfectly good ale!
Jeff, I think you have a "double negative"  ??? there.  It reminded me of a skit on Saturday Night Live (not sure that shows over there) but to be brief there was an expert at a nuclear plant that, when retiring, told his cohorts "you can never add too much water to the reactor".  A week or so later he was on his sailboat and on the horizian there appeared a mushroom cloud at which time he said "I told them you could never add too much water!".  Moral of the story:  You can never drink too much of the ale wash  ;D ;D.

JeffHamm

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Re: My 3rd Munster
« Reply #8 on: October 09, 2014, 06:56:41 AM »
You know, you may be right with that moral!  Must look into it.  :)

Oh, and I used to watch SLN years ago when I lived in Canada.  I remember when John Belushi was on it and we all went around saying "cheeseburger, cheeseburger, no coke, pepsi".

JeffHamm

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Re: My 3rd Munster
« Reply #9 on: October 15, 2014, 04:52:47 AM »
The colour is really coming on now.  Weighs in at 688g right now.  The aroma isn't overly strong, but it is there.  Probably will come on more strong if left out to warm up more.  This is definately developing the way I expect it to - so will be interesting to see if the flavour is also going to plan.  That is where the true test lies.  Not sure when that will be put to the test though.  Will keep you notified.

Offline Boofer

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Re: My 3rd Munster
« Reply #10 on: October 15, 2014, 01:25:55 PM »
Mmmm, I think I can smell it from here. :P

Looking good, Jeff.

I was searching for something else and came across this cheese I made over two years ago! It might be time for a little Reblochon Revival. Once again, I think you're inspiring me. ;)

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Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

JeffHamm

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Re: My 3rd Munster
« Reply #11 on: October 15, 2014, 06:00:32 PM »
I can only hope to get a result as nice as those.  Your gooey and sinful exploits are truly things to admire.

JeffHamm

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Re: My 3rd Munster
« Reply #12 on: October 20, 2014, 06:11:27 PM »
The b.linens rind is very well developed, and the schmere and aroma both very thick.  Cheese measures 15.1 x 3.0 cm, and weighed in at 676g (1.26 c/cm3) before washing the linens off the two faces, when it reduced to 628g (1.17 g/cm3).  Cheese feels very soft and pliable.  Will probably cut into this this evening.


beechercreature

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Re: My 3rd Munster
« Reply #13 on: October 20, 2014, 06:24:23 PM »
Will probably cut into this this evening.

It's 5 o'clock somewhere... ;)

JeffHamm

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Re: My 3rd Munster
« Reply #14 on: October 21, 2014, 04:35:00 AM »
Indeed, it's 5:29 here now! :)

This has turned out very nice.  It has ripened to the centre, and the paste is soft, though not runny or gooey.  The rind, after washing off the linens, is edible.  The flavour is definately b.linens cheese, strong but not overpowering, so probably mid-level. Meaning, I think if this was left to ripen another month is would be quite challenging, and if cut into a few weeks ago it would be quite mild and a good intro cheese for washed rinds. 

Yum!

- Jeff

P.S.  My 7 year old daughter really likes it!  She said it was my best cheese ever.  :)
« Last Edit: October 21, 2014, 06:20:07 AM by JeffHamm »