Fromage Blanc Prepared Starter - Excess, Other Uses?

[OudeKaas]

Hi folks -

New to the board here, with a newbie-ish question. I have a bunch of packets of Fromage Blanc starter (C20 Direct Set), which I understand from the label contains both a lactic starter culture and also some rennet. I think this is probably a familiar product to folks here.

I was lucky enough to get some raw milk recently, and am interested in making my first hard cheese. However, I have no mesophilic starter to hand. I'm going to get some buttermilk today to have that option available, but more specifically - what kind of result would I get from the FB starter for this? I also have vegetable rennet tablets, so I was thinking about adding the FB starter, waiting about 45 min or so, then adding rennet.

I am interested in knowing what else can be done with the FB starter, but given my limited options right now, I guess my more specific question is - buttermilk starter, FB starter or other option for starting a hard cheese right now?

[OudeKaas]

Well, I do now have some buttermilk that's been sitting at room temp overnight, so that's definitely an option. More info on the FB starter, ingredients are listed as:

CULTURE INCLUDES: s.lactis, s.creamoris, l. biovar diacetylactis, vegetable rennet and malto dextrin

I think I'm going to make a call on this this evening one way or another . . .

[KosherBaker]

Don't forget to fill us in on the outcome.

[mtncheesemaker]

I don't think the starters are a problem, but I'm wondering if there is enough rennet in the packet for a hard cheese?

[OudeKaas]

I don't think the starters are a problem, but I'm wondering if there is enough rennet in the packet for a hard cheese?

I have some vegetable rennet tablets, although they have been sitting at room temp for a year or so. I'm going to use 2 gallons of raw milk, so I believe the recipe would call for 1/2 tablet total. Problem as I see it is that if I use the Fromage Blanc culture packages with this, I'm adding some unspecified amount of additional rennet?

[mtncheesemaker]

I would imagine the amount of rennet in the pack for FB is pretty small. Maybe you could call the place where you got the starter and ask how much rennet is in there? And ask them about using the cultures for the hard cheese.

[OudeKaas]

Well, I am sad to report that this did not work out so well.

I raised the 2 gallons of raw milk I had to 86 degrees and added 2 packets of FB starter plus 8 oz of cultured buttermilk that I had let sit out a full day. After 45 min I added 1/2 tablet vegetable rennet and stirred.

45 minutes later, only moderate thickening. 2 hours later, a cottage-cheesy semi-curd had emerged, but I did not feel good about it. I left it overnight and in the AM the status was not significantly changed. I just did not think the curd was firm or dense enough to try to press it, and since it was raw milk I thought it best not to try to make a fresh cheese.

So, chalk one up to experience I suppose. If I had to guess, I would think probably the rennet was too old and not in good condition. Guess I'll have to get some proper fresh supplies before trying again.

[mtncheesemaker]

Sorry for the failure. It's best to have fresh good supplies on hand, then at least you know they aren't the problem.