Matt B's Feta #1

[Matt B]

I don't have any pics of the final product or of it in the brine. I ended up dumping this because the curds originally sank to the bottom of the brine and then floated to the top after a week or so. I've heard that means there was some bad nasties in there.

Pasteurizing the milk


Cooling the milk


Cutting the curd #1


Cutting the curd #2


Scooping out the curds


Curds draining


Curds


Salted curds #1


Salted curds #2

[DeejayDebi]

They sure look lovely! I know nothing about feta one of the cheeses I've never cared much for. Maybe I should make it and see if I like it better home made? Sorry to hear you had to dump that pretty cheese Matt.

[newbie001]

I know that it is long past the time but I am not sure that you were correct to throw it out. You are right when curds float to the top it is an indicator of bad bacteria, but I have made feta, and have bought it commercially and it sometimes floats in the brine. Brine is a salt solution and many things float because they are less dense. That is different than curd rising and floating in the whey.

But it is always better to be safe. 

[DeejayDebi]

Ahh I think I missed something there. It floated in a salt water brine after pressing not in the whey while cooking?

That wouldn't be a problem.

[Cheese Head]

Hi Matt and welcome to the forum, nice pictures.

Looks like everything went well, I think like others said it was probably OK, I had a look at my Feta making pictures and looks like my cut feta floats, I'll pay closer attention next time to confirm it does.

Initially yours sounded a little strange that sunk in brine and then floated, I would have thought that as cheese absorbs salt it would get heavier and stay sunken. But depending how much you de-wheyed your curds, it could initially sink and then rehydrate as well as absorb salt, in which case it could become less dense and float in your brine.