Author Topic: New Blue not holding together...Augh!  (Read 3680 times)

Tropit

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New Blue not holding together...Augh!
« on: October 23, 2009, 01:22:04 PM »
I've made several stilton types and have usually had good success.  This time, I tried a new recipe that told me to put a weight on top of the draining mat of curds.  Now, my molded curds are not binding together....grrrrr!  It's been 2 days since I put them in the mold and the larger curds just fall way when I un mold it.  Any tips, or ideas on how to salvage this?

Ideas I've had:

Take the mold w/curds out of the cool fridge, put a water bottle on top as weight and let sit in the 79-75 degree rom for awhile.

Make a new batch of curds and mix in with the old curds and re-mold....Thanks!

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: New Blue not holding together...Augh!
« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2009, 02:54:46 PM »
You're pressing in the cold frig??? If so, that's the problem. After 2 days in the frig, which is a dehumidifier, the curds may never come back together. If it's holdiong together at all, I would tend to keep it as is, or maybe in a well ventilated container, and see if you can end up with a crumbly blue.

Traditionally, Stilton is not a pressed cheese, however, I press mine very lightly at room temp.

Tropit

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Re: New Blue not holding together...Augh!
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2009, 04:38:47 PM »
Thanks for the tip, Sailor. I went ahead and pressed it in the press for about 2 hours, lfet it at room temp and then pierced it.  It now it seems to be holding together.  Fingers crossed.

 (BTW, I'm a sailor too!  35' Fuji Ketch in badly need of a retrofit.) 


Sailor Con Queso

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Re: New Blue not holding together...Augh!
« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2009, 05:02:46 PM »
Cool. Where do you sail?

We are doing the "Scotch Tour" off the coast of Scotland next July - sailing from scotch distillery to scotch distillery....

I am the Commodore (newly elected just last night) for our sailing association. Summer of 2011 I am putting together a 2 week sailing-cheese-wine trip off the coast of Italy. I can't give any details yet, but everyone on this forum will be invited.

Several of us have our Coast Guard Captain's License, so we charter and crew the boats ourselves. We have sailed in Greece (all the way to Turkey), Spain, Hawaii, British Columbia, all over the Carribean, Baja (Sea of Cortez), and many other places. We generally put 6 or 8 people on a 40-50 foot boat and share the costs. Turns out to be a cheap vacation.

Tropit

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Re: New Blue not holding together...Augh!
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2009, 01:03:18 AM »
We haven't saled much lately.  The slow economy keeps us working while we can.  When we do get out there, we like to sale the Channel Islands.  We've also saled a bit in the Carribean.  Your trips sound fabulous!

Tropit

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Re: New Blue not holding together...Augh!
« Reply #5 on: October 27, 2009, 02:43:13 PM »
Pardon me...I do know how to spell SAIL.  I must be thinking of work too much lately.

Likesspace

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Re: New Blue not holding together...Augh!
« Reply #6 on: October 30, 2009, 01:04:04 AM »
Tropit....
When I have made Stilton style, I have always left the cheese at room temperature for a week before removing it from the mold.
Before molding I do put the curd in a mold sandwich and press it to a solid condensed mass. I then break the curd mass into walnut size pieces and place it in the mold.
After that I let the cheese form under it's own weight, turning several times daily. Using this process I've never had a problem with the cheese forming a nice solid wheel (log).
I'm wondering if your problem lies in the fact that you placed it in the fridge before un-molding. I'm just guessing here but it might be worth considering.

Dave

Tropit

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Re: New Blue not holding together...Augh!
« Reply #7 on: October 30, 2009, 01:42:22 PM »
Thanks Dave...that might be it.  Anyway, it's holding together now...barely.  This one might become a BIG batch of blue cheese dressing.  Oh well...it's all good.

Tea

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Re: New Blue not holding together...Augh!
« Reply #8 on: October 31, 2009, 07:55:28 PM »
Dave when you say, "room temperature" for a week, what temps are you talking about?  I think my cheese would go off it I left is that long.

Likesspace

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Re: New Blue not holding together...Augh!
« Reply #9 on: October 31, 2009, 09:00:25 PM »
Tea,
I only make Stilton in the winter (or any cheese for that matter) for that very reason.
In the winter months my "Stilton room" stays about 72 degrees F.
So far I have never had a single problem with doing this and every Stilton has gotten this treatment.
After the week I then smooth the sides of the cheese and pop it into the cave. I then pierce it at about 4-6 weeks or so and then some 2 - 3 months later there is a really nice and tasty cheese waiting to be cut open. :)
I have to admit that I was really nervous about leaving a cheese out in the open that long when I first started. But as I said I've never had a problem. I also usually air dry my new wheels for at least 4 - 5 days at room temp before putting them into the fridge.

Dave

Tea

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Re: New Blue not holding together...Augh!
« Reply #10 on: October 31, 2009, 10:07:29 PM »
mmm thanks Dave, I think I would be nervous too. 

Parselmouth

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Re: New Blue not holding together...Augh!
« Reply #11 on: November 19, 2009, 07:34:57 AM »
I made a batch of stilton yesterday and have had the same problem with the curds not knitting together in the hoop.

I have made a couple of successful stiltons, but the previous effort I thought was a bit spongy. I wonder now if the problem was leaving the curds too long before milling and salting. The recipe calls for breaking the mass of curd up when the texture is crumbly, but this is a bit imprecise. Is it supposed to take ten minutes, an hour, three hours, overnight? I have read some stilton recipes which call for leaving the curd to drain overnight so I thought it wouldn't hurt to leave it longer than I had before.

But I think that was where I went wrong. I left it for around 2 hours, checking regularly and turning the cut blocks, which were still giving off whey. I think I should have milled much sooner, and not even bothered with the blocking stage.

I'll know for the next batch, but it's annoying as I had used double my usual quantity of milk for the first time. I have put the cheeses under pressure to see if it will help the knit, but somehow I think they will end up in the bin.

Parselmouth

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Re: New Blue not holding together...Augh!
« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2009, 11:11:49 AM »
.... or not. I have unmoulded them after four hours under pressure and they are just about holding together. I don't know what they will be in the end but somehow don't think they will be worthy of the name Stilton. Oh dear. Still, who cares as long as they are tasty.


Sailor Con Queso

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Re: New Blue not holding together...Augh!
« Reply #13 on: November 19, 2009, 03:44:47 PM »
I keep mine in the hoop, without pressure,  for 3 or 4 days, turning every few hours to help them drain. Blues in general have a very loose texture, so they need that extra support until they drain and things start bonding together.

Parselmouth

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Re: New Blue not holding together...Augh!
« Reply #14 on: November 21, 2009, 12:08:36 PM »
I left them too long before breaking up the curds and salting them, they had gone rubbery by then and there wasn't much moisture in the cheese. Leaving them in the hoop longer wouldn't have made any difference because of that. Sheer inexperience in not knowing what was meant by the terminology the recipe used.

However, I have been nibbling at them and they are good. Not sure they'll last long enough to blue up. lol