Stinky's Parmesan #1

[Stinky]

Today I made a two-gallon Parmesan from Karlin's book. It's in the press right now. Hopefully it'll turn out well!

• 2 gallons reduced fat milk
• 1/4 tsp. Thermo B
• 1/2 tsp. CaCl2
• 1/2 tsp. calf rennet

• Heat to 94º F
• Add Thermo B and let ripen for 45 min.
• CaCl2 and rennet, until clean break or around 50 minutes in this case
• Let sit for 10 minutes
• The curds seem a bit rubbery, but I think that might be the reduced fat milk...
• Heat to 125º, stirring
• Once it reaches 105º, let it sit and sink to the bottom
• At around 115º, remember that Parmesan had a correction in the recipe
• Check the corrections printed out in the back
• Realize I didn't need to stop stirring
• Desperately stir and try to break them up again, while heating up to... 140? I didn't know that burner was on, blast it
• Cool it back down to 110º in the sink 
• Realize there are no clean cheesecloths
• Drain and press naked, at 10 lb.
• Increase weight to 25 lb., five pounds heavier than the recipe, based on online recipes.
• Press for around 13 1/2 hours, but probably longer because that would be 11 o'clock. 
• Brine for....
• I plan to age this until July 2015, so 7 or 8 months.

Do any of you have experience with this? The recipe book says 12 hours brining, but I've read in many other places 30 hours is more typical... which would you recommend?

[pastpawn]

Do any of you have experience with this? The recipe book says 12 hours brining, but I've read in many other places 30 hours is more typical... which would you recommend?

I haven't made.  I intend on making everything in that book though.  It's my policy with cheese, food, and everything else, to follow the recipe EXACTLY the first time through.  Then, use the results to adjust. 

[awakephd]

I've made two parma styles following the Rikki Carroll book. I don't have it in front of me, so not sure how similar it is to your recipe, though I'm pretty sure it does not include a 140˚ step.

My first effort was only a two gallon make. I opened it at 6 months and was disappointed -- texture was pretty good, but the taste was pretty bland. I put half of it back to age further, and have used the rest off and on over the last 5 months; lately it has begun to show a bit more promise, so I'm hoping the half still in the cheese cave will be much better when I open it.

Still, the next time I make a parma style, I plan to include some lipase to boost the taste!

[Stinky]

Sorry if I was unclear. It was only supposed to be heated up to 124º, but, like I said, the burner got left on.

[awakephd]

Oh yes, I understood. I've made a few brand new cheese varieties that way myself!

[Stinky]

So the other day I cracked this, as the uneven knitting left big cracks in the side, and mold was having too much fun. The Parm actually wasn't nearly as moldy on the inside, and seemed to have knit decently inside. When cut, the paste was fairly good, a few too many mechanical holes for me, but the taste was much better. It tasted much like the young Asiago. Called it "Baby Parm". The one quibble I had was that the mouthfeel was bad, my tongue felt rather dusty after I ate it. Not sure quite how I'd describe it. But I really could have aged it out longer.

And right now I'm making Parm #2.

[Danbo]

Hi Stinky,

A cheese for you!

:-) Danbo

[awakephd]

Stinky, at the risk of being labelled a heretic, you might consider waxing a parm that small, especially if humidity control is an issue. My first parm was also a 2-gallon make, and I was surprised how small it was; after some time of leaving it as a natural rind, and oiling with olive oil, I decided it was getting really, really dry, so I waxed it. After 6 months I opened, kept out half, and re-waxed the other half. I just opened that other half, now at 11+ months, to take for the family Christmas gathering. The texture and dryness were just right, and the taste -- finally, after 11 months! -- is starting to really get there as well.

[Stinky]

Thanks, Danbo!

Hmm, that's a thought. Maybe oil it for a month or two, then wax?