Author Topic: Chaource Making Discussion & Aging Boards vs Hay  (Read 3212 times)

Mondequay

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Chaource Making Discussion & Aging Boards vs Hay
« on: November 13, 2010, 12:50:06 AM »
I made Chaource on Sunday and let them drain until Wednesday morning. As I sit here Friday evening I realize that I never salted/brined those little darlings!  :-[ They are in a ripening box and already showing some mold growth. What should I do about the salt? Is it too late?

mtncheesemaker

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Re: Chaource Making Discussion & Aging Boards vs Hay
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2010, 02:09:49 AM »
Good question; sorry I don't know the answer but would be interested to hear what others say.

iratherfly

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Re: Chaource Making Discussion & Aging Boards vs Hay
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2010, 05:59:41 AM »
I doubt they are firm enough to brine, but if they are; you can brine them if that's what you would usually do.

Otherwise, you can sprinkle salt on them (about 2% of their weight in salt weight). Then, use sanitized water in an atomizer bottle to give them a nice moist coat (not more than what you would spritz on leaves of a plant with the same kind of bottle). Wait half a day or so, turn and moist the other side. You would essentially create brine and osmosis this way. Your mold may appear later than usual and your cheese may smell like feta or sour milk for a few days before it begins taking on the aroma you are waiting for;  don't let this deter you - your cheese would be OK.  Perhaps even feel more mature when it is fully bloomed and ready to eat.

I make large size Chaource style cheese (5.5") and I only dry salt them on their 3rd or 4th day. No worries.

What kind of Chaource is this? I have seen quite a few versions around here.

Mondequay

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Re: Chaource Making Discussion & Aging Boards vs Hay
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2010, 12:37:32 PM »
Actually, iratherfly, it's your recipe that I found on the forum a while back! I've been making a 1 gal batch every 2 weeks or so to share with friends and have been very happy with the recipe. The last batch I brined instead of salting and it worked quite well. Thanks for the guidance; I'm running for my salt shaker!  :)

iratherfly

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Re: Chaource Making Discussion & Aging Boards vs Hay
« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2010, 04:54:03 PM »
That's funny!

Use Kosher salt. It dissolves faster than the stuff in your salt shaker and turns to brine. Also doesn't have iodine added to it which can kill some of the bacteria.

Is this the recipe with cow's milk? The one that feels like triple cream or almost like cheesecake texture when you bite into it?

Mondequay

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Re: Chaource Making Discussion & Aging Boards vs Hay
« Reply #5 on: November 13, 2010, 08:20:23 PM »
It's your Crottin recipe that I make with cow's milk while the goats are on vacation!

- Milk: heat to 76F-78F
- Rennet: Reduce to 1/16th teaspoon and add immediately (no ripening!!!) with the MM100. 2% buttermilk = 2.56oz
- If you want to surface ripen it as a Crottin, Saint Maure, Valençay, Cabecou Etc. you can add to the rennet and MM100 also:
  - 1/8 teaspoon Geo (I suggest Danisco Geo 15)
  - 1/8 teaspoon PC (I suggest Danisco PC-VS)
  - Optional: To give it the traditional grassy funky aroma and better color, add 1/8 teaspoon  Danisco PLA. It does contain Geo so you may want to adjust your Geo down a bit
- Ripening/Setting: Close lid, don't disturb (no pH or Temperature checks, no moving the pot, no checking for break) for 12 hours.

I think this is Chaource.

I use sea salt which has no iodine. Do you think that kosher is better? The kosher I have is very coarse and I wonder if I would get even coverage.

Here is a pic of the last one I made at 2 weeks. At three weeks it was ripe all the way through!

iratherfly

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Re: Chaource Making Discussion & Aging Boards vs Hay
« Reply #6 on: November 14, 2010, 12:22:59 AM »
STUNNING!
I love it! From the recipe adaptation and the looks of it, I can only assume it is quite creamy and delicious.

I make a giant version with whole non-homogenized milk, Geo 13, yeast and a rind of mycodore, (no PC). I age it on wood for 30 days min (because of its size).  It taste like fresh cut grass and mushroom. The texture is creamy but light, almost like a fluffy cheesecake!

As for Kosher salt - one of my favorite things about it is its ability to dissolve so fast quickly. The coarse flakes will melt within a day or less.  I also appreciate its sharp, clean saltiness and consistent strength.  Just one thing: when you buy kosher salt look at the label. Buy one that doesn't have anti-caking agents. Just pure salt.

Don't worry about getting even coverage, just sprinkle it from high above so that it comes down pretty evenly. Regardless, it doesn't matter if it's uneven; the osmosis turns it into a brine that begins to circulate and flow in and out of the cheese. The cheese will get salted evenly throughout.
« Last Edit: November 14, 2010, 12:35:17 AM by iratherfly »

Mondequay

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Re: Chaource Making Discussion & Aging Boards vs Hay
« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2010, 02:19:08 AM »
Fresh cut grass and mushroom? Now that is earthy! What do you use for yeast?

This cheese is VERY creamy and smooth. The flavor is delicate but full at 2 weeks and by week 3 it has a sharp bite of aftertaste.

iratherfly

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Re: Chaource Making Discussion & Aging Boards vs Hay
« Reply #8 on: November 14, 2010, 02:47:04 AM »
That crazy character is coming from the combination of mycodore and wood. I use Danisco KL71 for yeast. It helps the paste aroma and texture by releasing gases into it as it dies off. It changes the surface pH and helps the mold grow stronger. 1/8 tsp per gal is good ratio.

Offline WhiteSageFarms

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Re: Chaource Making Discussion & Aging Boards vs Hay
« Reply #9 on: November 14, 2010, 05:49:03 AM »
Mondequay

Your cheese is gorgeous! It looks totally professional, and it's a beautiful photo of it too.

Laurie
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Offline WhiteSageFarms

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Re: Chaource Making Discussion & Aging Boards vs Hay
« Reply #10 on: November 14, 2010, 05:50:14 AM »
Yoav,

What kind of wood are you aging yours on?

Laurie

That crazy character is coming from the combination of mycodore and wood. I use Danisco KL71 for yeast. It helps the paste aroma and texture by releasing gases into it as it dies off. It changes the surface pH and helps the mold grow stronger. 1/8 tsp per gal is good ratio.
White Sage Farms
www.whitesagefarms.com

iratherfly

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Re: Chaource Making Discussion & Aging Boards vs Hay
« Reply #11 on: November 14, 2010, 06:20:23 PM »
Tasted oak box. Like the inside of a wine barrel. Of course Laurie, you know me - I always have another cheese aging on Hay. I swear by it.