Sal's Gouda No 2

[SalMac]

Gouda no 1 looks good but I bypassed so many of the instructions (see earlier posts) for Gouda no 1 I'd like to try it again properly.

Stage 1 : Make Starter Acc Instructions

1. Raised 200 ml full fat milk to 90 deg
2. Allowed temp to drop to 22 deg asap
3. Added previously opened dried starter culture from freezer, stir
4. Fill thermos with boiling water to bring it up to temp
5. Empty water and fill with starter
6. Leave for 20-24 hours


Picture below includes horrible instructions,thermos with starter incubating and gouda press on the right.
Using the Gouda starter on sale from Ascott Uk

Immediate problems :

1. Dutch companies instructions for starter very badly written. Even my husband who had to read the german translation instead (he is german) and who has fluent english admitted the english translation was appalling.

2. Mother rang in the middle of the process with a crisis and it took a while longer to get the starter into the thermos....:-)

Estd actual temp was 19-20 deg when it went in the flask...

So far so good with the good intentions :-)

[Cheese Head]

Looks good so far Sal, even with tough instructions, there are some Gouda recipes posted here but sounds like yours as Dutch sounds more authentic. I've made the recipes posted here and while it makes nce cheese, frankly it is not very Gouda like as too crumbly. Keep letting us know your results! Nice Gouda mold and follower from Ascott's .

[Tea]

I like the cheese mold the have there.  Hopefully things work our this time for you.

[SalMac]

Ok This is based on a recipe by Katie Thear

1. pasteurised milk at 66 deg for 30 mins
2. dropped to 32 deg and added starter
3. waited 20 mins added rennet
3. left for an hour and a half.

Again not a great set but better. Starter looked fine. remembered to dilute rennet this time.

[SalMac]

Next stage

1. heated to 38 deg stirring all the time
2. continue to stir for another 30 mins replacing 2.5 litres whey with fresh water at same temp of 38 deg 3 times
3. Drain whey
4. press for 20 mins with 20 lbs
5. flip and press with 30 lbs for 20 mins

This is the whey. I posted this as a result of reading a discussion about colour. It is greenish, but not as green as the pic.

[SalMac]

Now the pressing

1. finally increase pressure to 40 lbs for 3 hours
2. put in a 20% brine solution for 3 hrs

Finish.

Please see very heath robinson press below. Hubbies going to make me something better tomorrow.

[SalMac]

Interestingly from the same amount of milk, had a fair amount of curds more than the previous occasion as you can see in the drip pan. last time I got it all in the mould but this time a fair amount left over.

Also I have added a pic of the kitchen after I finished. Last time it looked like hell, now not so bad. It seems to be a lot about getting into a rhythm.

Anything I can do with the leftover whey?

[Tea]

Make ricotta, dead easy, and great to use in a lasanga.

[SalMac]

Ooo Tea how and do I need to get it in the fridge now??

[SalMac]

Pic of heath robinson press with 40lbs of pressure on, tying the bottles together really does give it more stability.

[SalMac]

OK tea no probs I think I ve got a plan for the whey. It is indeed fine to let it sit for 12-24 hrs whilst making ricotta.

Now where this gets really cool is, I need a decent ricotta to make Austrian Kasnudel which are unspeakably good.

A large pasta ravioli with a potato / ricotta filling, black peppermint and chervil as the herb mix and pure butter (unsalted) poured over.

Simple and fantastic

[Tea]

I have never let the whey sit for any length of time, so I can't help you there, although if it is going to be kept in the fridge you might get away with it.
I usually make it while I have everything going making cheese.
In the recipe exchange section on page three, Cheese Head has a recipe for ricotta.  It says to keep it at a temp for 1 hour.  Personally I have never done that, so I don't think that is imperitive.  I add 1 cup of wholemilk to what ever whey is left over, usually from a 10lt batch of cheese, and add the vinegar until it starts to lump.
Would love for you to post your recipe in the recipe section it sounds great.  I have a pumpkin ricotta recipe that I was thinking I might add.
HTH

[SalMac]

Ricotta was a complete failure. Got 1 tbsp from 5l of whey, so I'm going to try another recipe!

Making feta today so might try again later.

[SalMac]

Gouda no 2....

Did everything according to the instructions this time. The major diff is the level of rubberiness. This one is not so dense but squdgy. It feels like a rubber ball!

[Tea]

Well it certainly look great.  What size is that mold, and what is the final weight of the cheese.  Sorry, just trying to envision it.  Sorry about the ricotta too.  Keep trying.