Author Topic: Big Stinky, my first Munster-ish cheese, kefir based  (Read 2360 times)

olikli

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Big Stinky, my first Munster-ish cheese, kefir based
« on: December 30, 2015, 01:49:43 PM »
Yesterday I cut Big Stinky, my first serious effort to make a washed rind cheese. It still is a bit firm in the centre but it has a very nice munster aroma.

This was from a 3 litre make using only 3 tablespoons of homemade kefir as a starter and a regular dose of liquid calf rennet. Kefir Inoculation time was 1 hour at 35 degrees C, 90 minutes rennet set, curds cut to 1 cm, 30 minutes cooking at 35 degrees with occasional stirring and then drained into a reblochon mold.

I pressed lightly for about 2 hours. dry salted to 2.5% after a day and air dried unmoulded for another day. Originally I had reblochon in mind but the cheese turned out closer to a munster because I moved the cheese from my 13 degrees basement room to my 8.5 degrees fridge "cave" before geo hat fully bloomed (seems I was too impatient ;) )

I prepared a brine from the whey and harvested b. linens from a commercial French munster to wash he cheese every other day until the rind was established. This was after roughly two weeks. The cheese was flipped every day but I had to leave for a 5 day business trip after a while which resulted in the rind getting overgrown with while mould. I didn't bother to remove it because the b. linens rind was already fully established.

I guess I shold have waited a week longer or so before cutting but the margin was already feeling rather soft. Not too bad for the first try.

Kern

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Re: Big Stinky, my first Munster-ish cheese, kefir based
« Reply #1 on: December 30, 2015, 09:00:09 PM »
Good looking cheese.  Have a cheese on me.  ;D  How's the taste?

olikli

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Re: Big Stinky, my first Munster-ish cheese, kefir based
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2015, 02:26:32 PM »
Good looking cheese.  Have a cheese on me.  ;D  How's the taste?

As I said, it is very much like munster. I used pasteurized creamline milk, so it does not quite have the complexity of a raw milk munster, but it does taste very nice.

Stinky

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Re: Big Stinky, my first Munster-ish cheese, kefir based
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2015, 08:31:20 PM »
Ow!

But really, that's a very pretty cheese. Congrats! +C

Offline Andrew Marshallsay

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Re: Big Stinky, my first Munster-ish cheese, kefir based
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2016, 02:59:19 AM »
Congratulations on this one. The rind and the texture of the paste look great. I can weel believe that it is a joy to eat.
Add another cheese.
- Andrew

Offline scasnerkay

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Re: Big Stinky, my first Munster-ish cheese, kefir based
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2016, 12:35:12 AM »
A cheese of beauty! And another cheese for you! Did you use your own kefir? I just started making kefir, and have been thinking of trying it as a started adjunct, but had not thought of it as a starter by itself.
Susan

olikli

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Re: Big Stinky, my first Munster-ish cheese, kefir based
« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2016, 02:39:40 PM »
I got hold of some kefir grains when I started out and I have been using them since then.

Mermaid

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Re: Big Stinky, my first Munster-ish cheese, kefir based
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2016, 05:19:26 AM »
Wow! Beautiful!

AC4U!

valley ranch

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Re: Big Stinky, my first Munster-ish cheese, kefir based
« Reply #8 on: September 28, 2016, 08:42:21 PM »
Just found this thread, very nice looking ring!

Is kefir similar to Kombocha? Is it the same starter?

I seem to have forgotten how to give a Cheese, I'll have to look this over.
« Last Edit: September 28, 2016, 08:47:48 PM by valley ranch »

Offline Gregore

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Re: Big Stinky, my first Munster-ish cheese, kefir based
« Reply #9 on: September 29, 2016, 04:55:16 AM »
Kombucha is a fungus and some other cultures , it will not make cheese .

If you want a great kefir grain  kefirlady.com  has them for sale , she ships in the mail.