From Riki Carrols website:
How to make this cheese :
I will present a recipe for a 4 gallon batch since this is about the smallest size I recommend. It is difficult to measure less culture. Larger recipes may be scaled up by increasing the ingredients proportionately. Trials are recommended for this.
This is a cheese requiring some experience with cheese making and might be a challenge to inexperienced cheese makers. I have included pH and TA% to follow the acid development if you have the tools available.
For 4 Gallons
either 1/8 tsp of MM100 culture or 1/2 pack of C21 culture
~1/16 tsp Penicillium Roqueforti (Blue) C9 (rehydrate Roquefort 2 hrs before heating milk then add to milk before rennet)
Optional 1/16 tsp of our MD088 culture to provide a more open texture (this is a mild gas producer)
Allow this to ripen for 30 min.
then add 2.25 ml of single strength calf rennet allow this to set for 1 hour to develop a good curd
After 1 hour check for a good curd and ladle curd to cloths in pan and let whey collect for 90 min. then drain pH=6.47 or TA% =.14
Let whey gather again for 30 min. pH=6.38 %TA=.16 then dump whey
Allow curd to drain in bags for 2-4 hrs until %TA=.18-.2 pH=6.14
tighten cloths every hr.
When firm enough turn out curd and cut to 4” cubes turning every 15-30 min. until %TA=.4-.5 (5.5 pH)
Break curds into walnut size or smaller pieces
Apply 2.5% Salt by weight of curd to the blocks and allow to absorb this over the next hour. The yield here is about 5.75lb. therefore 2.3oz. of salt should be used. Add this in two batches allowing it to penetrate. Rest for 1 hour but stir the curds to keep from matting every 10-15 min.
Loose pack in mold (Weight is just enough to compensate for a full size stilton, about 5 lbs)
Turn several times in mold first hour then 2x@day for next few days.
After 3-5 days @ 70F remove mold and wrap in cloth for the next 5 days.
Then remove cloth and move to aging room 54-60F 85%RH
Aging:
D+1 to D+4 turn in forms 2x@ day
D+5 wrap in cloth bandage
D+10 remove bandage . Weight loss since molding is about 30%
punch holes @ 5 weeks (1/8" needle and about 1 hole every 1" throughout top and bottom)
Ripe in 3-5 months
