Author Topic: For your Enjoyment - My first Colbey  (Read 4951 times)

Jessica_H

  • Guest
For your Enjoyment - My first Colbey
« on: January 03, 2011, 07:53:22 PM »
I wrote this all up for my own notes and then thought someone might benifit or at a least get a laugh from what I've done.  So here's my process:  The directions are in BOLD

Recipe followed - Ricki’s Basic Cheese Making Kit Recipe page 14
Rennet and Mesophilic culture - from Basic Cheese Making Kit
Milk - From John S’s farm (raw cow's milk).  Acquired less than 24 hours before making the cheese

* Warm milk to 86 degrees and add culture.  Sit for 1 hour
* Add rennet, stir for 1 minute, top stir for 1 minute
* Let curds form for 30 minutes until clean break


I set out to make this cheese because it’s a washed curd cheese and I had SO much luck with the Gouda.  I also wanted to do something fun and different by adding a Malbec as my curd washing liquid hoping that the dark wine would add a marbled effect to the cheese.

I followed the directions to a T and was impressed that I held the cheese at EXACTLY 86 degrees for the 1 hour of ripening time.  I stirred in the rennet with no trouble and the milk was still right around 86...maybe 85 degrees.

Checking the cheese at 30 minutes show that there was NOT a clean break!  This is the first time I haven’t gotten a clean break when I should...after 45 minutes the consistency hasn’t changed.  There’s a skin or film on top that I haven’t seen before.  I let the curd sit a full hour and didn’t think the consistency changed so I cut the curd.  As I stirred I was pleased to see that perhaps the curd below was better consistency?


(My "clean break" before I cut the curd)


(The curds right after cutting)

* Raise the temperature 2 degrees every 5 minutes until you reach 102

In stirring the curd and raising the temp I see little white flecks in the whey that haven’t been there before but otherwise the color of the whey looks ok.  I think the curd is just soft so I’m trying not to stir too much.

I did a great job of raising the temp only 2 degrees every 5 minutes.  At the end I was surprised how much less curd volume I had with this cheese than I had with the Gouda.  The Gouda curd filled the pot about ¾ of the way where as this curd condensed to about ⅓ of the way up the pot.  I feel like the temperature has to play a roll in this?  Though I am using a different milk as well.  However, I feel like the milk for the Colby should be superior to the milk I used for the Gouda.


(After about 10 minutes)


(After about 45 minutes)


(White flecks in the whey)

* Add tap water at 60 degrees to lower temp to 80 degrees

At this point the recipe tells you to add tap water to cool the curd to 80 degrees from your starting temp of 102.  I decided here to add a Malbec wine to cool the curd for both color and flavor and because I like to experiment.  Everything I think turned out great.  My only slight concern was that after I let the curds sit in the wine for 15 minutes there was a slight “miso-soup” look in the liquid.  I stirred it and the wine-colored whey became cloudy but I just poured it off and the curds seem fine.


(After I pulled off the whey)


(Starting to add the Malbec)


(The "miso-soup" look after sitting 15 min)


(After stirring)


(The curds draining)

One thing of note...I did save this whey and I FINALLY (after 2 failed tries) made ricotta.  I did add 16 oz  of raw milk to the whey.  I now wish I hadn’t done that because I changed both the milk and the way of making the ricotta.  But I’m wondering if this isn’t a more quality milk and thus made more quality ricotta?

I'll add more to this as the pressing progresses.  It's pressing nicely though and is SO pretty :)





zenith1

  • Guest
Re: For your Enjoyment - My first Colbey
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2011, 08:47:25 PM »
Hi Jessica-thanks for posting the details of your latest journey into cheese making. The curds look very nicely formed. I see from your note that you top stirred an extra amount of time, were you using fresh milk? Stirring in the rennet for an extended time can lead to problems. You want to totally mix the rennet in but it should probably take you less than a minute to do so. The curd volume is a function of the type of milk(2% vs whole) and also temperature of the make. A higher scalding temperature will shrink the curd more as the synerisis(the expulsion of whey from the curd) moves forward.

Jessica_H

  • Guest
Re: For your Enjoyment - My first Colbey
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2011, 09:05:09 PM »
Quote
I see from your note that you top stirred an extra amount of time, were you using fresh milk?

I am using very fresh raw milk. I have really struggled with how long to stir the rennet. Reading here I understand you just need to fully mix it. However EVERY recipe I've seen online or in a book calls for 2-5 minutes. I guss though if cheeses are working out here the shorter the better :)

I've also struggled with my knowledge of HOW the curd should look. This is my 3rd cheese and I feel like my break is less clean each time! My first cheese was a Goouda. I think the temp was 92 when the rennet was added. I used the same culture and rennet and raw milk (though from a different source). The break was so satisfyingly clean! It was perfect. And there was a ton of curd. I struggled to push the curd down enough to ladle out the whey.

Since then my clean real has gotten less and less satisfying. Though perhaps it was that first batch that was the outlier and my oter two were the norm. I blamed my squishy break on my last cheese on the different culture and because I added goats milk.

Ah well, I want to do a jalepeno Gouda and another Parmesan next so I'll get more practice :)

mtncheesemaker

  • Guest
Re: For your Enjoyment - My first Colbey
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2011, 11:34:30 PM »
Hi Jessica;
Don't know where you are but winter milk (because of feed) can be different from summer milk; also the stage of the lactation cycle of the animal changes the % of solids in the milk. I am getting milk right now from 3 different suppliers (all local raw Jersey milk) and the milk is  different from each source. Making a note of your yield will give good info, too.
I usually use a little 30% CaCl2 in my winter cheese making (equal to the amount of rennet used) to help with yield/clean break.
I strongly recommend using the floc method for timing your curd cutting. It made a big difference in my cheeses. There are some good discussions that you can find with the search tool. I also think that not stirring the rennet for more than 1 minute is important.
Sounds like you're off to a good start with your new hobby!
Pam
« Last Edit: January 04, 2011, 12:53:32 PM by mtncheesemaker(Pam) »

MrsKK

  • Guest
Re: For your Enjoyment - My first Colbey
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2011, 03:49:29 AM »
I use fresh raw milk from my own cow and have never done much top stirring after adding the rennet.  I try to keep to less than a minute of stirring after adding the rennet.  I don't use the floc method, but just check the milk after 30 minutes.  If there isn't a clean break, wait ten to 15 minutes.

From your picture, you didn't quite have clean break.  I think if you'd given it a bit more time, you would have gotten there.

What type of rennet are you using?  If it is liquid, it could be that it starting to lose strength.

Sailor Con Queso

  • Guest
Re: For your Enjoyment - My first Colbey
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2011, 04:44:28 AM »
Jessica,

You really need to search the forum and learn the "flocculation method". Basically, you add your rennet and put a small lightweight bowl on top of the milk. Initially the bowl will spin, but as the milk starts to gel, the bowl will no longer move. That is your flocculation point. Let's say it took 15 minutes to "flocculate". Now you multiply that by a "floc multiplier" from 1 to 6 depending on the cheese and the results that you want. A Gouda for example might use a multiplier of 3. So you multiply 15 x 3 = 45 minutes. That's how long you wait to cut the curd after the time you added rennet. You ignore recipe times and "clean break" and cut at 45 minutes - regardless. A shorter multiplier makes a drier cheese and a longer multiplier makes for more moisture. So by waiting that long extra time, you created a more moist Colby. More moisture also means that it will age quicker.

The flocculation or "spinning bowl" method is especially important with raw milk because it changes depending on season, diet, lactation, etc. You will get much more consistent results this way.

The Malbec is pretty cool by the way.

Jessica_H

  • Guest
Re: For your Enjoyment - My first Colbey
« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2011, 06:14:43 PM »
Quote
You really need to search the forum and learn the "flocculation method".

While I was fretting about my clean break I did read all about the flocculation method.  Sadly I read about it too late for my Colby.  But my next few cheeses I'll definitely play with this!

Quote
I usually use a little 30% CaCl2 in my winter cheese making (equal to the amount of rennet used) to help with yield/clean break.

Is there any downside to this?

Quote
I am getting milk right now from 3 different suppliers (all local raw Jersey milk) and the milk is  different from each source. Making a note of your yield will give good info, too.

One thing that was interesting to me is that even though my Gouda seemed to have SUCH better curd...the end amount of cheese is virtually identical to my Colbey.  Maybe I had a quarter inch more Gouda in the mold by the end of pressing but really they are pretty much the same size cheese.

Jessica_H

  • Guest
Re: For your Enjoyment - My first Colbey
« Reply #7 on: January 04, 2011, 06:18:05 PM »
And my continued notes

* Press the cheese under 20 lbs for 20 minutes.  Flip and press for another 12 hours.  Flip and press for another 12 hours.  Air dry and wax when dry.

The cheese has now pressed at 20 lbs for just over 24 hours and dried for about 12.  It looks good though I’m concerned about the “cracks” I already have in the curd.  They aren’t any worse after 12 hours but I’m not sure if this will cause future problems?


(Right after pressing - note "cracking" at the top on the edges)


(A good shot of the pretty marbling)


(Cracks on the side after 12 hours of drying...but they aren't any worse than they were out of the press)



dthelmers

  • Guest
Re: For your Enjoyment - My first Colbey
« Reply #8 on: January 04, 2011, 07:35:19 PM »
What are you using for a press? I wonder if those cracks are mechanical, opening up as the cheese dries. Maybe more PSI would fix it next time. The marbling looks absolutely perfect! I think I'm going to try your method this weekend with some stout. Great looking cheese! Can't wait to here how it tastes when it matures!
Dave in CT

Jessica_H

  • Guest
Re: For your Enjoyment - My first Colbey
« Reply #9 on: January 04, 2011, 07:40:15 PM »
My press is very high tech...  8) it's a basket mold that looks like a ricotta mold and then I use a small pot as a follower with a 5 gallon bucket balanced precariously on top filled with water to get the right weight.  Then I prop the whole thing up by the wall and surround it with chairs to keep the water from going all over the dining room (which has happened twice now).

I've got new molds in the mail (real molds) and I'm working out how I want to press.

I've done 2 other cheeses, both at 20 lbs of pressure in this way and neither got the cracking.

tananaBrian

  • Guest
Re: For your Enjoyment - My first Colbey
« Reply #10 on: January 04, 2011, 08:04:32 PM »
Jessica,

You really need to search the forum and learn the "flocculation method". Basically, you add your rennet and put a small lightweight bowl on top of the milk. Initially the bowl will spin, but as the milk starts to gel, the bowl will no longer move. That is your flocculation point. Let's say it took 15 minutes to "flocculate". Now you multiply that by a "floc multiplier" from 1 to 6 depending on the cheese and the results that you want. A Gouda for example might use a multiplier of 3. So you multiply 15 x 3 = 45 minutes. That's how long you wait to cut the curd after the time you added rennet. You ignore recipe times and "clean break" and cut at 45 minutes - regardless. A shorter multiplier makes a drier cheese and a longer multiplier makes for more moisture. So by waiting that long extra time, you created a more moist Colby. More moisture also means that it will age quicker.

The flocculation or "spinning bowl" method is especially important with raw milk because it changes depending on season, diet, lactation, etc. You will get much more consistent results this way.

The Malbec is pretty cool by the way.

Is a small custard bowl OK for this test?  I'm guessing ours hold a little over half a cup of custard and they are made of glass... we don't have any small lightweight plastic bowls, but do have some small Rubbermaid type containers (and/or the lids) if that's better.

Brian

Offline Boofer

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Lakewood, Washington
  • Posts: 5,015
  • Cheeses: 344
  • Contemplating cheese
Re: For your Enjoyment - My first Colby
« Reply #11 on: January 04, 2011, 09:03:40 PM »
I've done 2 other cheeses, both at 20 lbs of pressure in this way and neither got the cracking.
Is it possible that the addition of the wine (alcohol) caused a desiccating (drying) effect on the curds, causing them to separate(crack)?

I too like the overall marbling effect. Appreciate you sharing.

-Boofer-
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

Jessica_H

  • Guest
Re: For your Enjoyment - My first Colbey
« Reply #12 on: January 05, 2011, 03:31:36 AM »
Quote
s it possible that the addition of the wine (alcohol) caused a desiccating (drying) effect on the curds, causing them to separate(crack)?

I wondered that...I also wondered if salting the curd changed how things worked (as the other two were not salted) and I wondered if my poor clean break didn't affect the quality of the curd.

Quote
but do have some small Rubbermaid type containers (and/or the lids) if that's better.

I was thinking of using a small plastic container...one of the cheap "reusable" and "disposable" types.  However, I thought I'd also do the spoon dip thing and look for flecks.  Are the flecks pretty easy to see?


On the subject of my cracks...do you think I should "dry" this cheese at a higher humidity than I normally use.  My other two are drying at 55 degrees and 60% humidity and I haven't had any trouble with cracks or fast drying times.  My cave is at 85% humidity...I could dry in there?

Sailor Con Queso

  • Guest
Re: For your Enjoyment - My first Colbey
« Reply #13 on: January 05, 2011, 04:51:32 AM »
The cracks are mechanical. You need to press with more weight.

mtncheesemaker

  • Guest
Re: For your Enjoyment - My first Colbey
« Reply #14 on: January 05, 2011, 03:41:46 PM »
Is there any downside to this?

I did some reading on CaCl2 addition this morning. There is a risk of "undesirable texture changes" if you use too much. The recommended dosage is 0.01%. I didn't do the math but most recipes I've read call for 1/4-1/2t for a 2-4 gallon batch of milk.
« Last Edit: January 10, 2011, 09:11:36 PM by mtncheesemaker(Pam) »