Minnesota Blue Cheese

[rosawoodsii]

Would someone please help me to make sense of this recipe from http://www.dairyfoodsconsulting.com/recipes_Minnesota_Blue.shtml?  I'm having the darndest time figuring out how much culture, what timing, etc.   Having tasted this cheese, I really want to make this recipe, rather than one of the others I've found online.  It's absolutely the best blue cheese I've ever had.

[linuxboy]

how much culture

4-6 DCU MM100 and .5-1 DCU LM per 12 gallons of milk. Divide proportionally for your milk amounts.

what timing

The times are right there. Not sure what you're asking. Can you help us understand your exact difficulty? That make is pretty classic blue cheese.

[rosawoodsii]

how much culture

4-6 DCU MM100 and .5-1 DCU LM per 12 gallons of milk. Divide proportionally for your milk amounts.

what timing

The times are right there. Not sure what you're asking. Can you help us understand your exact difficulty? That make is pretty classic blue cheese.

I"m going to be using 3-4 gallons of milk, not 12.  What is "4-6 U" in tsp?

It says "Check flocculation and multiply this time by 4 to get the time from adding rennet to cutting the curd, e.g. 20 min. x 4 = 80 min."  What is flocculation and how do I check it?

I've been making cheeses for 3-4 years, but this recipe has me baffled--as do most of those on Peter Dixon's website.

[linuxboy]

I"m going to be using 3-4 gallons of milk, not 12.  What is "4-6 U" in tsp?

A DCU is a danisco culturing unit (as opposed to a "unit", like CHR Hansen uses... they're different), it's a specific number of bacteria so that you can use it consistently for a set volume of milk. The proper way to use DCU measurements in small batches it to check the weight of your bulk DVI culture pack, and divide by the DCU quantity that the pack is supposed to have to get the grams per DCU, then measure the grams for the fractional DCU amount you need. If you have no way of doing that, then for 3-4 gallons, you need about 1/2 tsp of MM culture and a pinch/dash (1/64 -1/32 tsp) of LM culture.

Flocculation is a method of checking for the time it takes to complete the first phase of enzymatic coagulation of milk. Please read my posts here:
http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,1880.msg12114.html#msg12114

and irather's post here
http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,4641.msg35950.html#msg35950

And also search the forum for more info.

Hope that helps!

I'm still not exactly sure what's baffling, but I'm happy to help if you keep posting exact questions

[rosawoodsii]

Flocculation is a method of checking for the time it takes to complete the first phase of enzymatic coagulation of milk. Please read my posts here:
http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,1880.msg12114.html#msg12114

and irather's post here
http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,4641.msg35950.html#msg35950

And also search the forum for more info.

Hope that helps!

I'm still not exactly sure what's baffling, but I'm happy to help if you keep posting exact questions

Thank you!  This is very helpful.  When I read the recipe, I thought it was saying that I needed to add the rennet after flocculation--which was totally confusing.  And I had always looked for a clean break, so this is a totally new concept for me.

One thing's for sure--next time the Maine Cheese Guild has a Peter Dixon workshop, I'll be there.   

[rosawoodsii]

Another question:  What is %TA?  %RA?  Acidity marker of some sort?

[Tomer1]

TA = titratable acidicity ,A measurment to determine amount of (lactic) acid in liquid.
As you said, its there to aid with consistancy and reaching make markers in our case.
I like using it since I grew custum to it from winemaking,
Its very simple to do and requires a few basic tools and chemicals ,you can get an acid test kit for under 20$ which will last you a long time.

RH (not RA) is just releative humidity.


This cheese looks great ,
Any usable replacement cultures by dalton?
Theres something called GL culture advisable for blue cheeses,chedder.
No idea whos the manufacturer.

[rosawoodsii]

The Danisco cultures are available from Glengarry Cheese.  I'm trying this recipe today, but I don't have the LM 057 or the yeast, so it won't be the same.  I'm not familiar with Dalton cultures.  Who sells them?  I couldn't find them from Google.

You are right!  The RA should have been RH

Now, another question or two. The recipe says:

Settle curds under whey until whey has increased by 0.02-0.03 %TA.
Drain whey completely from curds. The more the curds are the drained the more open the cheese texture will be

  If I don't have any way to check the acidity of the whey, what do I go by?  And what does a "more open" cheese texture signify? If I want the texture creamier rather than drier, is that a more closed texture?

[linuxboy]

If I don't have any way to check the acidity of the whey, what do I go by?

That's a quality control marker. It corresponds a settle time of 10-15 mins. Use that.

And what does a "more open" cheese texture signify?

When you cut, there are more spaces between the curds, encouraging blue formation.

If I want the texture creamier rather than drier, is that a more closed texture?

Has nothing to do with open or closed. Creaminess is due to strain selection, affinage, milk, and make process.

[rosawoodsii]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!  This forum is a treasure!

[rosawoodsii]

A final? question.  IF I had the capability, how would I test the acidity level of the cheese itself.  Recipe says:

Next day or within the next 3 days the cheeses are turned 2 times per day until the cheese is pH 4.7-4.8. The draining room humidity and temp. F.must be maintained at greater than 80 %RH and 68-70

What happens if the humidity is not maintained during those 2 or 3 days, which is what I'll be going by, but with an eye to actually testing acidity in the future?

I've salted the cheese with 1.80 ounces of pickling salt, about 3.5% of the cheese weight as directed, but it doesn't really seem to want to take that much salt.

[linuxboy]

how would I test the acidity level of the cheese itself.

Either directly with a pH probe, or by taking a small sample of cheese, pureeing it with an emulsifier and distilled water, and measuring the pH of the puree.

What happens if the humidity is not maintained during those 2 or 3 days, which is what I'll be going by, but with an eye to actually testing acidity in the future?

Are you confusing humidity and acidity? Your sentence has both in one place, I'm not following. If humidity is too high in the first 2 days, you will get excess surface growth of yeast and other flora, even though there's salt on the surface. It will also not "seize up", meaning not firm up as well, which is pretty crucial. If too low, it may crack or cause moisture gradients in the cheese.

I've salted the cheese with 1.80 ounces of pickling salt, about 3.5% of the cheese weight as directed, but it doesn't really seem to want to take that much salt.

Correct, there will be a bunch of salt on the surface. It's fine, that's the point. You build up a salt gradient with something like 10% salt at the surface. The middle is not salty right away, which gives the blue a chance to grow and keeps the rind white and without blue. It's a classic approach, used for the traditional roquefort and other blues.

[rosawoodsii]

I thought perhaps a problem with humidity could cause a problem with the development of the acidity as well.  Sorry if I wasn't clear.  As I reread what I wrote, I can see why you wondered what I was asking.

The salt wants to fall off the sides and bottom.  Do I resalt when I turn it?

[Tomer1]

The humidity is a post make factor - drying,ripening and aging.
Acid is developed untill the point of salting (accually it slows down and then stops).
It can be developed in the vat or in the press.

With salted curd style its developed in the vat, a bit like cheddering.
With rind salting it developes in the vat and in the molds.

[rosawoodsii]

Now that you say that, I can see that I misread the recipe.  I should not have salted yet.  I looked at "Salting: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3" and thought that referred to Day 1 after initial make.  Is it too late for my cheese, or should I wash off the salt and let the acid develop for the next couple of days.  It's only been about 8 hours at this point.