I've wanted to try my hands on Port Salut for years, but for some reason have never quite got around to it. Pav (Linuxboy) had posted some notes on it some times ago, and I copied them and have filled in a few bits from books - like how long to press, etc. Anyway, this is a pretty quick make and I'll have it out of the brine in the morning, so I'll include a photo then (it's finishing up it's 8 hours in the press in just over an hour). Anyway, the feel of this cheese is very "spongy" when I flip it due to the very light pressing it gets. Also, you need to keep the curds warm when you do press and I'm sure under whey is the way to go. Unfortunately, I press with weights and I don't want to put them in the whey as I would prefer not to contaminate the cheese with rust. I can keep them off the cheese by propping them up on Duplo and other such things, but if they were sitting emersed in the whey, even in a towel, I'm not sure it would be food safe. Anyway, this make seems to have gone fairly well so far. The knit on the last flip was looking ok, but still not perfect. Mind you, as this will get a wash, the b.linens should heal over any imperfections (I hope anyway). This should be ready in around a month or so. So, a fairly quick one. It's not a particularly strong washed rind cheese, so if this protocol works well, it might be a good starting point. Oh, and I think I should have used a different mould (a bit wider, closer to 8 inches as Port Salut is more disk than barrel shaped).
Ok, snapped a shot before putting it into the brine. Will be done in the morning. :)
And the 2nd photo is post-brine. Down to 1674g, 15.4 x 7.9 cm, for 1.14g/cm3. So, basically, into a ripening box and into the cave right away with this one. I've washed a ripening box with boiling water to remove any wild blue moulds and other stuff from the cheeses that were in there (which were moved to a smaller box as they are fairly well cured now). This one needs room to release moisture and get the box up to 90% humidity. Brine wash tomorrow, and a few times after that. This cheese doesn't develop a huge rind, so we'll see how it goes.
Port Salut - Classic - from linuxboy (Cheese forum; This is the industrial recipe)
The classic port salut is closer to 3-3.5% fat. 2-2.5% will give you a slightly lower yield, but similar flavor profile. If you pay close attention to aging, you should get a very similar cheese. Follow the flocculation multiplier and RH or the cheese will be more dry than you want. (0.88:1 p:f ratio target? Similar to muenster?)
5 L HomeBrand Blue
6 L Silver top (combined we get 0.84:1 p:f)
CaCl2 in egg cup water
4 ice cubes buttermilk (or, as Pav suggested for a more authentic make use Choozit TA 60 and Choozit Alp, equal parts according to manufacturer guidelines. Should be .85 DCU each for 17 l)
Rennet for 10-15 minute floc (3.5x multiplier; 1.77 ml 280 IMCU calf rennet)
1/16th tsp b.linens
6 ¼ inch tomme mould
1) Add CaCl2 to milk while setting up
2) Pour in pot and add starter and b.linens on top (wait 5 minutes, then stir in b.linens)
3) Warm to 35C (reached at 9:31 ; 35.2 C; remove from heat, wrap pot in towels)
4) Ripen 30 mins. (9:31 - 10:01 ; end temp 35.0 C)
5) Add rennet. (10:05:00 floc time 10:19: 00 = 14m 00sec 3x floc = 49m 00Sec )
6) Cut time (10:54:00 – cut to pea/hazelnut size ½ - 1 cm cubes – finished 11:10)
7) stir gently 30 minutes (11:10 - 11:40)
8) Drain 30% of the whey (4 l or so). Ph should be 6.4-6.45
9) Add hot (60C) water (10-15% volume, which in this case is about 2 liters). Raise total temp to around 37.8C in 12-20 mins. (11:40 - 12:03 ; final temp 37.4)
10) stir gently for 20 minutes, let curds settle to the bottom of the pot (12:03-12:25; 12:25 – 12:30)
11) Press under whey or in the pot with 2x own weight (about 2.5 kg 0.18 psi for 11 litres) for an hour (12:45 - 1:45 ; I went with “in the pot” water bath at 37 C; cheese knitting well, very soft and “spongy” feeling. This light pressing requires the curds to be kept warm, hence in the pot/under whey)
12) refreshed sink water to 37 and flip and redress, press in pot with 2.5 kg (0.18 psi) 1 hour (1:45 - 3:15 – ran over time)
13) refreshed sink water to 39 Flip and redress, press in pot with 2.5 kg (0.18 psi; 1 hour (3:15 – 4:20) knit doing well, still soft and “spongy” but not as much as before.
14) Flip and redress, press 5 kg (.36 psi) for another 5-9 hours (4:20 - 8:47) (8-12 hours total in the press - you want a good knit; if you measure ph, then look for ph 5.4)
15) Brine shouldn't be fully saturated, more around 18-20%. Brine 4-8 hours per kg. ph after brine should be 5.2 (1720g 15.7 x 8.0 = 1.11 g/cm3 - 8:55 - 6:00 am; 1674g 15.4 x 7.9 = 1.14g/cm3)
16) Dry at 90% humidity at 15.6C for 24 hours.
17) wash with 3% brine solution on days 1, 3, 7, and 10 (if you didn’t add b.linens, spray on with wash). After washed finished, 1650g 16.2 x 7.1 cm = 1.13 g/cm3 Age at 90% RH, 15.6 C. Brush off rind flora after 2 weeks and wash to get a cleaner rind. (washed on July 12, 2015; 1678g -> 1660 g after brushing/washing. Outer rind quite soft, so brushing must be quite gentle. Also, cheese very slippy, so handle with care, especially when washing under the tap).
18) Ripen for a few days at 70% RH to dry the rind a bit. Package.
19) Cure at 4.4C for 2-3 weeks. (wrapped in foil, moved to regular fridge Wed, July15, 2015; 1610g x 16.5 x 6.6 = 1.13g/cm3; probably a bit less as cheese has love handles)
