Author Topic: Seeking Blue tips and info  (Read 1855 times)

FarmerJd

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Seeking Blue tips and info
« on: March 06, 2010, 12:29:55 AM »
I am attempting my first blue this weekend. I want a creamier texture rather than crumbly. I have been perusing old threads and recipes in order to familiarize myself with the process. Any input on the following?


1. The size I cut my curd will affect the creamy/crumbly texture of my cheese. Are there other factors more responsible for texture than this?


2. Peter Dixon calls for blue mold liquid and yeast. I have Roquefort powder. Difference? How much per gallon? (Probably shooting for a 12-15 gallon batch which is small for me).


3. Any other advice or any threads I should read that might help or any recipes buried in here to compare?


Any help is appreciated. I would love to open this in the middle of May; we take a 2 week vacation and I always buy a big blue to eat. This year i would like to use this one but it may be too late.

linuxboy

  • Guest
Re: Seeking Blue tips and info
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2010, 01:15:38 AM »
1. It is size (target 1"+), flocculation (target 6x for creamy), fat content (target 40-60% final cream, meaning 6-8% in the milk), and actually, aging, that determines creaminess. Because during aging, all that acid is eaten up, and the texture changes and becomes creamy. The interesting this is that usually you do want to hang the curd for a while to acidify, like you do for stilton, because otherwise the texture is too dense. Peter's blue recipe unless done carefully is prone to a closed texture... that's why he uses leuconostoc as an adjuct to produce CO2.

2. The yeast is kluyveromyces, it's just a flavor adjunct like using geo with candidum for camembert. Adds some complexity. Don't worry about it, using raw milk adds much more flavor than KL. Blue is pretty strong stuff, perhaps 1/4 -1/3 tsp for a 15 gal batch is enough.

3. Read all of Sailor's threads on blues. Every one of his I've read I liked. I do things pretty much the same way. I like a stilton make style, so I mill curds and salt them after hanging, and also smooth the sides, fill voids in with reserved curd, and let the mold go crazy on the surface in aging boxes.

60 days is bare minimum, so you should still make it. But make this during this weekend, ASAP, because the longer it ages, the smoother it is. I had an overacidified curd blue (it hit 4.4 by the time I packed it) completely turn around after 4 months and was spreadable and delicious.

FarmerJd

  • Guest
Re: Seeking Blue tips and info
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2010, 01:46:33 AM »
Thanks Linuxboy. So I need to add 1/4 tsp roquefort powder, use normal m100 culture and cut my curd using a 6x multiplier and 1 inch curds. I will cream a couple of gallons and add the cream to raise the fat to 8%. Any ph targets you can give for the cooking and draining? I have been reading threads (especially Sailor's) but there are a lot of them and it can be kind of tedious to sift through the whole mass looking for the nuts and bolts. I will definitely be reading up tonite.

Alex

  • Guest
Re: Seeking Blue tips and info
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2010, 08:17:18 AM »
Linuxboy, do you pierce this type of "soft" blue too?

linuxboy

  • Guest
Re: Seeking Blue tips and info
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2010, 08:21:33 AM »
Yep, same as all blues. Need that oxygen after several weeks for the blue to keep developing. Biggest change is higher fat and higher floc/size, oh and don't overheat, and you get a more moist blue. Also the size is slightly different. It's not like a tall stilton, it's more even in height and diameter.

driekus

  • Guest
Re: Seeking Blue tips and info
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2010, 01:35:24 AM »
Has anyone written a book on making blues?
Or if that hasnt been done are there any good general cheese making books with a good blue cheese making section?