goat milk cheddar

[chickenchaps]

I am new here.  I have been reading all over this forum and learning a LOT!  There is so much here, and hard to find exact answers to some questions I have.
I have Nigerian Dwarf goats, the past several years I have made Motzerella and Ricotta numerous times! 
I made a cheese press using the ideas found on this site, and now I am ready to make my first Cheddar. 
I have 4 gallons of milk.  I planned to use the recipe found on this site. 
From all the experienced folks here, is there any deviations from that written recipe that improves the result that I should know about?
I intend to wax too.

Some questions from reading posts, I dont know what it means. 
What is milled?  Knit?  Paint w pva? bandaging?

I appreciate any input. 

[linuxboy]

Welcome!

Which recipe do you mean? I think there are 3 or 4 between the forums and main site.

milled = cut up into 1/2" x 2-3" pieces. Commercially, through a mechanized curd cutter/mill, and at home with a knife or french fry cutter
Knit = curd adhesion to each other, which determines whether or not there are mechanical openings in the body
pva = commercial cheese coating that's like glue that also has mold killers. Used as a preservation method as an alternative to wax or substrate to wax.
bandaging = wrapping cheese in a cloth, typically after covering the cheese with lard.

[chickenchaps]

Thanks for the definitions! 

I didnt realize there was more than one recipe area, sorry.
This recipe.
http://www.cheeseforum.org/Recipes/Recipe_Cheddar.htm

Or is there a better recipe to follow? 

[chickenchaps]

My cheddar was a complete an udder failure.   
Started off, it took forever to get a clean break! 
I thought only 1 junket tablet would be too small amount, for 4 gallons of milk.  In comparision my motzerella recipe that works fantastic uses 1 junket for 1 gallon of milk.  But I followed the instructions as written in the cheddar recipe (posted above).

I was supposed to be able to cut the curd in 45 mintues.  It was mush, no curd and finally I was able to cut it after 4 hours!
It appeared to be alright, just took a long time.  It was shiny, squeeky, ok flavor.
http://chickenchaps.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album24&id=000_2843

Put in the sink and brought temp up to 100 over a 45 minute period.  Kept it there for 45 minutes.
Drained it as instructed, for one hour. 
http://chickenchaps.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album24&id=000_2845
http://chickenchaps.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album24&id=000_2847

Salted, and into the press.
http://chickenchaps.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album24&id=000_2848
10 pounds for 20 minutes,  flip, rewrap
20 pounds for 20 minutes, flip, rewrap
50 pounds for 15 hours.

Two disasters while pressing.  My press design is flawed, its too wobbly.  At 10 pound pressing, the press fell over,  the weights dented my sink in two places.  dang! 
At 12:30 am, with 50 pounds, the press fell over again, giving me a heart attack in the middle of the night.  This time the weights fell on the floor broke the linoleum, dented all to heck.  DANG!
Set the press on the floor, wedged it between cabinets to hold it upright.  Fine.

After the 15 hours and half destroyed home, unwrap, and the cloth is stuck, BAD.  It totally tore the cheese all apart.  The curd is somewhat moist, but very spongy, squeeky, it didnt knit at all. 
http://chickenchaps.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album24&id=000_2851

So, is this whole mess just chicken food now?  or can I continue to dry it and wax it?  It has a pretty good size crack through the middle, along with all the curd like outer structure.  I had to use a spoon and literally scrape the cheese off the cloth, it wasnt just stuck, it had become one with the cloth. 

I am so totally disappointed.  Not only to lose 4 gallons of milk, but all the damage it caused.  Really dispondent.

PLEASE if anyone can tell me what went wrong??  How can I correct it, IF I ever attempt to do this again.  I already know to trash this press and make it much more rigid. 

more, leaving it out to try and dry it, turned it on its side, went back, and its just crumbling, falling apart.  I guess its chicken food.  What a total waste and disappointment.  sorry... I am usually very optimistic and upbeat, but this kills me... 

[Minamyna]

What a bummer! I wish I had some answers for you. I just tried making cheddar my first time too though with store bought cows milk. I used tiny molds and I think my cheese dried out too much. It seems like you had a lot of pressure... though you did have a big cheese.

I would imagine if you were having problems with curd formation to learn about flocculation time, it's a method for determining how fast your rennet is working and how long you should have to leave it before setting up the milk. Are sure your thermometer is accurate?

I would go over the cheddar cheese board, and look to see what are common solutions to the problems you were having. How old was your milk?

[chickenchaps]

Thank you for your reply. 
I have been reading alot about the floculation and curd stuff...  its all very facinating.! 
I think I need more rennet to begin with, to get floculation sooner.  That was just way too long. 
I wonder if the outer part of the cheese was too dry, and thats why it stuck to the cloth.  But the inner part was wet.  It didnt compress much at all, with 50 pounds on it.  And when I took the weight off, it was kinda spongy like. 

I do think my thermometer is ok, since my motzerella always comes out perfect, and ricotta.
The milk was fresh, 3 gallons were frozen, one was brand new milked out by me.  Ive never had a problem with frozen milk either, unless cheddar recipes dont work with frozen milk.  ?

[DeejayDebi]

I didn't see any information on you cheddaring process so I am guessing this is a stirred curd cheddar? Ahh I see by the link it is.

If you have had sucess with ths milk fresh and frozen with mozzarella we can eliminate the milk. I have never used frozen milk so that I can't help with that.

The curds look very soft for a cheddar. The recipe you used says 1 to 2 hours for a VERY FIRM curd set. If your took 4 hours that is a good long time but waiting is a necessary evil. It looks like the curds were not cooked long enough or the temperature was raised to quickly as the curds did not shrink a all. Raising the temperature to fast will harden the outside sealing in the whey so it can't be expelled. There are two 45 monute period in ths recipe as I read it. 45 minutes to slowly raise the temperature and then 45 minutes to cook the curds. Did you do that? The curds do not look cooked enough to me. Also curds should be around 83 degress when pressed - were they cold?

As for the press I wouldn't think the PVC pipe would be strong enough to support thw weights. Wooden dowels should be stronger.

You can eat the curds fresh s it doesn't have to be a total waste.

[Minamyna]

And regardless your rennet wasn't working right, whether it was not enough, not in distilled water, not in cool enough water, not spread evenly, or not good anymore I don't know. I have heard junket lasts a long time. If your frozen milk was store bought, maybe you need CaCl2 (calcium chloride?)

[chickenchaps]

I believe the junket was ok... I think just didnt use enough.  I followed the recipe even though I thought it was too little of amount....  I mistaken wrote 1 junket for 1 gallon.  I use 1 junket tablet for 2 gallons, in my motzerella.  It works perfect, I love my motz!  My milk is fresh, from my own goats, I milked myself.

I thought the same thing, the curd was very soft, delicate.  But it did cut.  It was squeeky, spongy.  But mushy, just press tongue against roof of mouth disentigrated it.  So, ok, thats bad.  (WHY???!!!)

Its interesting to note too, when I made some cottage cheese, It too was a failure.  It ended up being too delicate of a curd and while trying to bring it to 100 degrees in the sink with hot water, stirring (gently) to prevent matting (which it did not do), the curd fell apart in the whey.  I ended up with a almost cream cheese consistensy - and used it as such.  lol  ?? 

Really, I did follow the recipe to the letter!  I  did do the two 45 minute parts!  I really did...  I did bring it to the temperature specified.  I really really did!  The curds were still around 85 when I put into press.  It was easy to keep the curd at 85 because I keep my house at 82.  I brought curd to 85, it got to 86.7 I think was top temp. For 45 minutes, checked it a number of times and it remained in that range. 

Retrospect... two things are glaring at me.  One is - I should use more junket.  Not sure why I need to if others dont need to do so, but with my experience with Mozterella, I assume I should increase the junket.  Agree??  Please let me know thoughts.

The other is given two failures with cheese using mezophillic culture... How important is that in the cottage cheese recipe and also this cheddar recipe?  (both from the home page recipes)
I had store bought cultured buttermilk, I left on the counter (82 degree ambient temp) for 7 hours.  Then froze in cubes.  I used the required amount in both recipes.  Both recipes failed.  ?  Is this significant?  Please any advice is greatly appreciated.  I do want to try again.

I know I will definately improve my press.  That was my fault, dumb!!! 

Thanks for the replies and help!  Thoughts?

[DeejayDebi]

Have you calibrated your thermometer? The curds looked like they cut clean (soft but clean) I see nice flat edges but they look like they did not cook.

[chickenchaps]

I have not calibrated my thermometer, but it seems like it is accurate.  I WILL get a new one and use two to compare.  I will try anything to be successful!    Thanks.

[TayloredCheese]

My first post, but thought I might chime in on this one.  Perhaps there is a problem with the recipe because it assumes cows milk?  I was under the impression that goats milk is harder to get a firm curd with.  Just my two cents, perhaps someone can confirm or deny that.  Could be why you had the same problem with the cottage cheese.  If so, I bet the changes your are going to try will help.

Oh and a fabulous forum you all have here. I have been reading it and it has helped my cheese making considerably!

[ARTskyd]

hey, first post here too. i've been making cheese with goat's milk for several years. in my experience it sets a bit softer. this could also depend on your goats diet and the amount of solids in the milk.
i do agree that cheddar should have a bit more rennet than mozz. what i would suggest is give your curd a bit more time too heal. the recipe says 15 mins, if the curds haven't settled to the bottom too much try giving it another 5mins. but remember the milk type can change the set.
- something else you could try i bump everything up 2 degrees in temp- i start mine at 94F.

hope this helps. please don't give up after only one try.

Jason