Author Topic: May Monthly Cheddar  (Read 3744 times)

Offline OzzieCheese

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May Monthly Cheddar
« on: May 02, 2015, 12:11:10 AM »
As the year progresses I am making a Cheddar a month - and this is number 5 for 2015.  I've decided to add a little more culture as the last couple of times I wasn't getting the pH reading in the time . . . so this one has 2 doses of the MO 030and 1/2 dose of the Thermo - it's really the enzymes in the Thermo I'm after here.

I'll add the obligatory "Cheese Porn" in due course and the control sheet.

Another thing different is the milk - this time I'm using a 4% fat milk from Norco - Northern Rivers in NSW still only about 2 hours from here  - un sure of the breed but my normal Maleny Milk was too old on the shelf.  I'd rather use fresh milk - as fresh as possible anyway.  To make up the volume I'm adding 2 litres of the 4Real milk. it has a slightly lower fat content but I don't think that is going to hurt too much.

Back soon ....

-- Mal
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Offline Al Lewis

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Re: May Monthly Cheddar
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2015, 04:09:07 PM »
Look forward to it!!
Making the World a Safer Place, One Cheese at a Time! My Food Blog and Videos

Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: May Monthly Cheddar
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2015, 10:54:51 PM »
Here is the aforementioned "Cheese Porn" > I do apologise for the lack of images.

Though the day was a learning experience in using a new milk and the difference between this months and last months is very obvious.  The Norco Milk and 4Real Milk while the fat content was higher the Protein was lower than the Maleny milk I normally use and therefore a marked decrease in the yield.  It's not bad but if you were making cheese for yield, the lower protein would be a concern.
The cheese however worked very well and I think the increase in Cultures and adding a 1/2 dose of Thermo worked as the curd is kept at a nice 38 DegC during the texturing process.  The result was a very nice firm "Steamed Chicken meat" like texture. 
The first pressing at approx. 10Kg started the knit and the 25Kg closed it up nicely. 

The cheese is still in the press and I'll post final results later.
 

1. Control Sheet
2. my Milks..
3. My play area :)
4. 1/2 way through the texturing.
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Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: May Monthly Cheddar
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2015, 11:00:47 PM »
There is however a sad point..... I fear the new press - and this is wholly my fault - is going to have to be replaced. I'll take some photos to explain but, I'm sure the cheese press design experts know the issue - rhomboid pressures and distortion are causing the piston to be forced sideways instead of straight down. It's is not a bad thing and the constituent parts of the other presses are going to be re-used and reborn into a new press.

Time to get funky with the saw and plane once more...

-- Mal
 
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Re: May Monthly Cheddar
« Reply #4 on: May 03, 2015, 08:09:20 AM »
Looking forward to seeing it Mal. Sorry to hear about your press troubles. Are you planning on bandaging all of the cheddars? Do you expect you'll taste the difference between the cheeses with this different milk combination or will most come from the change in cultures?

I'm quite happy with the unhomogenised milk I've been buying lately. It is available from Woolies which is a bonus, plus it comes in 3L bottles which I prefer. Today I've been making feta out of it as my wife had run out of the last batch and loved it. I was told that I wasn't allowed to alter the recipe... Good thing I had a make sheet from the last one.

Shane


Offline scasnerkay

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Re: May Monthly Cheddar
« Reply #5 on: May 03, 2015, 05:01:24 PM »
I love your idea of a cheddar a month! What fun it will be for you to taste them as you go! Are you making them all with the same starters and rennets? What I mean is trying to keep the make as constant as you can, or vary it up a bit?
Susan

Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: May Monthly Cheddar
« Reply #6 on: May 03, 2015, 08:31:29 PM »
To All,

I'm still "fiddling" with the make process although I'm using the same overall Meso culture I'm adding a little Thermo to aid the acid buildup and I think I have that with this one.  So, they should all taste 'simular' - I hope.

The press is a little issue I'm dealing with but unfortunately with need replacing..  I'm going to try to make a the press designed by AwakePhd.

I'll add the photos now and explain them later - time to catch the dreaded bus !!

-- Mal

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Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: May Monthly Cheddar
« Reply #7 on: May 04, 2015, 02:18:16 AM »
Images explained:

First one is at the Max 12 MA – 7Kg on the arm = (Theoretically) 84Kg.  This isn’t what is at the cheese !.  Although theoretically it look like the plunger is being pushed straight down but , there are several other forces at play here.

1.   the weight straight down.  Sets up a lift point at A this tilts the Control box in the direction of 2.
2.   Lifting the box from the bottom transferred from point A.
3.   Piston Movement in the direction 3.
4.   There is such a force being applied that the base is being bent at point 4 caused by the moment caused by the force vector at 2 – tilting the whole thing to the right.  Not even 18 mm hardwood can withstand the force.

This has the effect of moving the piston to the left whilst still pressing down and therefore making ‘son of wedgie’
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shaneb

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Re: May Monthly Cheddar
« Reply #8 on: May 04, 2015, 02:23:07 AM »
Looks great Mal despite being a wedgie. Have a cheese from me.

Shane

Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: May Monthly Cheddar
« Reply #9 on: May 04, 2015, 03:16:44 AM »
Thx... It will be bandaged as the others -  I did get a bit heavy handed with the Annato :)  It's very orange...

-- Mal
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shaneb

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Re: May Monthly Cheddar
« Reply #10 on: May 04, 2015, 03:53:13 AM »
Nah, I think that level of annatto looks great. I wish I put a touch more in mine.

Shane

Offline Andrew Marshallsay

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Re: May Monthly Cheddar
« Reply #11 on: May 04, 2015, 12:21:06 PM »
Nice desription and photos of your press problems , Mal.
Just a couple of thoughts:
   - You certainly seem to be getting a good deal of bow in that 42x18 meranti. Not really surprising considering what you're doing to it. Perhaps you could bolt it onto something more subtantial (e.g. jarrah fence post)
   - Have you tried sighting down the upright to see if that is bending too?
   - Is 84 kg a bit over the top? You did say that you got a good knit at 25 kg. ( I do understand that there is a certain satisfaction to be had from really cranking up the pressure.)
- Andrew

Offline awakephd

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Re: May Monthly Cheddar
« Reply #12 on: May 04, 2015, 02:33:46 PM »
Mal, I am honored that you are going to try out my design, and can't wait to see what you come up with and how it works for you. So far I've only had one chance to try mine at higher pressures -- I pressed the Cantal I made a couple of weeks ago at around 400 lbs of press force. At that point I was afraid to go any higher because my follower was bowing from the pressure ... but the press seemed to handle it just fine. Since then I've not had a chance to make any cheese :( -- too many other things on the must-do list around the house.
-- Andy

Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: May Monthly Cheddar
« Reply #13 on: May 05, 2015, 03:25:40 AM »
@Andrew.  The knit at 25 kg is good, I suppose I'm trying to get a better one - I suppose I won't really know until I crack one open :).  MAybe I do need to dial it back a bit.. The main support on the right is bending as well I checked it with a stright edge and get about 3 mm of deflection. The wood is all Tassie Oak so I thought it was pretty tough but, alas it needs to be tougher. It very much looks like a stronger base is needed. - I'm off to find me a fence....

@Andy. I've re-tasked parts of my first press and I'll slowly build up the parts to make your design...  It's all good fun and a great excuse to make sawdust :)

-- Mal
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Offline awakephd

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Re: May Monthly Cheddar
« Reply #14 on: May 05, 2015, 05:15:10 AM »
Amen! I never object to "having" to go out in the workshop. :)

As for the strength of the wood ... that may be one factor, but another is simple physics. Or geometry. Or something or other like that. :) The question is what will counter-act the racking force when you get up to higher weights? In the case of my design, the fact that the frame is enclosed rather than open on one end definitely helps ... but still, a rectangular frame, open or closed, is not an inherently stable shape. As I'm sure you know, the best way to resist racking is to use a triangular structure. I hadn't factored that into my design, and it is too late for me, but maybe it is not too late for you ... :)
-- Andy