First "Hard" Cheese- Gouda

[Minamyna]

Hello All--

My little sister and I worked hard on some gouda today. We kept detailed notes (mainly because its good for her to practice describing what we are doing, writing in every detail and practicing following instructions). The recipe said we should have about a pound of cheese, we used a gallon of pasturized, non- homogenized milk. I don't think we have that much cheese.

I am using a recipe from a booklet included with my New England cheesemaking hard cheese kit. The recipe says I should take it out of the mold and let it air dry at 50 degrees, turning it every day. It seems to suggest I should wait 3 weeks and let to wax it and the cheese should dry until then. Does that sound right to you guys?

I guess I am a little concerned because I live in Wyoming where it is super dry already. I don't want it to dry too much and be rock hard.....
Thanks!!

[Sailor Con Queso]

Yes, you should wait. However, your humidity needs to be 85% or more to keep the rind from drying out. That can be accomplished by putting the cheese in a rippening box. Lots of detailed discussions, just search the forum.

[Minamyna]

Okay Thanks!

When I took it out of the cheesecloth it was kind of crusty on the outside already . I put it our basement ( around ~60 f)in a foil covered tupperware box until I can find a better solution. Would it be better to refrigerate it or leave it in the basement until I can coem up with a better rig? If it seem really dry should I try to add moisture to the tupperware?

[Minamyna]

SO I washed it yesterday with some apple cider vinegar and scrubbed it a little with a cloth.... there were  little of blackish greenish mold spots so I washed them off. I flipped the cheese again, noticed a small slightly gummy whitish spot, but I think that's from too much moisture so I left the lid a little more off.

I have to say the cheese has a kind of buttery smell. I hope that's the right smell. It's been a week, so I guess i will continue for a couple more weeks?

[Minamyna]

I think this gouda doesn't know it's not a moldy cheese. If I dont wash it every day I get black and pink mold spots, I worry I am wrecking the rind.

I am washing it in apple cider vinegar and water, and thenI have tried before white vinegar diluted and a salt solution. The mold keeps coming back! I have it stored in my 60 degree basement in a tupperware with aluminum foil over it and I change the tupperware and aluminum foil when I wash it.... It has another week at least drying.... sigh, am I going to have to toss this cheese too?

[DeejayDebi]

60ish is a bit warm and will grow old well. Can you seal it somehow? Wax, vac pack etc? Boxes are great but they tend t hold in to much humidity and grow mold like crazy if you don't open a corner or something. I'be been using drink pictures lately and the cap seems to let in just enough air to slow down the mold some. I found some square ones  2/$5 that work great for a few small 1 lb cheese and camemberts.