Cheddar disaster - first batch

[GntlKnigt1]

I am an American from Chicago living in the Netherlands. Can't find cheddar here, so I bring back a brick of Cabot (or similar brand) every trip back to USA.  I ultimately decided to attempt to make my own cheddar at home (HA.  Brilliant idea....)

So, the research began.  Watched maybe a dozen or more YouTube videos (including Mad Millie one), read a dozen sites on it, and figured I was well researched enough to make the attempt. (Should have known better.... my first batch of mead all those years ago was a disaster as well... barely drinkable 11 years later). Bought a "Mad Millie" Top up Kit, a cheese mold, cheesecloth etc, and began following the Mad Millie method. Started with 6 liters of biological (organic) milk, with a pint of heavy cream as a kicker. Added the calcium chloride, warmed it, added the dissolved rennin and the mesophilic culture. However, at curd cutting time, things didn't seem to be set as well as it should.  I put the pot in a sink of hot water to try to warm it enough, which seemed to help some, but I still didn't think it was right.  Wrong milk?  Old rennin?  bad culture?  I still don't know, which makes me reluctant to try again. I dumped off the whey, added salt, put it in the mold, and then my press (adapted my fruit press with a bathroom scale beneath it). It was wet and runny, even after using the recommended amounts of pressure.  I ultimately just cranked it down to like 100 lbs for 2 days.  Then took it out, and it didn't cohere.  Turned into a crumbly mess on the counter.  I wrapped it in cheesecloth and have had it hanging in the kitchen for about a week or more now.  Has a kind of sticky, slippery residue on cheesecloth now, but it's pretty dry. 

Am really ready to throw it out, but don't want to waste time, effort and $ on another batch until I know what happened here.  Any suggestions or ideas are welcomed.

[Gregore]

I am not a cheddar maker so I can only help up to that point in the make ,

If you used tablet rennet from the kit  , I think it lasts a long time so that can be put aside for now

That leaves the milk,  did you use ultra pasteurized milk? Not sure they even have it there

For sure your fat came out and into the whey as I can see it in the first pic  in the pot , was that after stirring ?

Which makes me think inadequate renneting  ( either time or milk problem)

If so you might have stirred to soon  , before complete setting of the curd

Ask here for a floc time for  cheddar cheese and use it  next time it should help ( ask about floc numbers if you do not understand)

I like to see a little clear whey floating on top of the curd before I cut . 

With pasteurized milk the curd can be rather fragile , so after cutting maybe try a little longer rest before stirring .
Also stir less at first  then  pick up the pace if the whey stays mostly clear , green , yellow color ( white whey is bad, as that is your fats )

I have found with soft curd stir with your hand at first

And from what I see in the final pic is that maybe it might have all come together with more pressure  in the press

Most cheeses when you put the curds into the mold the curds are still ph high enough to chemically bond , but with cheddar  the farther you are past that point the more brute force it takes

[GntlKnigt1]

Thanks for the reply Gregore.

Yes, that was after I had stirred it some.  Here is the pic when I cut it...


I would have to check the milk container in store next time I am there to see about the ultra pasteurized issue.  I also see that it is vegetable rennin, which I read somewhere takes longer than animal rennin.

I couldn't begin to cut it into slices to "cheddar" it... it was a gooey mass.

Any advice on the chunk I have hanging in cheesecloth?  It's finally pretty dry, but is starting to smell a bit funky.  Not as bad as limburger (which probably originated here in Limburg province near Maastricht) but it does have a smell.

As the French might say..... I think I have created "fromage garbage"

[Sailor Con Queso]

"Organic" milk is often ultra-pasteurized and a really poor choice for making cheese. Look for non-homogenized "cream line" milk if you can find it. The added cream was unnecessary and was probably ultra-pasteurized as well (commercial cream usually is). The rennet (rennin) does go bad and could be another source of problems. Try searching the forum on flocculation for some good advise.

[GntlKnigt1]

Okay, thanks Sailor.  Will try non-biological non-homogenized (if I can find it) milk next time, skip the cream, and I found this for flocculation.
http://homemadecheese.org/flocculation-method/

Thanks.

[OzzieCheese]

Hi ... Don't give up...    Here is how I make Cheddar.
Getting good milk from the supermarkets - even in Australia - is a hit and miss exercise. As Sailor suggests unless you know from the source - "Organic" milk is Ultra - Pasteurised to extend its shelf life because it usually more expensive and shop keepers don't like to have to throw it at the use by date - Hardly Organic by the time you get it. Dead more like it..
http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,14889.0.html
I don't know how the milk is treated in the US but non-homogenised (Cream-Line) milk tends to be treated a little kinder and usually makes a better cheese.  Pasteurised and Homogenised not so much... from my experience any way.

But please do try with better milk. You will not regret it.  Another Cheese you might like to try is Caerphilly - there are plenty of entries here. Look for entries by Jeff Hamm - he da "Caerphilly" King.

Hope that helped

-- Mal
     

[Gregore]

I suspect the slipperiness is geo.

Have you tasted it to see if it tastes okay ?

I would be inclined to turn it into a cheese spread  add some  white wine, herbs  and toss it in the food processor

[GntlKnigt1]

Some good ideas there...haven't really tasted it since I wrapped it and hung it in the kitchen, but perhaps I will. 

Meanwhile, some cheesy humor....

[Sailor Con Queso]

Okay, thanks Sailor.  Will try non-biological non-homogenized (if I can find it) milk next time, skip the cream, and I found this for flocculation. http://homemadecheese.org/flocculation-method/

That's a nice article but you should still search the forum. There are a lot of good discussions.

[GntlKnigt1]

Well, I am familiar with the term "flocculation" from my mead/wine making, although with cheese, it's a bit different apparently.  The article indicates Flocculation is a scientific term which essentially means particles coming out of suspension and forming a solid – in the cheese maker’s case, which means casein proteins coming out of suspension in the milk and forming curds.

I think the culprit is the milk I used, although I need my Dutch translator (wife) to be sure.  While there is plenty to learn, most of the results I found mention flocculation in passing rather than giving an in depth discussion of it (which is what I would really need). Have to learn to walk before I can run. 

So far, can't find anything other than maybe buttermilk and goats milk in the stores that might be suitable,

[OzzieCheese]

Oh a goats milk Cheddar is a thing of beauty ! I'd give that a go . 
The step that makes or breaks a good Cheddar is the 'Texturing' before you mill and salt before pressing.  The slabs should get to a pH of 5.3-5.2 and have the texture of cooked Chicken breast.  the steps basically are
1.warm milk 32 Deg C
2.if using Pasteurised milk add Calcium Chloide
3.Ripen for 30 minutes.
4.add rennet
5.cut at 45 minutes 1/2inch
6. heat slowly over 30 minutes stirring gently to 38 Deg C
7. Stir for 60 minutes at 38DegC
8. drain in Colander.
9. Texture the curds - and see my posts on that - 38 DegC. usually 1 to 2 hours depending on the cultures used.
10. Mill the curds and add salt 2% by weight.
11. Press cheese
12. dry
13. Wax, vac bag, leave natural or cloth bandage - look after for 6-9 months - I like 12.
14. Eat cheese.

Check my posts, or the many other here for the details on each of the steps.  Once you do a few times it become second nature.

Hope the helps

-- Mal   

[OzzieCheese]

This might help also.

http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,13984.0.html

-- Mal

[Sailor Con Queso]

FYI - in the USA, almost all store bought goats milk is ultra-pasteurized.

[Al Lewis]

I picked up some to do some halloumi from Trader Joes that wasn't ultra-pasteurized.  Never seen any goats milk anywhere else.  It was from Summerhill Farms.  http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=14551.0;attach=36113;image

[GntlKnigt1]

Thanks Ozzie...found a place that might have non homogenized milk. Will stop by tomorrow.

Sailor, I am in Netherlands....so, whole different spectrum of availability. Will take a look at those links though.