My 4th attempt at a Stilton is derived from my best understanding and decoding of many videos and articles I have read about the genuine production of Stilton. I ponied up and got some raw milk but I didn't pasteurize it like they do in the UK. No cream or Calcium Chloride was used. In this recipe, the curds are cooked in their whey for quite long before draining. After draining the settled curds had a bit of a dry skin on them that had me concerned. But after milling and placing in the hoops, they knitted together just fine. There are many air gaps in the mass unlike any other Stilton make I have done. I also have shown my favorite rubbing up tool.
After I did this batch, Rob from Bangkok posted his recipe based on first hand knowledge from a Stilton worker. His recipe has some striking similarities to mine especially in regards to cooking the curds. Rob's post is here:
http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,15721.0.htmlIngredients:
• 4 U.S. Gallons Raw Milk
• ½ Teaspoon Mesophile Type ll starter culture (Biena 75313)
• Pinch Mesophile Aroma Type B (Biena C64)
• ¼ Teaspoon liquid Penicillium Roqueforti PRB6 HYP 5D (Danisco) in ¼ cup purified water
• ½ Teaspoon single strength liquid animal rennet in ¼ cup purified water
• 2 Tablespoons cheese salt
Steps:
1. Add milk to pot and slowly bring up temperature to 86° F (30° C).
2. Sprinkle in Mesophile Type ll and Mesophile Aroma Type B starter cultures, cover with lid and wait ten minutes.
3. Add Penicillium Roqueforti/water solution.
4. Stir well, cover with lid and let mature for 90 minutes holding at 86° F (30° C).
5. Add animal rennet, stir well, cover with lid and wait 3 hours undisturbed holding at 86° F (30° C). (PH 6.65)
6. Cut curds into one-inch size and let rest for 90 minutes holding at 86° (30° C). Do not stir.
7. Ladle curds into cheese cloth lined colander, cover with extra cheese cloth and let drain for 8 hours at room temperature.
8. Break up curd mass into thumb size pieces.
9. Add 1 tablespoon cheese salt, mix and wait 15 minutes. Add final 1 tablespoon salt, mix well and let sit for another 15 minutes.
10. Ladle curds into a 5-1/8” diameter x 11-3/4” open top and bottom mold.
11. Flip mold once every hour for four hours, then once every 24 hours for five days at 60-65° F, 85% humidity.
12. Rub up curd mass on day five.
13. Place in cheese cave set at 85% humidity and 50-55° F (10-13° C).
14. After four weeks in cave, pierce holes with about ¾” spacing.
15. Age an additional three weeks or until the blue veining runs all the way through using a cheese tier.
PH Tracking:
6.76 starting with fresh raw milk.
6.61 after 3 hours of cultures maturing.
6.65 after 90 minutes of rennet being added.
6.43 after 90 minutes of curds being cut and resting in whey.
4.74 curd reading after curds have drained for 8 hours.
4.79 reading whey drainage on day two of flip.
4.69 reading whey drainage on final day 5 just before rubbing up.