Goat Parm Pic

[cmharris6002]

I brought this up from the cave today. Both have a natural rind. A natural rind Parmesan aged 10 months. Even though it is a little young it has a rich Parmesan flavor with no hint of goat 

[mtncheesemaker]

Good for you! Both your cheeses look perfect.

[wharris]

It looks fantastic.   Congrats How hard is the rind?

[cmharris6002]

The rind is very hard. The other cheese I brought up was a Swiss, the rind on that one was also very hard but it had some give to it and felt kind of like wax. It was very interesting because I cared for both rinds in the same way.

[zenith1]

Christy-that is a nice lookin goat parm. The rind development look good even though you mentioned that it was pretty hard. Congratulations

[DeejayDebi]

Great looking cheese Christy your on a roll! First time I think I have given two thumbs in an hour to the same person!

Question 1: Is it the light or do all the aged goat cheeses always have a tan coloring as oposed to the yellowish cow milk cheeses?

Question 2: How do you get rid of the "Goaty" flavor?

Beautiful cheese!

[cmharris6002]

The rinds are tan-ish but the cheese is white-ish

Since goaty flavor is caused by the breakdown of capric and caprylic fatty acids, my goal is to prevent breakdown. I start by filtering the milk after each doe is milked. the tote is set in a well chiller, like the ones used for wine. The milk is cooled to 38F within minutes of leaving the goat. I am also careful to never agitate the milk. So, quick chilling as well as my breed, Nubians and what I feed them all work together for a very clean tasting milk that rarely gives me goaty cheese.

I should add that this is just my cheese making style and many people LOVE the goaty flavor. 

[DeejayDebi]

Thank you Christy. I wasn't crazy about the goaty flavor. If I ever spring for more goats milk I will have to ask how they handle it.

[captaincurd]

looks good!  My goat parm efforts have generally been kind of greasy on the outside (due to the butterfat)  I assume yours is full fat , and since you have nubians, pretty rich. What time of year did you make it, and how do you deal with the butterfat  ?

[cmharris6002]

This was made in the spring with early lactation milk, full fat. I was able to begin rind development in a cool room before moving it to the cave. I have only had problems with oozing butterfat when temps are too warm.

[MrsKK]

I'm very impressed.  My first parmesan is unbreachable it is so hard.  I haven't tried Wayne's idea of sterilizing a hack saw to cut into it to see if there is something left at the center, though.

Beautiful!

[FRANCOIS]

There is a special knife for cracking parm wheels.  I'm sure there is a video if it on Youtube, but if works like a splitting maul.

[Alex]

I suppose this is the knife FRANCOIS is talking about