The Second Cheddar for 2016

[OzzieCheese]

Hi All.  Just quick post.  I'm sure you are all really bored of all the cheddars I've put up but to complete the circle I've now caught up to begin my 12 monthly rotation.  In 2015 I started a Cheddar a month and I now have 11 in the cave - And one on the Plate  - Yumm !

But here is yesterdays make and a few photos and the control sheet.  I have tweaked it a little.  Increased the rennet to 3.4 mls of 200IMCU vege rennet.  And I've added a little MO 036R into the mix to boost some of the Adjunct Cultures.  And I've also reined in the pressing pressure to a Max of 85Kg.  Last months 180Kg was a bit extreme


 
 

[OzzieCheese]

I thought Id concentrate on the curds as they cook.
1. @32DegC
2. @34 Deg
3. @35 Deg
4. @37 Deg
5. @38 Deg + 15 minutes Stirring
6. @38 Deg + 45 minutes Stirring
7. @38 Deg + 60 minutes Stirring

[OzzieCheese]

And just so I didn't loose focus on what I was doing Here is a few photos of the one I made Feb Last year.

Cheddar Heaven..

[OzzieCheese]

Texturing stage.

[Andrew Marshallsay]

NIce break and lovely looking curds!

[Jules]

Wow, that 12 month old cheddar looks amazing. It gives me something to aspire to.

[OzzieCheese]

It's been a bit of a journey, but now that I've got into a cycle of making at least a cheddar a month there is momentum in that... though it is sooo hard not to have a sneak cheese. It would be nice to actually do this for a living but it is so restrictive here in Oz (and N.Z) that it is almost impossible and amazing expensive.  Hey, at least you can get raw milk from the farms in NZ now - more progressive than here !! I keep doing this as I know I'm actually making something way better than I can get in the supermarket.

-- Mal

[OzzieCheese]

@Andrew.  I have found that the Flocculation method to be way superior to determine the Curd cut time. These didn't shatter at all and held together all the way through the cook.

[lauravanb]

Wow your cheddar looks amazing. I'm jealous I just made my first one and it was a flop! It didn't press correctly. You give me hope that I can get it right one day!

[Al Lewis]

Looking great, as always, Mal.  I need to do some cheddars so I can age them out, along with another parm.  My blue is almost done so once it is out of the cave I may have to steal your recipe and knock out a 8 pounder.    AC4U for being a great cheese maker.

[Al Lewis]

hey Mal, how much annatto do you put in and do you pre-mix it with anything i.e. water, milk?

[OzzieCheese]

Hey Al... I didn't use the Annatto this time as I was making ricotta afterwards, The colour in this one is totally natural .  But when I do, I don't use a lot when I do, about 1 ml diluted in 1/4 cup Un-Chlorinated water added the same time as I add the Calcium Chloride.  Oh if I could get Raw Jersey milk I wouldn't use Annatto at all!.  That's a whole other story 


-- Mal
 

[Al Lewis]

Thanks!  I like the dark yellow on cheddar.  If I don't color it my gang will swear it's not cheddar.  They say you eat with your eyes first.

[awakephd]

Al, starting with depressingly white store-bought milk, I use 10 drops of annatto in a 4-gallon make. This gives a very nice, rich yellow color but not quite as dark as the one pictured above. Like Mal, though, if only I had access to raw jersey milk ... !

[Al Lewis]

Well I have access to raw milk straight from the cow so I think I may do a 4 pounder.