As I mentioned in another thread my first attempt at port salut failed. In several ways. I have learned something since then so here we go again.
INGREDENTS9 liters milk (not homogenized or pasteurized)
3/16 tsp Br. Linens
1/4 tsp Mesophilic starter, Danisco Choozit MA4001
9 ml liquid rennet
3 liters 12% brine at 18C
PROCEDUREI tried to follow the recipe by Kosikowski that I described in the previous thread.
- 10.45 Pasteurizing. Heated the milk to 73C on my stove and cooled it down to 32C in a water bath.
- 12.15 Added culture, br. linens, and the rennet.
- Replaced in 33C water bath.
- Made the brine.
- 12.35 Checked for clean break, not yet. Just yogurt-like mass.
- 13.35 Clean break. Cut into 1cm pieces (only vertical) and stirred. Let it stand for 20 minutes.
- 13.55 Begin heating. The curds had cooled to 31C.
- 14.20 Pour out extra whey. Didn't leave 2 inches since that was pretty much what I started with. Stirred 5 minutes.
- 14.25 Poured out the rest of the whey and replaced it with 12% brine at 20C. Stirred occasionally.
- 14.45 Moved the curds to the hoop. Curd temperature at this point 26,6C.
- 15.05 First turning
- 15.25 Second turning
- 16.05 Third turning
- waiting...
NOTES- It takes ages to pasteurize milk. Almost 90 minutes.
- One does not change four tires in the time it takes for milk to coagulate. Had to try...
- The hoop size (18cm diameter 15cm height) seemed good.
- I need a clip for my thermometer. Fishing it out of the cheese is probably not good for my cheese.
Everything looks good so far. In the next 24 hours we will see how well the cheese will hold together with no pressing at all. Then there is just the hoping-for-the-right-kind-of-mold.
Pics: Heating the curds after cutting, Half of the whey drained, All of the whey drained, Curds in 12% brine.