Air drying @ room temp. Is it necessary for Farm House Cheddar?

[bmckee561]

I just made up my first 3 gallon batch of Farm House Cheddar using VAT pasturized, non-homogenized milk.  Everything went well and I followed the directions completely.  I placed the cheese wheel into my cheese cave to air dry instead of leaving it in the room temperature air environment.  My cave maintains 55 degrees and the RH is around 50% right now.  I have flipped the cheese twice daily for 2 days now and a nice yellow tint or color is developing on the wheel.  It is almost dry to the touch, but the very middle of the top and bottom still feels a tiny bit moist.

Is drying for a day or two at room temperature very important and did I screw up by going directly to the cheese cave?

I plan on vacuum sealing the wheel and sampling at Christmas time when my son comes home for the Holiday.  The recipe says it can be consumed after the yellow rind has developed and can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, or sealed and aged for up to 3 months.  I know many here say to age Cheddar for long periods of time (several months or more), but this is a Farm House Cheddar and I thought they were intended to be consumed early.  Is that a correct assumption?

Salute!   

[msandlie]

I was trying to do the same thing.
I used the leeners little white book that comes with their cheese making kit.  I did the same thing you did, i pressed at exactly 15 pounds like the book did.. i waxed it where it was slightly damp on the top and bottom like yours but i'm finding that it's now producing an odd smelling gas.  the cheese during aging was leeking a little due to lack of pressing enough, my first one did the same but didn't create gas and tasted awsome after aging for 3 months.. 
That being said, if i were you, I would try placing it in a drier environment for 1 day and flip it a few times just to get it a bit more dry on the top and bottom.  it's better than not being able to have anything to cut open during Christmas like me as i don't think i'm going to take the wax off, give it a bath and rewax it for aging..  I just don't want to risk it.

I just made up my first 3 gallon batch of Farm House Cheddar using VAT pasturized, non-homogenized milk.  Everything went well and I followed the directions completely.  I placed the cheese wheel into my cheese cave to air dry instead of leaving it in the room temperature air environment.  My cave maintains 55 degrees and the RH is around 50% right now.  I have flipped the cheese twice daily for 2 days now and a nice yellow tint or color is developing on the wheel.  It is almost dry to the touch, but the very middle of the top and bottom still feels a tiny bit moist.

Is drying for a day or two at room temperature very important and did I screw up by going directly to the cheese cave?

I plan on vacuum sealing the wheel and sampling at Christmas time when my son comes home for the Holiday.  The recipe says it can be consumed after the yellow rind has developed and can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, or sealed and aged for up to 3 months.  I know many here say to age Cheddar for long periods of time (several months or more), but this is a Farm House Cheddar and I thought they were intended to be consumed early.  Is that a correct assumption?

Salute!   

[Sailor Con Queso]

Yes, you need to air dry at room temp for a couple of days to get the surface moisture under control. Cheese needs to dry at LEAST a couple of weeks before vac bagging (or waxing). So, if you are going to open it for Christmas anyway, why vac bag? Just rub it down with a little olive oil and watch it. If it starts getting molds just rub them off with a little brine & vinegar.

[susanky]

Just so I have this.. so air dry for a few days (which is a mystery to me in and of itself.  I'm surprised how cold people's homes are.  70-75 for me, higher in summer).  But even then you need high humidity.  Then move to cheese cave (at 50-55 degrees with 85% humidity) for a couple of weeks, then vacuum seal and back into cave.  Or, now I've read, move to warm area of fridge 40-45.  Am I getting close?
Susan

[zenith1]

Well kinda sorta Susan. Without trying to state the obvious there is a difference between drying and aging. You need to let the wheel dry at room temperature for enough time to firm up the rind and help get rid of some of the excess moisture still in the curd. This could be a day to a week depending on the ambient temperature and humidity in the area that you are using to dry the cheese. Then you can move it to your cave, and here you correct at 50-55 degrees and ~85% humidity to begin the aging process. Here everything starts to stabilize in the wheel as the normal processes slow down. After whatever amount of time you choose you could then vacuum bag the wheel, rub with evoo, or bandage. Again all your choice and each one will impact the flavor and texture of the final cheese as will the amount of time that you have waited until proceeding to this step. As far as using the "warm area" of your fridge that's not really a good option. In most cases modern refrigerators are too cold, usually high 30"s. If you had an area in your refrigerator that was in the mid to high 40's you could use it. Just be aware that the aging of the cheese Will be much longer.

[susanky]

After whatever amount of time you choose you could then vacuum bag the wheel, rub with evoo, or bandage. Again all your choice and each one will impact the flavor and texture of the final cheese as will the amount of time that you have waited until proceeding to this step.

It is all of these 'choices' that I have trouble with.  I guess at this point I don't know how it will impact the end result so just guessing.  Also not sure when it is done drying. My most recent cheddar I vacuum sealed after air drying for 4-5 days.  Too soon?  Should it have been aged for a bit in the cave first?  Can I unseal it (has been sealed about a week), age for awhile, then reseal?
Susan

[Sailor Con Queso]

Yes Susan. Bagging after a week is too soon. At that point, the cheese still has a lot of internal moisture. The starter bacteria are still very active and IMHO need good oxygen exchange. You have trapped this in and the cheese can sour. I would unbag it ASAP. Try to go natural rind for at least a month before bagging. 6-8 weeks is better.

[bmckee561]

Yes Susan. Bagging after a week is too soon. At that point, the cheese still has a lot of internal moisture. The starter bacteria are still very active and IMHO need good oxygen exchange. You have trapped this in and the cheese can sour. I would unbag it ASAP. Try to go natural rind for at least a month before bagging. 6-8 weeks is better.

Well it looks like I may have mucked up my Farm House Cheddar from what I am assuming here.  I allowed the wheel to dry to the touch on all portions of the rind inside of my cave which is maintained at 55F.  I have a small fan which re-circulates air inside the cave and I believe this sppeded up the drying time to quickly in that the surface began to show signs of cracking and separation.  Being new to Cheese making at home, I then vacuum sealed it. 

From input above, I gather that I should now un-seal the wheel and allow it to age for a week or two inside the cave @ 55F.  So my mistake was air drying inside the cave @ 55F. with airflow around the cheese, instead of room temperature drying to develop the rind, then aging.......  Correct?

I noticed an aroma inside the cave that was similar to Kraft Mac&Cheese.  I had taken this as a good thing and was not concerned.  Should I be?

Should I continue to use the small fan to re-circulate the air in my cave?  I use it this way because I built a box that was butted up to a small refigerator and need the fan to move air across the evaporator and through the box to maintain consistant temperature throughout.

I also have a 2 pound wheel of Gouda inside the cave which is also vac-sealed and as with the Cheddar, I did not age for a few weeks prior to sealing  it.  Will un-sealing this cheese make a difference in the product quality after being sealed up for almost 3 weeks now?

Salute!   

[Sailor Con Queso]

Your cracking was because the humidity was/is too low. They MIGHT be OK, but personally I would unbag those cheeses and let them breathe for a while.

"Dry to the touch" or some books say "like a clammy handshake". IMHO this is not dry enough to wax or vac bag. They need to be bone dry, but not to the point of cracking. Otherwise you risk trapping whey and you end up with a sour cheese. Keep the humidity high and either brine wash or use olive oil as necessary.

[bmckee561]

Thanks again for the info. Sailor.

I will unbag the wheel this evening when I get home from work and allow them more time to dry.  I have added some humidity to the cave by placing a small container of distilled water with a wick in the bottom.  I am hoping that will be enough to get it up to the right level.

I am planning on purchasing a PID controller that monitors humidity and will control a small mist humidifier (filled with distilled water).  I will connect the output to my cave to maintain the desired level. 

I just read your Post on your humidity controlled cave, but as I am at work and limited in my ability to view .JPG's I could not see what it looked like.  I will check it out tonight.

Salute!