« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2   Go Down

Author Topic: My first blue - contaminated?  (Read 3972 times)

Offline Lloyd

  • Medium Cheese
  • ***
  • Location: Bedfordshire, England
  • Posts: 96
  • Cheeses: 12
  • Default personal text
My first blue - contaminated?
« on: November 19, 2016, 05:37:31 PM »
Made my first blue weekend before last. Ricki Carroll's recipe.  I think I took it out of the mould too soon as it has slumped some what (but never mind - the second one last weekend is much better).

It now has a good coating of blue, but rather alarmingly, it looks a bit like a Camembert, with a wrinkly skin. Do you think I have cross contamination with Geo?

The recipe says to scrape the blue off after 30 days, but that is going to be tricky with this.  Any recommendations?

Logged

Frodage3

  • Guest
Re: My first blue - contaminated?
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2016, 05:34:18 AM »
Nice looking cheese for a first try! AC4U
Logged

Offline Gregore

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Santa Barbara
  • Posts: 993
  • Cheeses: 43
  • Default personal text
Re: My first blue - contaminated?
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2016, 06:34:23 AM »
Not sure if that is geo or not but if it is geo , you can try a brine wash with 3.5 to 4  percent wash and or cooler temps .  geo likes it a little warmer than blue and like less salt than blue

Could be your curd is too wet
Logged

Offline Al Lewis

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Port Orchard Washington
  • Posts: 3,285
  • Cheeses: 179
    • Lou's Food & Drink
Re: My first blue - contaminated?
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2016, 03:42:58 PM »
Air it out for an hour a day and the rind should form from the blue.  Don't know if you smoothed it after taking it out of the mold but if you didn't it looks like the curd may have been a little too wet before molding. I normally leave mine in the mold until I can slide the mold up and down without the cheese deforming.  Outside molds on blues can get scary but don't normally represent what's going on inside. AC4U!!
« Last Edit: February 08, 2017, 05:00:55 PM by Al Lewis »
Logged
Making the World a Safer Place, One Cheese at a Time! My Food Blog and Videos

Offline Gregore

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Santa Barbara
  • Posts: 993
  • Cheeses: 43
  • Default personal text
Re: My first blue - contaminated?
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2016, 03:51:55 PM »
I agree with al Lewis , on the occasions that I have had curd too wet and the cheese wanted to slump I would let it dry in the mold  for a day or few , this allowed the cheese rind to help hold up the inside.
Logged

Offline Lloyd

  • Medium Cheese
  • ***
  • Location: Bedfordshire, England
  • Posts: 96
  • Cheeses: 12
  • Default personal text
Re: My first blue - contaminated?
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2016, 08:11:27 PM »
Thanks everyone. What do you mean by smoothing after taking out of the mould?
What am I think trying to achieve by this?
Logged

Offline Al Lewis

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Port Orchard Washington
  • Posts: 3,285
  • Cheeses: 179
    • Lou's Food & Drink
Re: My first blue - contaminated?
« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2016, 01:00:07 AM »
Logged
Making the World a Safer Place, One Cheese at a Time! My Food Blog and Videos

Offline Lloyd

  • Medium Cheese
  • ***
  • Location: Bedfordshire, England
  • Posts: 96
  • Cheeses: 12
  • Default personal text
Re: My first blue - contaminated?
« Reply #7 on: November 22, 2016, 06:24:42 PM »
Thanks for the link - very informative.

I think it is too late to smooth the first one, but I made a second a week later, so I tried to smooth that one (on day 9 so perhaps a little late?). Pics below for those interested.

Logged

Offline Gregore

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Santa Barbara
  • Posts: 993
  • Cheeses: 43
  • Default personal text
Re: My first blue - contaminated?
« Reply #8 on: November 23, 2016, 06:39:20 AM »
Your curd looks much dryer in this cheese than the first one, so,it should age better .
Logged

john H

  • Guest
Re: My first blue - contaminated?
« Reply #9 on: November 23, 2016, 10:52:41 AM »
AC4Y Lloyd for a nice cheese and BTW nice smoothing job.

John
Logged

Offline Al Lewis

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Port Orchard Washington
  • Posts: 3,285
  • Cheeses: 179
    • Lou's Food & Drink
Re: My first blue - contaminated?
« Reply #10 on: November 23, 2016, 11:35:13 AM »
Looking great! ;D
Logged
Making the World a Safer Place, One Cheese at a Time! My Food Blog and Videos

Offline Lloyd

  • Medium Cheese
  • ***
  • Location: Bedfordshire, England
  • Posts: 96
  • Cheeses: 12
  • Default personal text
Re: My first blue - contaminated?
« Reply #11 on: January 01, 2017, 11:08:05 AM »
Well cracked these two open for Christmas.
First, the one that slumped and seemed to have toad skin (and is a bit of a stinker!) - made 5th November 2016

Inside was very creamy, which, together with the toad like skin,  makes me feel I had some geo contamination, probably due to poor hand hygiene after turning cams.  Taste was very strong blue - much too powerful for my wife, and a bit strong for me. 
Logged

Offline Lloyd

  • Medium Cheese
  • ***
  • Location: Bedfordshire, England
  • Posts: 96
  • Cheeses: 12
  • Default personal text
Re: My first blue - contaminated?
« Reply #12 on: January 01, 2017, 11:12:28 AM »
And this is the second one.  Same recipe - made one week later, and kept in the mould for a day or so longer.  Firmer, but still nice and creamy, and slightly milder. Will make this one again.
Logged

Offline Danbo

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Denmark, Europe, Earth, Universe
  • Posts: 1,277
  • Cheeses: 116
Re: My first blue - contaminated?
« Reply #13 on: January 01, 2017, 01:06:10 PM »
Wow! That's what I call sucess.I would be very proud if I'd made those... AC4U!

:) Danbo
Logged

Offline Boofer

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Lakewood, Washington
  • Posts: 5,015
  • Cheeses: 344
  • Contemplating cheese
Re: My first blue - contaminated?
« Reply #14 on: January 01, 2017, 04:14:00 PM »
Nice job. Same technique and culture mix?

Have a cheese.

-Boofer-
Logged
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.
Pages: [1] 2   Go Up
« previous next »