My first stinky

[nym]

Hi All

I got the Caldwell book for my birthday and inspired by that and OzzieCheese's thread 'My Epoisses Style' I decided to have my first go at a stinky cheese.
Like OzzieCheese I'm trying to follow the recipe for the 'Ouleout' cheese (but similarly I don't have all the cultures that are used in the recipe). I copied the idea of using a divider to make two cheeses in the same form and I'm quite pleased with how well this turned out (see pics). Not all the curds would fit in so I put the extra into a basket form.
The make went fairly well until it came to the final draining period which was supposed to be 12 hours but for my cheeses it was quite a bit longer. (I was asleep!)
The final pH is supposed to be 5.33 and although I don't have a pH meter, I used pH strips and I think that the pH dropped to around 4.9. I'm wondering what the effect of the low pH would be on the final cheese?

[Gregore]

Yes it will have some effects , let it age a little longer before any washing ,  normally you wash the day after it gets slimey but let it go an extra day .

And it will take a week or 2 longer to fully ripen at the end.

[nym]

It's two weeks since my stinkies went into the fridge. They have developed a little white fur (geo?) but there is no sign of the 'stickiness' which people describe. The picture is misleading because the cheese looks quite yellow. They're actually much paler in real life. The fridge is running at 10-15deg C and the cheeses are in ageing containers with the lids sitting loosely on top. I'm turning the cheeses daily and wiping out the containers. When I take the lid off I think that I possibly get a slight whiff of stinky cheese (but maybe I'm just hoping).
Should I start washing now or wait for the 'stickiness' to arrive? I'm also a little confused about the washing process. Do I just dip a cloth in a light brine and wipe it over the cheese or do I do something more intensive e.g. immerse the cheese in the brine?
Thanks for any help.

[Gregore]

Yes start washing , I think you missed the slimey stage .

And wash all over with your hands , a cloth or a small brush.

I found the small 2 inch round brush for polishing shoes is the best for smallish cheeses like this .

[Al Lewis]

I misted my Epoisses with cognac.  Came out great.  You may want to start.

[Boofer]

Thanks for any help.

Here's the result of a quick SEARCH.

-Boofer-

[nym]

Very helpful. Thank you.
I've started washing...

[nym]

I opened the first of my stinkies today and I'm really quite pleased with my first effort.
The cheeses are now about six weeks old. The smell is good - there has been some mention of old socks  The rind has matured into a nice golden colour. The paste is soft and very tasty near the outside. Further in it is firm and has less flavour. I'd really like to age the remaining two cheeses so that they become softer and tastier throughout. I really like smelly cheeses!
They're currently still in their ageing containers at 12-15deg. Should I move them to the cold fridge? Should I wrap them? Thanks for any advice.

[Boofer]

I really like smelly cheeses!
They're currently still in their ageing containers at 12-15deg. Should I move them to the cold fridge? Should I wrap them?

They may already be too far over the edge. You can try to slow the ripening by wrapping and moving them to the colder fridge.

Here's one of my washed rinds that went over the edge.

-Boofer-

[awakephd]

Looks mighty good to me! A cheese for you!

[Gregore]

The main reason for moving to colder storage now is so that you have time to eat them all before the last one gets too ripe .   Not bad for you ripe , just extra extra pungent .

[nym]

I'm optimistic that I'll be able to keep my remaining two cheeses going for a while. They are firmer than the smaller squatter cheese which I cut because it had developed a small crack and was leaking (very tasty) paste.
I understand that moving the two cheeses to the cold fridge will slow down their development but I'm less clear about the reason for wrapping. Is it to prevent the cheeses drying out in the harsher environment of the cold fridge? If so, can I just keep them in the ageing boxes with the lids on tight? I don't have proper cheese paper and would be using grease-proof baking paper. The cheeses are slightly sticky and I'm concerned that they might stick to the paper and tear.

awakepd - thank you for my cheese 

[awakephd]

Basically, the cheese paper maintains humidity but allows gas exchange, allowing the molds (or in the case of the stinkies, the BL bacteria) to continue to do their thing. I've not made a stinky cheese (yet), but based on my experience making quite a few camembert styles, I would say that it will be fine to keep them in the ripening box - I've made them both ways, and both work well. The paper is just more convenient.

[nym]

I decided to open the second cheese today. It's just about two months old. I'm so pleased with the result. I think that it's as good (or better?) than the Epoisses that I've previously bought in the supermarket. The taste, smell and colour are glorious (although not everyone would think so). I'm going to see if I can let the third cheese run for another month. Yes - I like them smelly!
Should I be at all concerned about the small cavities in the paste?

[Al Lewis]

Looks amazing!!  Just about perfectly ripe. AC4U!!