Author Topic: Colby recipes  (Read 8399 times)

FarmerJd

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Re: Colby recipes
« Reply #15 on: November 01, 2009, 08:07:09 PM »
I decided to vacuum seal my colby rather than wax it since it was taking so long to dry out. I was kind of nervous about losing it if I just kept waiting so I sliced the outside edges of to get it small enough to fit in the 11" bags. When I cut it, it was full of tiny holes. It has been a long time since I tried a cheese other than cheddar (besides the gouda last week) and my cheddars always lose most of their whey when I am cheddaring them so they have always knitted pretty well. I have had this happen before though on my only other colby back when I was more of an amateur. Any ideas? My theories are as follows:

1. Since i have no acid tester, I probably messed up either in the culturing, cooking or draining aspects and therefore had a curd that was not ready to be pressed.

2. I do not have holes in my hoops which doesn't hurt my cheddars because they have much less whey when entering the press but causes a problem for the colby because the whey has a harder time exiting.

3. The holes are supposed to be there early on and disappear after aging and me and the cheese live happily ever after. ;D

I attached a pic from this morning and it doesnt look as bad as last night i guess because it compressed some under the vaccuum.

 

Offline Boofer

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Re: Colby recipes
« Reply #16 on: November 01, 2009, 09:51:27 PM »
I think the difference in color saturation is because your milk is fresh with higher fat content than the store-bought pasteurized/homogenized/brutalized milk I have available. Mine has less fat for the annatto to attach to...so less deep color.

But again, as with other additives that we may have taken for granted previously (CACL2), is there a difference in the annatto you purchase from one source or the other? Or is it pretty much standard? I know that if I don't use latex gloves while handling it and spill it, my annatto will stain almost anything it contacts, diluted or not.

-Boofer-

Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Colby recipes
« Reply #17 on: November 02, 2009, 12:24:26 AM »
OMG I had to look twice on that cut cheese there FD!  :D

FarmerJd

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Re: Colby recipes
« Reply #18 on: November 02, 2009, 01:22:48 AM »
Oops! I just noticed that.  :-[ It took me a minute to catch on to what u were referring to. I guess I should add a rating to this post.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Colby recipes
« Reply #19 on: November 02, 2009, 01:46:33 AM »
 :D  It actually got noticed by my son first, you ALMOST got me in trouble!

He looked over a yelled  ...MA What the hell are you looking at?  ::)

kawatiri kaas

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Re: Colby recipes
« Reply #20 on: November 26, 2009, 10:24:32 AM »
DeeJayDebi, could you please describe flaked salt to me? I'm not familiar with the product here in New Zealand - I use un-iodised sea salt. Also for a cheese made from 1 gal milk what size hoop did you use? Cheers

Alex

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Re: Colby recipes
« Reply #21 on: November 26, 2009, 12:46:43 PM »
For a 5 liters batch, use a 10 cm dia and 10 cm high hoop.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Colby recipes
« Reply #22 on: November 26, 2009, 04:08:18 PM »
DeeJayDebi, could you please describe flaked salt to me? I'm not familiar with the product here in New Zealand - I use un-iodised sea salt. Also for a cheese made from 1 gal milk what size hoop did you use? Cheers

Here is a picture of left to right:

Flaked salt - is sea salt dried by the sun and heated to form snowflake like crystals. It's always sold as a coarse grain. Slightly bigger than Kosher salt.

Table salt - is always fine grained and either plain or iodized.

Kosher salt - is also generally a flaked salt but not mecessarily a sea salt it can be mined. It can be fine or coarse grain. I use almost exclusively kosher sea salt because is is less expensive and readily available.


Hope this helps!

Tea

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Re: Colby recipes
« Reply #23 on: November 26, 2009, 07:26:53 PM »
Kawatiri if you go to the herb and spice section of the supermarket, there is usually some hidden away there.

kawatiri kaas

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Re: Colby recipes
« Reply #24 on: November 27, 2009, 10:16:39 AM »
Thanks for all that info. Does the flaky salt behave differently in the cheese than a finer grained salt?
Also when you talk about moulds (molds!) that's the same as the hoop right? Cheers

MrsKK

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Re: Colby recipes
« Reply #25 on: November 27, 2009, 12:53:11 PM »
I also use kosher salt for cheesemaking, rather than ordering special cheese salt.  Originally, I did use canning salt (no iodine, which you don't want in your cheese), but it takes longer to dissolve than the kosher salt does, and sometimes I'd run into crunchies, especially with my buttermaking.

I believe that molds/moulds/hoops are all the same product, just different terminology and spelling!

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Colby recipes
« Reply #26 on: November 28, 2009, 03:25:10 AM »
Thanks for all that info. Does the flaky salt behave differently in the cheese than a finer grained salt?
Also when you talk about moulds (molds!) that's the same as the hoop right? Cheers

Yes and yes!

The flaky salt is bigger so it's level of saltiness is less for the same sized measure. The finer the grain the heavier the salt consentration (less air space).

kawatiri kaas

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Re: Colby recipes
« Reply #27 on: November 28, 2009, 09:42:51 AM »
Thanks again, I'll keep an eye out for flaky salt next time I'm at the supermarket. My only hoop/mold so far is a 6" diameter length of sewer pipe, sounds gross but seems adequately effective. Cheers.

MrsKK

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Re: Colby recipes
« Reply #28 on: November 28, 2009, 02:44:25 PM »
I use 6 inch PVC pipe, too.  Mine is graded for potable water, though.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Colby recipes
« Reply #29 on: November 28, 2009, 04:11:14 PM »
I used PVC pipe for several years without any problems. I use it for making sausage (lunchmeat style) too and that's very acidic.