Author Topic: Wayne's Cheese: Cheddar040509  (Read 2441 times)

wharris

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Wayne's Cheese: Cheddar040509
« on: April 05, 2009, 10:58:20 AM »
All,
I am trying to tackle the mottled color and tie to acidification issues from yesterday.

List of Ingredients:
  • 6gal whole pasteurized/homogenized off the shelf milk (1.99/gall at SAMS Club)
  • 1/2 tsp Choozit MA11  (1.1g)
  • 24 drops double strength Annatto (diluted in 2/3 cup distilled water)
  • 3tsp CaCl2
  • 1.5tsp veal rennet (diluted in 3/4 cup distilled water)
  • 3.3oz of flaked salt
  • 8 drops Annatto/gal


My Goals:
  • Make a cheese that is not mottled in color
  • Make a cheese that reaches pH markers on time (quicker)
  • pH Marker:  6.15 at end of cook/scald
  • pH Marker:  5.4-5.7 after salting

Here is what I am gonna try.
  • Mill the curds as well as stir them to a smaller size.  no more than .5in
  • Going with 4/8th tsp of culture instead of 3/8th tsp


Basic Process:
  • Add milk to vat, start heating to 90degF
  • Add Annatto
  • When milk is at 90, add Culture.  Stir in for 1 min
  • Wait 30 min then add CaCl2
  • Wait 15 min then add Rennet Solution
  • Wait 45 min or until clean break, cut curd, then let rest for 15min
  • Stir curd and begin heating protocol from 90-100 degF  That is 2 deg/5min
  • Let sit at 100degF for 30 min.
  • Drain curd, not too long to avoid matting
  • place in pan, stir curds with fingers, avoid mashing
  • Add salt in two phases, allowing for slower absorption
  • Stir every 5 min for 1 hour
  • place in 8"mould
  • Press@2PSI for 15 min
  • Remove from mould/flip/redress/re-mould
  • Press@4PSI for 30 min
  • Remove from mould/flip/redress/re-mould
  • Press@8PSI for 2hours
  • Remove from mould/flip/redress/re-mould
  • Press@19PSI for 24 Hours



Here is how it is playing out in real-life:
TimeTaskWater TempMilk TemppH
6:33amAdd milk90416.94
6:56amadded color99626.97
7:03amData point115686.87
7:39amCluture Added115906.77
7:39amData point11292*6.70
8:12amAdded CaCl2111926.72
8:28amAdded Rennet Solution111916.68
9:12amCut the curd103906.60
9:20amData Point103916.53
9:28amStart Cook112906.51
9:50amData point141966.43
9:57amData point141986.38
9:57amData point141986.38
10:01amDone heating1411006.32
10:10amDone heating1411006.31
10:20amDone heating1411016.27
10:25amDone heating1411006.25
10:54amDone heating141996.15
11:03amStirring1411006.05
11:15amStirringNA1005.95
11:28amStirringNA1005.82
11:39amStirringNA1005.72
11:55amStirringNA1005.62
12:07pmAdded SaltNA1005.57



Notes:
*Damn,  I went over again. Sloppy again.


Wrap up
« Last Edit: April 05, 2009, 04:10:52 PM by Wayne Harris »

Rich

  • Guest
Re: Wayne's Cheese: Cheddar040509
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2009, 11:13:46 AM »
Wayne, I don't know what you've done in the past that would result in a mottled color.  I have not had that problem, except on the outer surface of the rind - and maybe that's what you are referring to.  The only difference I see in what you are doing and what I have done is that I add the anatto after the ripening stage and immediately before addition of rennet.

Also, I was stunned by your pressing regime.  With your size mold, to achieve 8 psi would require over 400 lbs of weight.  I may be wrong, but that sounds a bit excessive.  I'm only using 4 psi on the final press, with good results.  Of course I don't have a pnuematic press.  A stack of 9 concrete blocks might be a bit hazardous for me.

wharris

  • Guest
Re: Wayne's Cheese: Cheddar040509
« Reply #2 on: April 05, 2009, 03:23:59 PM »
I am using 960 lbs to be exact.

What prompted me to use so much is Peter Dixon's Site.

There he calls for 25PSI. But as Carter points out, its not clear if he refers to cyclinder pressure or surface of the cheese pressure. 
Thing is, I find it hard to understand how a smart guy like Mr Dixon would offer a cylinder pressure up in his recipe when that would apply to just those that knew what kind of cylinder he used and also had the same type.

I think its far more likely that the PSI he refers to is pressure on the cheese.  25PSI.

So,  I figured I would make a run at it. I might be able to get 21-22PSI, but I think that will max out my press.

linuxboy

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Re: Wayne's Cheese: Cheddar040509
« Reply #3 on: April 05, 2009, 09:32:26 PM »
Hi Wayne,

Mottled color or discoloration at press time have two common causes, which are interrelated and have to do with rate of whey loss by the curd. One cause is uneven curd size. And the second cause is the heating schedule. If you heat and stir on a burner, sometimes there are hot spots, which cause uneven whey loss. And if the curd is not cut uniformly, some pieces will be hard and have lost a lot of liquid, while others will still be large and be a bit softer.

It's difficult to get just right, but I think you're on the right track with trying a smaller curd size. Good luck! :)

chilipepper

  • Guest
Re: Wayne's Cheese: Cheddar040509
« Reply #4 on: April 06, 2009, 04:49:58 PM »
Wayne, Looks like good data on the stirred curd.  I have a couple of quick questions.  First I think you have a typo on the amount of culture 4/8th tsp?? Supposed to be 5/8th tsp?

From 10:00 to 11:00 how did you avoid heat transfer into the curd from the hot water?  I think you are using a water batch with a small pump for circulation...could/would this be responsible for some unevenness in heating and potentially resulting in the mottled color as alluded to by linuxboy? BTW, thanks for that explanation Linuxboy - seems like two factors we often struggle with as 'amateurs'.

Wayne, what did it look like out of the press?

Either way I'm sure it will be awesome and thanks again for a very usefull post!

Ryan

wharris

  • Guest
Re: Wayne's Cheese: Cheddar040509
« Reply #5 on: April 06, 2009, 05:19:07 PM »
Culture:
No typo.  One goal of the batch was to avoid the over acidification of the cheese.  In the past I have been adding 3/4 tsp.  I backed it off to 3/8th on Saturday and while acid production did occur, it was a bit slow.
So yesterday I upped it to 1/2 tsp.  the acid production was just about perfect. 


Good eye,  maintaining an even heat during the stirring phase is difficult. What i try and do is lay down some paper towels on the curds to trap the heat on top.  I give that process a C+ for effectiveness.  I was thinking of getting heat lamps.


The smaller curds did definately change the rate of salt absorption. The smaller curds were more rubbery in nature and almost squeeked when i ate one.  The mottling was much less pronounced with this wheel.  but the wheel was also 1/2 inch "shorter" than the others.  I think I lost more whey with the smaller curd and increased salt absoption. 



chilipepper

  • Guest
Re: Wayne's Cheese: Cheddar040509
« Reply #6 on: April 06, 2009, 06:20:03 PM »
Thanks Wayne... ARGH so many variables! 

What was our consensus here on the sanitary nature of paper towels?  Do you sanitize them in some fashion or right off the roll?  I think your idea of heat lamps might be worth pursuing.  Radiant heat could be the most consistent method.  One would still have to do periodic measurements around the curd to see how effective it would be.  This stage could really be the most significant factor to the mottled curd as there is no real good way to maintain even heat there (other than having a couple hundred pounds of curd around it).

Do you think that the loss of whey due to your small curd/salt combination will create a cheese that is too dry?  This may not be that big of a problem if you are intending to age for long periods of time but for younger cheeses this may be a factor.

Ryan

wharris

  • Guest
Re: Wayne's Cheese: Cheddar040509
« Reply #7 on: April 06, 2009, 07:13:25 PM »
Paper towels were used right off the roll. 


I wish i could tell you how my variables all worked out.  I wish i could fast forward life,  try the end result, then rewind back to now.  All I can do is track my notes and taste the cheese 12 months from now.


My feeling is that the curds were a bit too small.  But they were of a more consistent size.  I think consistancy is important.

And you are right on the variables.  So many.  This is why they call this an Art.  It really is.  It is all about understanding those variables when trying to make a specific cheese variant.


What I have been trying to do lately is just take a slow, rigorous approach to solving one thing at a time.