Reblochon #3

[John@PC]

This was inspired in part by Boofer's Tallegio and Reblochon posts. plus I wanted a washed rind to add to the cheese table when we go to the beach next month.  Also I'm 3 cheeses behind in posting and trying to catch up.  Original date for this was May 13.  The last picture was today (2 weeks old) and while it's early the cheese felt and smelled just right.  I have to go out of town for awhile so I went ahead and wrapped in cheese paper and put in fridge.

Ingredients:
2 gallons Hickory Hill Creamline milk
1/4 tsp MM100
1/16 tsp Thermo
1/32 tsp BL
1/32 tsp GC
1/16 tsp single strength rennet in 1/4 cup cool distilled water

Make:
Warm milk to 95F
Stirred in culture
Allowed to ripen 1 hr
Added CaCl2, rennet
Note: Boofer had 4x floc factor and Caldwell had 2.5; settled using clean-break test and ended up being about 3.0
Clean break @ 35 min.
Cut curd to ¾” cubes
Rested 5 minutes.
Gently stirred curds, maintaining 95F.
Continue stirring @ 95F until pH 6.2 to 6.3 (took 50 min.)
At pH 6.2 let curds settle
drained ~1 gallon whey.
Spooned curds to three sanitized Plyban-lined Reblochon forms (should have been two).
Flipped after 30 min. and added 8 lb. weight to all three molds
After 30 minutes, flipped & rewrapped, continued pressing as before
After 60 minutes, flipped & rewrapped, continued pressing as before
At pH 5.4 de-molded, salted @ 2% of curd weight (2.730 lb cheese x .02 = .054 lb salt)
Placed in mini-caves and into 55F cave

See make-notes in first attachment.

Post-notes:  After a few days I started seeing some blue mold and started the BL / brine washing.  It finally beat it down but only after the fact did I realize that it was the mat (next to last pic) that needed washing too.  I've got my fingers crossed but I think this will be good.

[Boofer]

Looking good, John!

I think your floc factor choice is sound. I believe Caldwell and Yoav both state 2.5x, or thereabouts.


My target (from #4).

-Boofer-

 

[John@PC]

I can only wish to get that end result Boofer.  I think it's got a chance. 

[jmason]

Do reblochon taste as good as they look?  Having never tasted one I can only guess, but it looks like something I may have to try after I place a culture order. 

John you and Kern have me intrigued by the griddle/restaurant pan vat.  I keep looking longingly at restaurant supply catalogs online.  But a bigger cave is first on the agenda.  Nice job John, AC4U.

John

[Kern]

John you and Kern have me intrigued by the griddle/restaurant pan vat.  I keep looking longingly at restaurant supply catalogs online.  But a bigger cave is first on the agenda. 

You can pick up the required vat equipment, controllers, etc. from http://www.perfect-cheese.com/  -  the John who runs this website has been mistaken for John@PC, who frequents these pages.   

My cave is a 16 cubic foot upright freezer purchased from Lowes for about $525.  Other than putting a hole for all the wires through the back it required no modifications.  It is controlled by controllers from the above website.  The hole in the rear was 1.5 inches cut with a hole saw 4 inches down and 4 inches in from the upper right inside corner.  I cut in carefully starting from the inside with the 1/4-inch bit first through the liner and then hand twisting until I hit the back steel wall all the time looking for any wires, tubing, etc.  Once cleared I used the saw to cut through the liner and repeated the above action.  Once assured I had a safe hole I punched through the steel back wall and laminated in a PVC pipe section.  Don't go though the sides or top because the condenser is located there.  That's why the top and sides get warm after the unit runs for awhile.

I am very pleased with this cave.   

Kern