My first hard cheese (Lancashire)

[mikeradio]

I first want to thank everyone on this forum for all there great information and ideas, I don't think I would have had great success one my first hard cheese without the forum.

I used the recipe from here on the forum for Lancashire.
http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,6505.msg46408.html#msg46408


16L of Whole milk heating in the roaster controlled by a PID


I forgot to take pictures of the cutting curds, here the curds are drained and knitting together


cut and stacked


My new pneumatic press from Carter


air supply for the press


curd being cut in cubes


tossing the curds with salt


curds in the mold


all loaded into the press and pressing at 30lbs for an hour


after 1 hour, removed from the mold and flipped and back into the press at 70lbs for 8 hours


finished product

[Corina]

Wow, it looks perfect!

[JeffHamm]

Very nice result.  How long are you planning on aging this?

- Jeff

[mikeradio]

Thanks Jeff

From everything I have read it sounds like Lancashire  is better young, my plan is to try it at 4 weeks and see what it is like.

Mike

[kookookachoo]

Oooh!  Looks beautiful!  We're about the same time frame for our Lancashire, too.  I think I'm ahead of you by a few days.  I can't wait to taste mine, either.   

[darius]

Oh, that looks so great that I'm actually envious!

Isn't it nice to have the right tools for the job?

[steampwr8]

Mike;

Looks great. Keep us informed on the TASTE.

What brand mold are you using and where did you get it?

[MrsKK]

That looks great.  The last half of my first one is approaching six weeks and it will be interesting to see how it tastes.  the last quarter will probably be eaten at 8 weeks, but we've got another one in the cave that I will allow to go to 8 weeks before we try it at all.

[Scarlet Runner]

Yummy... I second darius- nice to have the right tools; look what you get for your efforts! Very interested to hear your tasting notes in a month.

[mikeradio]

Hey  Karen

Do you have your cheese waxed or vac?  When did you first try your cheese?

Thanks

Mike

[mikeradio]

Hello Steampwr8

The mold is a Kadova 1.5 to 2kg from Glengarry Cheesemaking, kind of pricey but it will last me a life time and you don't have to use cheese cloth it has a mesh netting built in.

Mike

[MrsKK]

I cut into the cheese at four weeks.  I larded the remaining 3/4's of it and returned it to the cave.  The second quarter is gone and we'll be trying it again shortly.

[darius]

I cut into the cheese at four weeks.  I larded the remaining 3/4's of it and returned it to the cave.  The second quarter is gone and we'll be trying it again shortly.

So... what did it taste like?

[MrsKK]

At four weeks, it was creamy and had a mild cheddar-type flavor to it.  At six weeks, the flavor was slightly stronger and the texture was still creamy.  I really like this cheese, and even better, DH likes it a lot, too.

[darius]