Stirred-Curd Cheddar - "Holes" after cracked.

[flip.tiffy]

Greetings!

So (as I'm sure many of us have experienced) I grew impatient for my first stirred-curd cheddar and decided to crack it open after half a month of aging in wax. What a pleasant taste and smell! But something I noticed after slicing a quarter of the wheel was inside the cheese there were holes (see attached for example).

Can anyone clarify why this formed, and if there are any negative effects while I re-wax and age to 3-6 more months?

[wharris]

Those do not appear to be occlusions such as those seen in Swiss.
Those voids appear to be mechanical in nature, and due to the open nature of your curd. This will occur for many reasons.  This may be due to your curd temperature curing pressing, or your pH, or pressing protocol.  Its tough to say at this point.  I will add that all of mine have those same holes. Look here.

Those are natural and not at all uncommon.

Sailor seems to have a promising pressing protocol that minimizes these holes, although I have not personally tried it yet. (I plan too.)

[flip.tiffy]

Thanks Wayne,

My initial thought was pressing procedures, as I've been following Ricki Carrol's methods of pressing. Reading this forum though lately I've found some find it unsatisfactory with her directions. Given the nature of the taste at such a young age of the cheese (like I said) I lean more towards the pressing methods defunct.

[kenjin]

I agree the cheddar looks fine. Those small holes look like quite natural, just where the curds haven't knitted. Maybe try a little more pressure if they concern you?

[MrsKK]

I've had the same issue with cheese, especially if the curd wasn't warm enough when I pressed it.  I've now gone to warming the curd in a kettle set into a sinkful of hot tap water for about a half an hour before loading up the mold for pressing.  Sailor initially presses in warm/hot whey, I believe.

Don't worry about being impatient to try the cheese.  When I don't make much cheese or when I am starting on a new variety, I will cut the cheese into quarters before vaccuum sealing it so that I can try it at different ages.  It's actually good to know how the ageing process develops flavor and texture in your cheese.