Gradually implementing more corrections to my process and posting here for whoever cares. I am assuming that there are a lot of others like me who scour this site looking at old posts, consulting the recipes, etc. every time they make cheese . So maybe something here is noteworthy.
22 gallons
1 quart buttermilk (too much - I thought I would have 24 gallons when I measured all the additions and then "Milly" stepped in bucket". Cats thankful.)
2 tbsp rennet dissolved in 1.5 cups water. (too much - thought I had 24 gallons)
2 tsp color dissolved in 2/3 cup water (too much - thought I had 24 gallons)
2/3 cup pickling salt
Next time:
1. I am going to try to reduce rennet amount because every time I am getting a flocculation time of less than 10 min. Today less than 8.
2. I am tinkering with color amount now. Bottle says 2-5 ml per 26 gallons but that is very little compared to what I have used before. I see that everybody's recipes on here seem to call for "drops" (Wayne's used 240 drops I think). I was hoping to avoid counting to 240.
Anybody have an opinion?
Brought milk to 90 and added culture and color and stirred and then waited 30 min.
Added rennet and tested with spinning bowl (at 8 min and used 3.5 multiplier) and then cut curd at 28 min and rested curd 10 min.
Began stirring and heating to 102 in 45 min. This went perfect this time. Held at 102 for 75 min and drained curd.
Let curd set for 20 min in heated cooler then cut into slabs and stacked. Flipped every 15 min for 1.5 hrs and then milled curds into 1/2 inch cubes.
Salted curds and let them set in salt for 10 min and then pressed for 30 min at 3 psi, 1.5 hr at 6 psi, and 22 hrs at 14 psi flipping at every change.
Will dry 3-4 days and wax for 2 months and then vacuum seal.
Changes this time:
After discussion on here about stirring I was motivated to redesign my stirrer. I reduced my paddles down to 2 and cut those 2 in half. Major difference in amount of "curd dust" Hardly any present at draining time. Very pleased with stirrer now.
I also made a muslin "bucket" to press the curds in (saw that on here). Very effective. I highly recommend. Reduced the amount of wrinkles and wadding up tremendously.
Overall went very well today. I have to say that this forum has been very helpful to me. Thanks.
