"Presing under whey" question

[Knoal]

I understand that it is imporant to press the curds while they are still covered by they whey for a good knit of the final product (no voids, texture, etc)

The first Gruyere I made, I pressed the curds under whey and transfered the 'mat' into the mold, layering the 'mats' until the mold wa filled.  After the rind was formed (which was beautiful) I took the cheese out of the cave and let it warm for the Prop. Sherm.  to do its (gassious) work.  The result was a cheese that really swelled to the extent of rupturing the vacuum bag.  The bag was not swollen with gas, rather the cheese expanded so much the vacuum seal was broken.  I removed the vacuum bag and cut into the cheese.  It turned out there was on large gas "cavern" where two different mats had overlain (overlaid?)

I have two Gruyere going now where I broke up the curd mat (into uncracked walnut sized chunks) before filling the mold.  Is this correct?

My question is:  How does everyone deal with thier pressed curd mat?  Is it broken up and loaded into the mold, or put in in layered mats?

Thanks in advance,

Knoal

[linuxboy]

For which cheese? Gruyere is shaped by forming a ball in the cloth, then dumping the curd ball into a press and pressing immediately with high pressure to get a good knit. Then you either keep pressing, or you cut into shapes and put into smaller molds.

Don't need to press gruyere under whey, the curds are hot enough that they fuse well when you let them settle and then get them with the cloth.

For meso cheeses, it helps to press under whey, or to at least gather all the curds up into one mass before pressing.

[Knoal]

Thanks Linuxboy,

I fumble along and I learn.   

But the cheeses are tasting good!



Knoal

[ArnaudForestier]

For which cheese? Gruyere is shaped by forming a ball in the cloth, then dumping the curd ball into a press and pressing immediately with high pressure to get a good knit. Then you either keep pressing, or you cut into shapes and put into smaller molds.

Don't need to press gruyere under whey, the curds are hot enough that they fuse well when you let them settle and then get them with the cloth.

For meso cheeses, it helps to press under whey, or to at least gather all the curds up into one mass before pressing.

Something I realize is that I've been pressing under whey, generally too long and too hot.  Don't know why - a weird process variable that got stuck in my head, and I stayed with it for a few makes, until I realized it was the wrong way to go (noticed the rinds were coming out really hard).  Pav, I'm so impressed with the immediate heavy press method in the kadova, for my tommes, that I'd like to do the same, now for my beauforts.  Any reason I couldn't just hand-press the heck out of the moulds, flip constantly, get knit, and place in an immediate press of 2.7 psi?  I had thought to press heavy, then light - but was concerned about getting a smooth paste.  Don't mind interior mechanical openings in my tommes (in fact, want them), but want a smooth paste on the Beauforts. 

Sorry, I think you or someone (perhaps Sailor) has covered this before.  Really, no reason not to go heavy, stay heavy, immediately - no need to ramp up, yes?