Stilton - Ripening Discussion

[susanky]

I have been very happy with this one.  Can you order from Amazon?

http://www.amazon.com/Johnson-Controls-Digital-Thermostat-Control/dp/B00368D6JA/ref=sr_1_cc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306281225&sr=1-1-catcorr

Susan

[mcfly]

This looks perfect, I'm just wondering if it can be used on out 240V sockets? I don't know anything about electronics so if its just a matter of added a UK 3 pin plug then Id be happy to buy one of these?

Thanks Susan

[TommyTW15]

I have got my fridge on its lowest setting and it seems to fluctuate between being on and off. Therefore it tends to go between 8 and 15C. It a bit of a pain but my hope is that as the summer temp increases it will settle into staying on its lowest temperature. However it still beats the staying in my cave which is about 16C constantly.

Susan - let me know if you get one of these, i'm sure you can use a socket adaptor but i have no idea of how you integrate it into the fridge itself. If anyone knows how this is done please let us know.

Also has anyone found that their Stilton has decreased in size while aging?

T

[susanky]

I DO have one.  But I am in the US.  I didn't think about the different type of outlet he would need.  Maybe could get a converter?  like one does for traveling.  I'm not sure.  Anyway, I just plugged the fridge into it. Then plugged thermostat into wall.  Works like a charm!
Susan

[TommyTW15]

Ah i get it now. It senses the temp in the fridge and then controls the power supply to keep the temperature as set. Sounds good. If i can't get mine right i will definately get one. I think a trvel plug adaptor would work ok.

T

[Boofer]

This looks perfect, I'm just wondering if it can be used on out 240V sockets? I don't know anything about electronics so if its just a matter of added a UK 3 pin plug then Id be happy to buy one of these?

Thanks Susan

As an alternative, here's the one I just bought a couple months back. It is not prewired, but that was not really a problem. I believe there is a selection you can make for either 120v or 220v.

You wire in the plug end to the 220v posts and wire in an outlet cord that the fridge plugs into.

I added an in-line fuse as well.

You can set the desired temperature either in C or F and then set the swing range by degree. For example, set it for 11C with a swing of 2 degrees and it will dip to 9C before turning off or go to 13C before turning on.

My world is Fahrenheit so my cave hovers around 52F. Very nice.

-Boofer-

[Jaspar]

I've got a little dorm fridge with the mini freezer in the upper right of the box, I found that it would not get warm enough on its warmest setting. What I did was take the sensor and tuck it (gently) up to the bottom of the freezer, wired a piece of Styrofoam the same size as the freezer to the bottom of the freezer.
In other words I made a sandwich with the sensor between the metal freezer and the Styrofoam. The sensor gets cold before the box does and keeps it about 12f warmer. I do get allot of condensation (pools in the bottom). So only have cheese that is waxed or vac packed in it.

I did grow a great blue cheese in a small jiffy seed starter box in there tho


                                                 Jaspar

[matnewman]

Nice looking Stilton Mr. Banbury.

One question I have - the recepie I used didn't talk about making a rind, and I skewered the cheese pretty much straight away.  Did I miss out a step?!?  It's nice and blue and smelly, but has very rought edges and no overall rind, so I guess something went amiss.

[Tomer1]

The rind firmness is controled by the humidity the cheese is aged at.
You need to manage it in corralation with the blueing of the rind because at some point the food at the surface runs out and the outside blue dies and starts to dry up.
So if its still soft\moist on the outside your RH might be too high.

Puncturing it stright away wont hurt but it wont alot for internal veining since the holes will plug up and the PR wont strive (no oxygen) so you need to re do it every 3-4 weeks.

[TommyTW15]

Mine does not have a solid rind yet either. The blue on the outside has turned to a dark green, kinda like blacksticks blue and is now slowly turning a tan colour. Its is by no means a solid rind though. I am keeping mine in the bottom veg compartment of a cheese fridge sealed with cling film to keep it from contaminating my non PR cheeses. I believe that this is as Tomer1 says creating a too humid enviroment and so not allowing the outside to form an actual rind. I am wiping out the compartment daily and blotting the cheese with clean cloth to prevent rot. The plan is to get another fridge to keep blues in to allow them to breath and dry out on the outside a bit.

I have not pierced mine yet but will do later this week.

T

[Tomer1]

I suggest you perf the cling film to let some moisture out.
When I had it in a plastic cintainer I left the lid just slightly open.

[TommyTW15]

How likely is cross contamination though? Six of my cheese are waxed so there they will be ok but i also have a bandaged cheddar and a parm which i worry will end up contaminated.

T

[Tomer1]

Oh, not a good idea then.