Hi,
It's been awhile since I've had the opportunity to make a cheese. Was over in Canada for a number of months for work and to visit family. Was going to make a cheese with Flound, but we never did get around to it. Anyway, back in New Zealand now and dusted off the pots. Decided to make this Port Salut again. Made it once before (just last year) and it turned out very nice, although that make used a narrower mould (a 6.25" tomme rather than the 8" 1/2 Brie size). This is closer to the proper aspect ratio, so I'm hoping the cheese can only improve (which would be magical, as the previous was so very nice). This protocol is one that linuxboy originally suggested and it's not a complicated make.
Anyway, it's good to be back. The photo is mid-way through the press. Cheese is currently in the brine, so I'll try and add another photo once it's onto the affinage phase.
Port Salut - Classic - from linuxboy (Cheese forum; This is the industrial recipe) Sunday, March 13, 2016
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?)
2L Budget Blue
3 L HomeBrand Blue
2L Farmgate Silver top
4 L Anchor Silver top (combined we get 0.84:1 p:f)
CaCl2 in egg cup water
4 ice cubes MW3 (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
8 inch half brie 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 7:30 ; 35.0 C; remove from heat, wrap pot in towels)
4) Ripen 30 mins. (7:30 - 8:10 ; end temp 35.9 C)
5) Add rennet. (8:13:00 floc time 8:28:45 = 15m 45sec 3x floc = 47m 15Sec )
6) Cut time (9:00:15 – cut to pea/hazelnut size ½ - 1 cm cubes – finished 9:05)
7) stir gently 30 minutes (9:05 - 9:40
)
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. (9:50 - 10:12 ; final temp 37.4)
10) stir gently for 20 minutes, let curds settle to the bottom of the pot (10:12 - 10:32; 10:32 - 10:40)
11) Press under whey or in the pot with 2x own weight (about 2.5 kg 0.11 psi for 11 litres) for an hour (10:50 - 11:50 ; 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 5 kg (0.22 psi) 1 hour (11:50 - 1:20 – ran over time by 30 minutes)
13) refreshed sink water to 39 Flip and redress, press in pot with 5 kg (0.22 psi; 1 hour (1:20 - 2:20) knit doing well, still soft and “spongy” but not as much as before.
14) Flip and redress, press 7.5 kg (.33 psi) for another 5-9 hours (2:20 - ??:??) (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 (1728g 19.2 x 5.5 = 1.09 g/cm3 – 7:20pm - 6:00 am; 1702g 19.1 x 5.3 = 1.12g/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 (March 15, 16 (evening), 20, and 23rd; if you didn’t add b.linens, spray on with wash). After washed finished, 1646g ??.? x ?.? = ?.?? 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 Mar 28, 2016; 1646g -> ???? g after brushing/washing. Outer rind quite soft, so brushing must be quite gentle if it is necessar. 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 Mar 31, 2016; 1642g ??.? x ?.? = ?.?? g/cm3; Apr 14, 2016; 1516g 9.5 x 4.4 = 1.15 g/cm3)
Bit of mould on sides and edges. Washed off on Apr 13. Cheese is soft, and sticks to the knife. Taste is very good, milky, but with a hint of linens flavor and the tanginess of a young cheese. Very nice.