Stirring the Pot...

[John@PC]

I love to make cheese but stirring can really be a drag especially when your recipe says "stir continuously 60 min" or whatever .   Recently I made (what I wanted to be) a classic Monterrey Jack with pepper added and printed Eric (Spoons) recipe.  I thought it would be interesting to compare to some other recipes, so I pulled out Karlin's, Caldwell's, Ricky's and one from CulturesforHealth.com.  All were in agreement within a close range for ripening time and temperatures, curd cooking time and temperature targets, and draining / pressing (it is interesting that only half call for washing with cool water).  However, there was a huge difference in stir times and techniques.  I totaled all of the stir times for each recipe:

Cultures for Health:  60 min (last 30 min. occasional)
Spoons: 90 min
Karlin's:  90 min
Carroll's:  100 min (last 30 min. occassional)
Caldwell's:  188 min (over 3 hrs. total!)

Needless to say I did not use Caldwell's; not because I assume it would make a good cheese but because after 3 hrs. stirring my arm would fall off drop into the pot  .

I'm curious what others think.  Can we "limit" our stirring or at least do more occassional stirring vs. continuous?

ps:  I had not been to culturesforhealth.com and searching on the forum only see a few links.  I like their website and they really have a lot of recipes (3 for jack alone).  However, I'm a little wary after seeing "rest curds after cutting 45 min" and their Pepper Jack recipe that calls for adding 5 jalapenos and 4 habenero diced peppers in a 2 gal. milk make  .

[Alpkäserei]

Jaja, mer Schwiizeri Lüt nutze-n-es Ruehrwärk!

We clever Swiss cheese makers invented this gadget that's called a Ruhrwerk, which would translate roughly as stirring machine or just, stirrer.
The one we used on the Alp where I learned was made with a an old 12V windshield wiper motor -the old kind that had a 2-speed switch. You could probably go to a junkyard and pop one off an old car, or better a truck since they will have heavier motors. It was outfitted with a propeller-like gadget. But you have to attach a flow breaker somewhere, something that interrupts the circular flow of the pot or else the curd will still clump. The idea is to keep it agitated.

Or if you have a fancy modern vat, it is probably equiped to stir mechanically as well.

[John@PC]

Thanks Alps.  You're a good one for this question:  I use rectangular pans and from time to time rather than stirring I raise up one end and then let it down creating a wave of sorts.  It seems to do a good job keeping curds from matting and has a very gentle action with no shattering or cutting.  I've thought of making a mechanism to do this automatically which may or may not be simpler to do than a circular stirrer.  Maybe one day I'll split the milk and put half in the pan and half in a round pot and do a test: ruhrwerk vs vipporganet??.

[qdog1955]

Because of health problems, I have trouble with the long stirring times, also. So I have made a device that I am still working on ( have shared some of this and pics with Gavin the Green) for more input. I have the device working well, I just need to come up with the perfect Paddle. I'm on my third try--- Gavin has suggested a wire type paddle--- I am working on that now. This is designed for a  round vat---uses a gear reduction motor---about 1 3/4 r.p.m. and a timer relay so I can set the time on and the time off. Glad to share my ideas and would love to have any input.
  My biggest fear is over stirring and breaking up the curd to much

[qdog1955]

Forgot to add this----I have been considering going to your rectangular pan set up and already have some plans for a stirring device for that.  Still doing the drawings in my head and on paper, which is hard to do, since I'm not sure of the sizes of your hot plate and pan. Maybe you can post exact heights--width and length of your setup. 

[Spoons]

That is some nice work qdog1955! What motor do you use? I once read that an ice cream maker motor is perfect for a round vat stir.

Caldwell's:  188 min (over 3 hrs. total!)

That's a workout! Caldwell drains at PH 5.6-5.7 I believe. The recipe I used (mostly from Peter Dixon) drains at PH 6.2. That's a huge difference in itself.

I often see recipes that call for occasional stir. I think Amrein-Boyes is one of those authors. Some do the "occasional" others do the "continual". Maybe one day I'll try a quick comparison and see what difference in whey expulsion they have from one another.

I do agree that sometime stirring can be a pain. In Caldwell's jack recipe, stirring is more like Judge imposed community service. lol

[ArnaudForestier]

It doth get old. 

I've an ice cream motor, just need to find a way to fix a shaft and propeller to it.  Do you guys fabricate one in s/s?  Buy one? 

Alp, thanks on the windshield wiper idea.  Very cool.  How did you deal with the propeller?

[qdog1955]

Well, you can buy all kinds of gear reduction motors, different speeds---sizes---etc--. relatively cheap. I just had this one laying around from an older project. Every thing is 304 stainless that I am fabricating myself,and once again being a cheapskate ( fixed income)---now listen up guys and gals here is a really good tip. I bought a damaged stainless restaurant kitchen table from PCI auctions for $35.00 ( 6' x 3'----2 shelves) I have enough stainless for all kinds of projects. You can get all kinds of used equipment suitable for cheese making--- they specialize in selling restaurant  stuff from places that go out of business, and there are alot of them throughout the country.

[qdog1955]

I just used a S.S. 1/2" dia. shaft and drilled the right size hole in the end and a tapped hole on side for a set screw. I wanted to be able to remove easily for cleanup. My problem is making the right kind of paddle---my latest version is just to aggressive--- It wants to pile the curd up instead of slowly stirring.  Clumping on the bottom can be an issue too. I am currently working on a heavy gauge wire type.
  Would certainly like some ideas.

[ArnaudForestier]

Sure wish I could TIG - world would be a lot easier. 

[awakephd]

I can TIG, and have a TIG welder and SS filler rod. Come on down! A word of warning, though -- my prices are high. I require samples of your favorite cheeses as payment.

[ArnaudForestier]

I can TIG, and have a TIG welder and SS filler rod. Come on down! A word of warning, though -- my prices are high. I require samples of your favorite cheeses as payment.

Phew.  Glad Laughing Cow is tops with me.  You're on! 

[chevre au lait]

Hm, I would mention that pot stirrers have already been invented, but looking at the product reviews, I will not dissuade you from your attempts to improve on what already exists.

[qdog1955]

    Well, I can't speak for others, but not trying to reinvent or improve a pot stirrer---just trying to come up with one that works for me and my budget---besides, where would we be, if someone hadn't tried to improve computers, my garage would be filled with an IBM main frame costing a million bucks.
    I am still trying for the better mouse trap though. They just love my cheese!
 
 

[Spoons]

Hm, I would mention that pot stirrers have already been invented, but looking at the product reviews, I will not dissuade you from your attempts to improve on what already exists.

huh, I'll be one to admit that I didn't know they existed. I wonder if anyone's ever used one for cheese making.

http://unikia.com/stirio.html