Getting the temp up quickly to get to the "ricotta"?

[caciocavallo]

Hello all,

I would like to know if anyone has any ideas on getting the heat up quickly to get the whey to the right temp to produce the ricotta.

I use an aluminum pot which holds 67 liters of whey on a propane burner and it takes me 2 hours??? This is the longest process of my cheesemaking day since I usually make about 210- 225 liters from raw milk. I hate having to throw it out since the riccotta is soooo gooooood.

Any ideas are welcome.

Thanks,
Cacio

[kawatiri kaas]

Ditto! In a double boiler on an electric stove I've been sweating it for nearly 2 hours and have gained an increase of less than 40'C! Trying not to use direct heat in an effort to not burn or boil the milk. Think I'll target only 85'C rather than the 'CF recipe' specified 93.5'C!
Cheers.

[MrsKK]

Cacio, you might try cooking your whey in smaller batches.  Overall, it would probably take just as much time, but you can quit at any stage you want, yet still get some ricotta.

Brett, While I cook my original batch of cheese either in the sink or in a double boiler, I do heat the whey for ricotta over direct heat with frequent stirring.  As I don't add anything to it, it has to reach near-boiling point to bring the ricotta out.  You must add some acid to yours?

[kawatiri kaas]

Hi Karen, I didn't add any acid (should I have?), did add 1.1 litres / 0.29 US gal of whole milk to the 10.1 litres / 2.67 gal of (Feta) whey - as this was all the milk I had on hand to spare. Re-strained whey, added milk, warmed to 38'C/ 100'F for an hour, then upped temp as far as my improvised double boiler would allow which was to 80'C / 176F. Added 205ml / 6.9 oz vinegar (about 2%). Yielded 740gm / 1.6lb (6.6%) after 4 hours draining. Added 2 heaped tsp of salt flakes. First time I've made a 'proper' batch of ricotta as it's the first time I've had decent amount of whey to use in one hit. Hoping to make some Malfatti tomorrow for an experiment. Would have made it today, but it's our wedding anniversary and we're off out for tea
Will try direct heat next time. What are your thoughts on cooking cheese in aluminium. The largest stainless steel pot I have is a 16 litre / 4.2 gal stockpot (and lightweight at that), but then I do have a jam pan.
Cheers

[MrsKK]

Well, Happy Anniversary!  I hope you had a lovely day with your wife.

Vinegar is an acid, as are lemon juice, citric or tartaric acid, etc.  If it works for you, go for it - with using the vinegar, you probably don't have to get your whey as hot.

I personally don't like using aluminum for any food anymore, but especially for acidic foods like cheese.  They've been linking aluminum and Alzheimer's, a disease my FIL died of, so I'm very leery.

I've never added milk to my whey for ricotta making, either.  But then again, I make my cheese in 5 gallon batches and the two pounds of ricotta I get from the whey is a bonus.

I'm not familiar with a "jam pan" - probably regional differences in names for items is my guess.  I use my 5 gallon stainless steel canner for making cheese.

[Alex]

My way for making Ricotta:

Heat whey to 72-75 deg C
Add about 10% raw whole milk (to increase yield)
Heat mixture to 88-90 deg C
Add 250-300 ml 5% vinegar/5 liter of whey (not including milk) and stir
Let stand for 5 minutes and ladle the "clouds" into a cheese cloth colander.

[wharris]

You might consider having several large pots of near boiling water ready and standing by next time. 
That way, you kinda get a thermal "head-start".

[DeejayDebi]

I was just going to suggest the same thing wayne. A small pot will boil faster.

BTW Happy Anniversary kawatiri!

[kawatiri kaas]

Thanks for your kind thoughts and helpful tips guys.
Karen, a jam pan is a fairly shallow but quite large (20-25 litres / 5.3-6.6 US gal) aluminium pot with a small fixed handle on one side and a pouring lip opposite and a large hinged handle over the top. Pretty common here in NZ and is the traditional vessel for the manufacture of - you guessed it - jam. I agree with your sentiments on cooking in Aluminium esp with acidy type things. I'd post you a pic of one but unfortunately I cannot currently locate mine - much to my consternation.
Cheers.

[MrsKK]

That's okay, Brett.  Oddly enough, I've been losing a lot of things this past year, too.

Maybe I'm just getting old and senile!

[DeejayDebi]

Gee I thought it was just me. I seem to be loosing track of everything these days - including what day it is.

[caciocavallo]

Well as I can see I am not the only one that has this problem.

When I make cheese I usually make about 50-55 gals and I get quit a bit of whey to make the ricotta. I usually have 2 burners going (direct heating) and constant stirring. I have one stockpot which is 15 gals and a smaller one which is 5.5 gals. Obviously the smaller pot takes less time and i usually make 3 pots before my large pot gets to "boil".

We always add milk to the whey to get a better yield and we always add vinegar just before the whey starts to boil. The main question is how much vinegar to add.

If anyone has this please let me know.

Cheers, Cacio

[Alex]

Look at my earlier post above and follow the instructions.