Brining cheese... Two or three questions

[Bernardsmith]

I have three questions about brining cheeses. I see that some recipes call for brining in terms of hours per pound of cheese while other recipes suggest 24 hours submersion in the solution. Are these differences very critical for other procedures that need to take place? In other words, if I go with a 24 hour brine bath does that mean that there are specific aging processes that I need to follow rather than other processes?
Also, I understand that brining can have the tendency to extract calcium from the cheese. Does that mean that better brine is made with the cheese whey? I have seen recipes for brine that call for the addition of calcium carbonate. How much of that (if any) should I add to the brine?
Last question. How concentrated should brine solutions be? 12%, 20%? more?
Thanks
 

[Al Lewis]

I would recommend you buy one of the cheese making books.  200 Easy Homemade Cheese Recipes is a great one.  It explains all of the answers to your questions including the hows and whys of different brine percentages, times, additions of other things in your brine.  Typically, if a recipe calls for a specific time in a brine, i.e. 24 hours, it is based on the size of the cheese made in that recipe.  Hope that helps.

[jwalker]

I use a saturated brine , where salt is dissolved in water until it will take no more , my brine bucket always has about 1/2 inch of coarse salt in the bottom , if it doesn't , I add more until it does.

I also add one tablespoon of Calcium Chloride per gallon , and a splash of white vinegar, occasionally.

Oh , and I have been using / re-using the same brine for 3 years now , always topping up the ingredients when needed , it just keeps getting better.

I keep it in a 3 gallon pail in my outdoor refrigerator in summer , and leave it out on the porch in winter.

I do strain it thru some cloth occasionally , just to get the greeblys out.

I have read about some old European cheese makers who have NEVER changed their brines , only topped up.

Hope this helps.

Jim.

[Bernardsmith]

Thanks Al, Thanks JWalker.

[Boofer]

Also, Does that mean that better brine is made with the cheese whey? I have seen recipes for brine that call for the addition of calcium carbonate.

I have always used whey collected during the make combined with pickling salt to create my whey-brine. The pH and calcium levels are spot on with the cheese I'm making. It always seemed "better" for the quality of the end product. YMMV.

Jim clarified that you should be using calcium chloride (CACL2), not calcium carbonate. This adds back calcium lost from pasteurization or from the cheese drawing down calcium in the brine.

-Boofer-

[Bernardsmith]

ah.. Thanks  - A typo. I did mean Calcium Chloride.