Author Topic: "Gouda" #2, large batch  (Read 4999 times)

Zoey

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"Gouda" #2, large batch
« on: October 21, 2009, 12:21:15 PM »

So, finally this post.

I made a gouda on monday 12th October. Eating it during christmas, since I want to age it for 60 days.

I had been thinking for a while about how to handle large batches with no equipment, and this is my final recipe. I know it's not really specific, but it seems to work for me.

Starting point:
2 dl buttermilk starter
4 9-liter buckets of raw milk (from a farm) - probably only 8 liters in each bucket, since 9 is the theoretical volume
4 spoonfuls liquid rennet

Ripening:
Open buckets in room temperature (milk temp around 6C at this point). Pour in 0,5 dl buttermilk in each bucket.

Warm buckets two at a time in sink (poured boiling water in the sink as quickly as my 1,5-liter water boiler allowed). When each bucket reaches 28C, add rennet (one spoonful) and move onto table to coagulate. I had added rennet into each of them after 2 hours (yes, my warming method was slow, and I could not warm them all at once).

When each bucket coagulates (the first one did in a short while after completing the previous step for the last bucket), cut curds, let stand for 5-10mins, mix, cut any large curds, let stand while doing this for bucket #2. Pour out half of the liquid, merge buckets 1 & 2. Wash the merged curds with 1-2 liters near-boiling water until 38C. Move curds to form. By now you should be able to repeat with 3 & 4.

Pressed using one of the buckets filled with water. First one hour, then overnight... all together 9 hours. Then 24 hours saturated brining, 24 hours drying at room temp, then fridge (9C).

The cheese is now 1,5 weeks old, nearly dry to touch, and a nice beatiful yellow rind formed.

Pics taken right after pressing.

The hand with the ring is for picture scale indication only. :)



riha

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Re: "Gouda" #2, large batch
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2009, 01:52:00 PM »
Going up fast I see :)

What buttermilk do you use for starter?

If you want to do more batches like that, go and get one 30-liter plastic bucket like they use in home brewing. It's small enough to fit into a sink, so it might be handier than several buckets.

What kind of rind are you planning to use?

Zoey

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Re: "Gouda" #2, large batch
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2009, 10:37:14 AM »
I'm thinking I might wax this one, alhough I want to be sure it's dry enough before I try.

I'm using "Talouspiimä", a green box by some local western-finland dairy. It looks the most uncommercial of them all, which appeals to me. :)

The bucket-idea sounds good. Actually I was thinking of getting two, to create a double boiler effect. The outer one might need a tap at the bottom though, since I don't want to lift the inner one every time I replace the water (with hotter). I know they sell separate taps, just don't know where...


riha

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Re: "Gouda" #2, large batch
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2009, 10:44:26 AM »
Where do you get your wax?

I'm asking about this buttermilk thing because I'm not yet convinced about the translation of buttermilk to piimä. Are they the same product? I tried using piimä as a starter culture couple of times and ended up with very strong taste of it in the end result. Now I use DVI cultures.

I have found sink to be an excellent choise for 10 liter batch. It might be a bit small for 30 liters and above. I bet the easiest place to get a tap is Etola. They might even sell buckets with taps already on them. I also thought that a bathtub might be a valid idea. Especially if you happen to have a sitting tub.

FarmerJd

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Re: "Gouda" #2, large batch
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2009, 11:44:15 AM »
At one time I had a setup similar to what you are talking about and I used a section of hose going from the bottom of the water bucket over the top and into my sink. When I was adding hot water, I just put a siphon (this means suck on one end to get water in the hose so that it will start running out) on the hose and let the colder water drain that way. Once the water is in the hose you can stop it or start it by kinking the hose. Using your kitchen sink spray nozzle in conjunction with this hose, you can have an inlet and an outlet hose to help you control the temp. It is not the most efficient use of water but at the time I was just excited to be able to control the temp easier. :)

Zoey

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Re: "Gouda" #2, large batch
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2009, 01:42:11 PM »

Riha, maybe you used too much piimä or let it ripen for too long? I'm sure piimä is pretty much the same as buttermilk, and kirnupiimä churned buttermilk. Of course the cultures may vary from country to country. I enjoy the piimä taste in my gouda, but I definately could not associate it with the original taste that's present in the buttermilk. Maybe the taste you're talking about is the general sour taste? -> Too sour?

I'm using bee wax, so you can get it in drug stores or sinooperi etc. I'm pretty sure that's the traditional wax used, even if now we use more cultivated versions.

FarmerJd, thanks for the tip, I could use a siphon for water replacing, since I already own this really handy gadget that's used in brewing.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: "Gouda" #2, large batch
« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2009, 07:09:33 PM »
Zoey your Gouda looks great! Siphon hoses work great and really save your back. I use one in my cheese making to. I was thinking of using a tap but decided this works well enough so why introduce new potential problems? I used a small screen Mat to separate it from the cheese to drain the whey also - works well.

Is this one of your wedding cheeses? I would be proud to serve that to my guest! Just a thought if you really like Gouda and nuts, slivered toasted almonds go good in Gouda.

Cheese Head

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Re: "Gouda" #2, large batch
« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2009, 09:50:34 PM »
Zoey, it does look great, congrats, good luck with aging!

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: "Gouda" #2, large batch
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2009, 12:51:56 AM »
I'm a little slow on somethings at times and after the third look at this thread just noticed your engagement ring.

Congrats it's very lovely. Sorry - I was consentrating on the cheese and missed the classic ring pose. DUH!

Zoey

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Re: "Gouda" #2, large batch
« Reply #9 on: October 23, 2009, 06:20:31 AM »

Thanks again everyone. :)

This particular gouda is not one of my wedding cheeses, but it works as an experiment for the raw milk gouda that I wish to make early next year. I've never aged a gouda more than 60 days, so I'm not going to make my first try for the wedding, since I know I can make a good one if aged as before.

This is my first raw milk cheese ever, so I'm really excited to see the difference.

Never tried gouda with seasoning either, and since my gouda is the most fool proof of the wedding cheeses, I'm a bit reluctant to try anything new with it. I would like a seasoned cheese though... wonder if I should make two gouda's... probably they would be different enough, at least with strong seasoning...

I'm thinking of this cheese thing as something that I can serve for free, since I think of the expenses as hobby costs, not part of the wedding budget. And since it's a top priority to serve good cheese at the wedding, I now have a really good reason to make a lot of cheese. :)

So that's why I don't have to decide right away... I'll just make a lot of cheese and decide later. :D

Zoey

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Re: "Gouda" #2, large batch
« Reply #10 on: October 30, 2009, 07:46:21 AM »
three days ago the gouda had developed some small, blue spots. Washed with vinegar, then let dry in room temperature. Forgot in room temperature, placed back into fridge after two days.

I'm really not disciplined enough to make cheese :)

The cheese sweat a bit while in room temperature. I wiped the sweat away with a paper towel.
At least the blue has stayed gone.

Since the sweating made the cheese greasy anyway, maybe coat in lard now?

Hmm... now that I'm thinking about it... could I coat in bacon fat that comes out while frying the bacon? that might give a delicious flavour as well? :)
(love bacon)

If I coat with lard, should I still continue turning as before? sounds messy...

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: "Gouda" #2, large batch
« Reply #11 on: October 30, 2009, 04:03:27 PM »
Coating with bacon drippings sounds really interesting. I'll bet that would be fanmtastic on a Gouda.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: "Gouda" #2, large batch
« Reply #12 on: October 31, 2009, 03:03:27 AM »
Gee if it's a smoked bacon you can kill two birds with one stone.

Zoey

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Re: "Gouda" #2, large batch
« Reply #13 on: December 14, 2009, 08:50:40 AM »

Never coated this one. I cut into it a week ago, 8 days early, at 52 days old.

It was delicious... perfect in fact.

I repeated the process yesterday and I'm brining a second one right now.

If the second one turns out as good as the first one, I certainly have a winning recipe to write down for future reference (would be my first cheese recipe that I want to repeat exactly the way it is).

I have to say the difference between raw milk and pasteurized milk is like night and day. Never could've imagined how different they are, while the taste while drinking the milk is honestly not THAT different. And the lovely full taste that comes with fatty milk... yammy!

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: "Gouda" #2, large batch
« Reply #14 on: December 17, 2009, 04:28:35 AM »
Congrats Zoey!

It looked like a great cheese. Had that nice glossy look to it. I do agree that raw milk makes great cheese. Very creamy. You go girl!