ASH - Using In Cheesemaking

[Tea]

Bella, I wouldn't have a clue about te camera, I just use "simple" moda, and press the button.

Debi, here is a section from the sheet that came with the Ash.
"Ash which is sometimes called activated charcoal is a food grade charcoal used on some soft cheese to neutralize the surface of the cheese and create a friendly envrionment for the growth of penicillium candidum mold while inhibiting unwanted mold growth. ..... The ash coating allowed the moisture to be drawn out and the curd to mature without the rind becoming rancid or sticky.  ...  They will usually develop a blue-gray, mottled rind, a condensed, nutty texture and a strong creamy flavour.  .... Ashing will sweeten the surface of your cheese and prepare it for the mould growth...."

HTH

[DeejayDebi]

Ah thanks Tea _ I had no clue what the ash was used for. Sounds odd though but I guess it has a god purpose.

I wonder how my ash from smoking meats would work. I use all kinds of fruit and nut woods. Or is carbon dust all the same?

[Bella]

Hi Debi
You asked about the taste of the ash - now, I am not very good at describing tastes etc, and there are no doubt others much better than I. But when you bite into the Brie that has an ash coating, the only clue that lets you know there is ash there is the visual effect of it. As you can see from my photos above, P.Candidum grows through the ash so that it is a fine layer beneath the mould. And really, if you closed your eyes, you woulnd't even know it was there. For me, it gives the cheese a creaminess that isn't there with the normal Brie, but that might be my imagination running wild, for I just love this cheese. You have to be quick to get it at the absolute right moment to eat it as the rind will slip with the creaminess immediately underneath it as the cream can almost reach liquid proportions.

But have a go at it - I'm sure you'll love it.

In an post earlier this year, someone provided a method of producing ash using sawdust, and your ash from smoking might end up similar to this one. As I said above, I wanted to try the commercially-available ash before I tried the home-made version to get a handle on what it SHOULD end up like. As Tea has mentioned is is REALLY, REALLY fine and gets into everything, and I very much doubt if it could be made that fine from the remnants of smoking or a fire (at least I don't think I could do it!).

B

[DeejayDebi]

Thanks Bella. I produce alot of ash from smoking foods. Fall is pig season here and I will be doing my bacons and hams. The ash is fine but I suspect a mortar and pestle would be needed for the larger pieces. I have only tried eatting briw once from the store and I didn't like the rubbery outter skin on it but I have seen some pretty nice looking bries here so I will see if it's better home made.

[iratherfly]

I learned by looking at an Andalusian cheesemaker ash his goat's cheese. I put the ash in a shallow tray (be careful, that stuff is very light and flies everywhere, go slow).  I then sprinkle the salt on the ash instead of on the cheese. (add 10%-15% salt to your sprinkling, to make up for salt that wouldn't be picked up by the cheese). This enables me to visibly control the amount of salt I sprinkle. If I would to put the salt on the cheese after ashing, it wouldn't stick and the ash barrier will prevent it from doing its work on the cheese. If I do it prior to ashing - it may render out whey which can wash out the ash or attract lumps of ash.

I then deep all sides of the cheese in it and shake excess ash out. My fingers will smear some off but not to worry, you can sprinkle a pinch where you smeared it of later. It ends up looking like a big charcoal which you cannot imagine ever turn into cheese.  The P. Candidum usually starts blooming from under the ash within 4 days. It really speeds it up.

Below are photos of my currently-aging cheese; it's a Crottin-sized ashed young Camembert that has a line of ash running through it (which looks great and helps regulate acidity in the body of the cheese). Sorry, no pictures of the inside of it yet - will send them when I open it; 12-20 days from now.

[Tea]

Yep, they look impressive with the mould growing through.  I just experimented with putting a layer of ash between two brie wheels.  I am hoping that if all goes well, it will be ready around my birthday.

[iratherfly]

That would be one happy birthday!

In this cheese, I take a break 2/3 through ladling put a layer of ash and continue topping off with remaining curd.
Because of the direction of drain and the upside-down pyramid shape of the mold, I anticipate more weight coming top-to-bottom and that line of ash will probably end up traveling to the middle of the cheese.
 Post photos when done!

[lead_dog]

What is the method of applying the ash to a camembert or brie?  Sprinkle it on the surface prior to salting or mix it with a liquid and smear it on or...?

[Tea]

I just put some ash into a container, and gently lay the cheese onto the ash.  Turn over, and coat the other side, then roll the remaining side over the ash.  My cams are brined, so I don't add any extra salt when ashing.

[iratherfly]

I mix the ash with the salt, then roll it in. If it's heavily ashed, you will be surprised to see that as the white mold blooms it will grow right through it and cover it completely. Even if the cheese may appear to be turning white and no longer stain your hands black, rest assure that the ash is still there. This may result in trapping a thick layer of ash under the white mold, which will give you sand-like texture when eating and possibly coloring your teeth black for a few minutes. Not fun.

My advice: ash it nicely and then wait for the first white bloom to show (6-12 days, depends on your conditions). Most recipes call for wrapping the cheese at that point. Instead of wrapping it, wash the rind so excess ash comes off (don't worry, it will keep enough on. You want to stop when there is a thin layer). Do it by bathing in brine, beer or brandy. After the cheese dries off and white mold growth resumes (a day or two) - wrap it. If you want the flavors and colors of your beer or brandy to take hold on the looks and flavor of the cheese repeat the cycle (brine wash + resume white mold growth) twice more and then wrap it. Yes, that means that a cheese that normally goes to refrigeration aging at day 10 may only begin this cycle at day 18. From that point on wait the 3-5 weeks and check for ripeness until "Affine" and ready to eat.  My cheese (above photos) needed some good washing.

Another alternative is to mix ash with kosher salt so that you get "black salt". Then salt the cheese with it. It's a very light cover, you still get the benefits of ash (though not so much the look) but no need to wash. I find it to actually be helpful as you can observe how much salt you sprinkle on the cheese. Usually it disappears on the fresh white curd and you are not too sure.
Look below at this goat's Camembert I recently made using the black salt sprinkle method.

[DeejayDebi]

Pretty amazing. You would think the ash would choke out anything else. I have an unlimited supply of ash from the smoker that is just dust most of the time. I fill up a small 5 gallon pail several times a year. I may have to try this just for grins. Maybe I'll like the rind better with ash on it I sure don't like it without.

[iratherfly]

Maybe someone here could clarify this better than me, but my understanding is that the ash needs to be "activated" 0 whatever that means. Somehow it enables it to ionize the surface and actually create a more hospitable environment for bacteria growth. Additionally, it stabilizes acidity of the rind, and if put inside the cheese it stabilize the curd acidity around it too. Things French discover when they hide stuff from the tax man...

[DeejayDebi]

Hmmm I believe it's got something to do with being oxygenated or something like that. That might be the key to why it grows the moulds so well.

I still have to get some camembert molds. All I have is those tiny crotin molds and a little bread basket looking thing from a NE Cheese kit I got for Christmas. I think it's a 1 gallon kit or something. I have to read the brochure that came with it.