Rind Cracking (Before Waxing) Problem

[petersenthomas]

I'm trying to make stirred curd cheddar.  I've made this recipe about 3 times with great results.  I haven't changed any of the ingredients.  This time after I pressed the cheese and have it drying on a board to form the rind, it's splitting.  I came down stairs this morning to flip the cheese and there are 3 large cracks in the rind!   the inside doesn't seem to be unusually moist or dry, but there is more whey on the board.  Does anyone have an idea of what may have happened?  I can give more info of ingredients / process if needed.

[Cheese Head]

Hi peter, welcome to the forum.

I've found all the cheeses I've made that have developed cracks are from too rapid drying due to low humidity air. The outer cheese dehydrates faster than the middle thus the surface shrinks faster than the middle resulting in uneven stress and the cracks. Is the air dryer/lower humidity than the previous two times (you'll need a hygrometer to tell)? Maybe even a small change is all that's required and you got lucky the previous two times.

Also, more whey draining suggests a moister batch than the previous two which with rapid dehydration of the outer cheese could cause higher stress in the cheese and the cracks.

Here's a picture of worst case where in a very low forced air household fridge with very low humidity as coils and evaporation tray on outside of unit.

[petersenthomas]

Thanks, that does make sense.  It is after all 2 degrees outside.  I cut off the rind, and am re pressing it.  If it still doesn't work, I guess I can break it up, bread it, and fry it.

Tom

[Alex]

When I dry my cheeses in a regular fridge, I use to cover the cheese with a damp handkerchief and flip occasionally until desired dryness.
If you still have the opportunity, cut the cheese in 1" cubes, put it in a stock pot with water at about 40 deg C for some 15 minutes. You may want to add CaCl to the water as it may be extracted from the cheese. Drain and press again. You'll get another cheese then you pointed for. From other reason, once I did this with a traditional cheddar. The result wasn't a cheddar of course, but a very good cheese when it finished ageing.

See the reason below, faulty pressing, in mould/hoop without cheese-cloth.

[Cheese Head]

Tom, OK, sorry bit late now but you could just have placed in high humidity environment or seal it in vacuum bag, that will often repair small cracks.

2 degrees, assume you are talking celcius, that's still too cold for drying a cheese before aging. Sounds like you think the cause was low humidity.

[petersenthomas]

the 2 degrees is the outside temp and its Fahrenheit and it makes for some very dry air. 

The cracks were already fairly deep so I'm re-pressing it.  I've got a pan of water and salt in a box to increase the humidity this time.  I'll see how it all works out

[iratherfly]

I am having an issue with an unruly Cheddar that came out of 24 hour of pressing last night and within 6 hours looked as if it had dried outside for 6 days.

I was wondering if I should wax it or use Peter and John's advice here - place it in a sealed container with a wet towel on the bottom for a couple of days in the fridge, to reconstitute some life into it.

This is my first farmhouse cheddar so I am not sure. Is that a good idea?

[Cheese Head]

irather, I don't make Cheddar's, but would just place in container to increase humidity and enable the cracks to heal. I would not put a wet towel on bottom as source for yeast infection. There should be enough moisture being given off by the cheese to allow it to equalize and shrink the cracks.

[Zinger]

Iratherfly

I have found that using a salad spinner works well for healing cracks as the cheese dries. I put a "little" water in the base of the spinner and then set the cheese in the basket portion of the spinner and place it in the main container. It sets above the water and yet pulls the humidty enough to help close the crack.

[iratherfly]

Thank you all!

It's not cracked, it just felt as dry as if it has been out for days only a few hours after the press.
I just wonder if I should wax ASAP to prevent further drying and cracks

[DeejayDebi]

Drying cheese in the winter with the heat on is tough sometimes. Try putting it in a container, microwave or even your oven to protect it from the dry heat. Just don't turn the microwave or oven on.

[iratherfly]

Thanks Debi! Though... my microwave is over the oven and would dry the cheddar or heat it up too much. (tried using it as a bread box before... the bread turned dry by the next morning).  In a box, I suspect too much humidity (as I try to dry it enough for waxing)

What I ended up doing was to heavy brine it first (1.5 qt filtered water to 12 Oz. Kosher salt, 1/8 tsp Calcium Chloride, 1/4 tsp white vinegar). I wanted to help it dry out. I also wanted to sanitize it because it has been in my hot and busy kitchen for too long, and I didn't want to risk locking-in some unwanted bacteria under the wax. I would think the brine helps that.
I also didn't want the brine to affect the flavor profile (being that it's so heavily salted) - because the curd was pre-salted during the cheddaring. I only brined it only 15 min. per side.  I then washed the brine off the cheese with dark brandy (Now there's an aroma I would LOVE to lock in the wax). I waited a few hours and waxed.

My two wheels are now in my brand spankin' new wine cooler; aging at a not-too-dry and super-stable 54F "micro-cave" with constant air circulation. I love that thing.

[DeejayDebi]

Thanks Debi! Though... my microwave is over the oven and would dry the cheddar or heat it up too much. (tried using it as a bread box before... the bread turned dry by the next morning).  In a box, I suspect too much humidity (as I try to dry it enough for waxing)

What I ended up doing was to heavy brine it first (1.5 qt filtered water to 12 Oz. Kosher salt, 1/8 tsp Calcium Chloride, 1/4 tsp white vinegar). I wanted to help it dry out. I also wanted to sanitize it because it has been in my hot and busy kitchen for too long, and I didn't want to risk locking-in some unwanted bacteria under the wax. I would think the brine helps that.  The hot kitchen probably dried it out. Try to keep your cheeses away from hot kitchens by moving them into other areas if need be.

I also didn't want the brine to affect the flavor profile (being that it's so heavily salted) - because the curd was pre-salted during the cheddaring. I only brined it only 15 min. per side.  I then washed the brine off the cheese with dark brandy (Now there's an aroma I would LOVE to lock in the wax). I waited a few hours and waxed.

My two wheels are now in my brand spankin' new wine cooler; aging at a not-too-dry and super-stable 54F "micro-cave" with constant air circulation. I love that thing.

Good luck!