in a nutshell cheese melting

[steffb503]

I have read through countless threads and links to articles on the matter. I am still confused.
Can someone please tell me which type of cheese I can make to melt nicely on my burger?
I have a PH meter but I still am not too comfortable using it.
Can someone give me any adjustments to my make that will result in a more melty cheese?

My Gouda recipe is as follows:( My basic instructions)

Heat 11 gallons Fresh raw goats milk to 85F
Add MA 4000 (½ tsp) and Rennet (2 ml)
Let sit 30 mins
clean break, cut curds. Let sit 5 mins. Stir 5 mins. Let sit 5 mins to settle.
Remove 10% ( 1 gallon) of whey. Replace with 140F water.
Bring Temp up to 92F. Stir 10 mins and let settle again.
Remove 1/3 whey, until curds visible.
Replace with 110F water and bring temp up to 98F.
Stir for 20 mins. Let curds settle and stand for 10 mins.When ready, press
Press 8 hrs
Brine 12 hrs
Air dry for a few days then Vac seal and age @55 for 2-4 months


Thanks

[awakephd]

Steff,

As I understand it, one of the keys to meltability (if that is a word) is indeed the pH. In my experience of making Gouda, I got a product that was way too acidic when I left it in the press 8 hours or overnight; the result tasted good, but was very crumbly. With a pH meter, I was able to take my last two Goudas out of the press at the "magic" 5.3-5.4 pH range, and it has made a dramatic difference in the texture of the paste.

All that said ... I almost never melt my home-made cheese (I tend to eat it all by itself ), and I don't think I've tried melting any the last two Goudas ...

[Fritz]

Not all cheeses are designed to be melted ... And I'm pretty sure Gouda is one of them..

Haloumi, feta, saganaki... Also don't melt well ... (Fill in list here )

Sure it may go soft and pliable, Gouda, that is...but not a stretchy one. Unlike mozzarella, emmental, and Gruyere (fill in list here)... These guys love to stretch!

I'm sure there is a long drawn out techno babble to why cheeses stretch and about protein chains lining up and the enzymes are turning into a long peptide strand .... Blah blah blah .... At the end of the day... It's all delicious

[steffb503]

So if not a Gouda, which hard cheese would you suggest for melting say on a burger!

[Duntov]

So if not a Gouda, which hard cheese would you suggest for melting say on a burger!

Depends how you are cooking your burger.  If in a skillet, gouda works fine.  Just before done add 1 TSP of water into the pan and cover.  It will melt fine except near the natural rind if aged that way.  But my favorites are any alpine cheese with sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions.  And you can never go wrong with a bleu or real cheddar.

[jwalker]

So if not a Gouda, which hard cheese would you suggest for melting say on a burger!

I too have found that some cheeses just refuse to melt the way I want them to.

If you want them on a burger , consider stuffing the burger itself , make two thin patties and put the grated cheese between them , pinch edges closed and Voila , most will melt just beautiful that way.

I guess it is the fat and the moisture in the meat that help with the melting process , it works great for me , I have done them with Parm , Blue , Gouda , and Swiss , they were all great !

[ezabel]

We've been having great feeds with melted Caerphilly on toast or burgers,  Quick turnaround from make to eat too so not having to wait months/

[Fritz]

I'm with Duntov so far, with regards to classical burger toppings and cheese types....

Now I'm going to surprise you all

Queso Fresco ... It melts beautifully .... It's like the best mozzarella ever that you could never make just quite right ... Chewy... Rich... Delicious... I can pull strands as far as my arms are wide... To the point of being annoying if used as a topper in French onion soup (I know, so many faux pas) ... Crumbles nicely in a salad or pasta too. And let's not forget the subtle fact that it's the official taco cheese in Mexico

And the best of them all... It's easy and fast to make and no aging required. I always have some handy in the fridge. Here is one I made very recently

[steffb503]

Well I guess I have some trials to make!
Queso Fresco sounds very interesting!
I have not had any luck with Caerphilly but will try it again.
Should I put a Monterey Jack on my list or is it not worth trying to get it to melt?

[Gregore]

Fritz. Do you store your queso fresco in a brine 

And what was your recipe ?

Thanks

[Fritz]

Jack cheeses are great for Melting.. Jack with hot peppers or dried jalapeño are my fave.. Makes great Mac & Cheese too

Hey Gregore, no brine for this guy... Salt the curds and press..then bag and tag....another example of its simplicity.

The best Queso Fresco so far is Ricki Carroll's "home cheese making"

Heat 2 gal whole (cream line) milk to 90*F (I pasteurize my raw milk for this one)
Add 1/2 tsp mesoII (1 packet of NEC meso starter)
Add 1/4 tsp liquid rennet (1/4 tablet) diluted in 1/4 cup cool water
Allow to set for 30-45 min until it gives clean break
Cut curd in 1/4 inch cubes
Over 20 min gradually raise temp to 95*F, stir gently every few min to keep curds from matting
Let curds set undisturbed for 5 min
Drain off whey
Add 2 Tablespoons salt and maintain curds at 95*F for 30 min longer
Line mold with cheesecloth and fill with curds
Press at 35 lbs for 6 hours
Remove form mold and store in a covered container, plastic wrap or vacuum bag it and store for up to 2 weeks
Mine seems to last 4 weeks easily while vac bagged.
Yield 2 lbs

As you can see, makes great sandwich cheese, grated for pasta, French onion soup, tacos and nachos, crumbles well for salads

[steffb503]

Do you think the Queso Fresco would work with raw goat milk? Or do you think it would need any changes?

[Fritz]

I'm sure it would give you a good cheese, may be a bit strong in flavour but not too baa-aa-aa-aad.... Lol

Yours will have a higher fat content and depending how one feels about making unpasteurized fresh cheeses, you could go either way... I like pasteurizing my fresh cheeses from my cow just because I give much of it away (including children) and want it to be very safe, and to regulate the bacteria to a neutral starting point allowing me to control the bacteria and flavour profile.

[MrsKK]

Yum, Queso Fresco it is for my cheesemaking today.  I've not tried making it before, but was looking for something for a fresh cheese to make up.  Thanks for sharing the recipe.

@steffb503, if you try it with goat's milk, let us know how it turns out.

[steffb503]

turned out good. I followed the recipe in this post. Added a bit more salt. Melted good and tasted good!
I think I will offer it for sale!