Author Topic: Chipotle Cheddar again  (Read 2732 times)

BobE102330

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Chipotle Cheddar again
« on: February 25, 2013, 03:02:43 AM »
My first attempt was over acidified and the chipotles tasted like little more than cinders.  This time around I used my own peppers, which are a bit less smoked than store bought varieties, probably more morita than chipotle.  I like them, that's all that matters to me. 

I bought a $10 ph meter last time I ordered from Amazon, to see what it would do.  After calibration the liquid I'd rehydrated/steeped my peppers in had a PH of 4.2.  A little baking soda neutralized most of the acid, back up to 6.4 pH.  The make was pretty close to 200 easy cheeses stirred curd cheddar, except I overshot the target temps by 2 degrees.  I hit my peppers with my stick blender, and added them and the water to the curds prior to culturing. 

Currently in the press at ~3.4 psi, 50 pounds at 3:1 on a 7.5" mold.  I need to make a longer arm or join the pulley club.  Hanging a 50 pound dumbbell is about my limit these days :(

Curds and between second and final pressing.  Hopefully this will turn out well in a couple of months.

High Altitude

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Re: Chipotle Cheddar again
« Reply #1 on: February 25, 2013, 07:12:10 PM »
Oh wow!  I didn't know you could add peppers to the curds during the cooking process.  I added (fresh chopped & blanched) habaneros & jalepenos to a Jack recently, but did so after the draining and salting phase, just prior to putting in the press.  It sure seems like your chipotle flavor would permeate better throughout your cheese the way you did it.  Although on the other hand, isn't it possible to lose some of the flavor and heat during draining. Have you had success with this method previously?  I am learning so much on this forum :-)!  Your cheese looks WONDERFUL by the way.  I'll try to get a photo of my Jack up here too.

High Altitude

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Re: Chipotle Cheddar again
« Reply #2 on: February 25, 2013, 07:34:39 PM »
Okay, here's my habanero/jalepeno jack in the air dry phase.  The curds didn't knit as tightly as I'd hoped, but I waxed it and we'll see....

BobE102330

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Re: Chipotle Cheddar again
« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2013, 07:37:12 PM »
I've seen a couple of recipes that suggested adding the pepper juice to the milk.  Working with fresh peppers or peppers I had smoked but not dried I probably would do just as you have.   

My first attempt was a bust - the over-smoked store bought chipotles tasted like ash and the cheese was over acidified, so very crumbly.  Hopefully neutralizing the pepper juice helped in that regard.  I've improved my cheese making ability a bit.  This cheese feels like it will be good coming out of the press. 

As for losing heat and flavor, I think I am fine.  The final press was naked, so I broke off a few of the nubbins.  They are carrying plenty of heat, and my fingers carried enough heat to my toast that I noticed.  I sometimes tone it down for others, but this cheese is for me and my son (who ate so much 2,000,000 Scoville sauce at RTX last year that it became like ketchup).  He moved to Texas and is growing Trinidad Scorpions and ghost peppers that I will work into a cheese if this works out.  Come to think of it, I do have a pretty good supply of dried ghost peppers that I smoked last fall.    >:D >:D

High Altitude

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Re: Chipotle Cheddar again
« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2013, 08:09:02 PM »
Thanks Bob...and awesome that you can get your hand on home-grown ghost peppers...jealous!  If I simply use store-bought red pepper flakes in a cheese (for the wimps, mind you ;-), do I have to rehydrate/blanch those before adding to draining/salted curds?

tnbquilt

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Re: Chipotle Cheddar again
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2013, 10:09:50 PM »
I use fresh jalopeno's and pepper flakes in my pepper jack. I put the jalopeno's in a bowl and put whatever salt I plan on putting in the cheese, and let them sit. I put the red pepper flakes in a 1/2 cup of water and boil them and let them cool. Then I add all of it when it's time to salt the cheese. I mix it up well, and let it sit for a few minutes to absorb the salt before I press it. The pepper flakes add a nice bite to it, but mine is not super hot because I wouldn't like that

BobE102330

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Re: Chipotle Cheddar again
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2013, 10:23:56 PM »
Thanks for the tip, Tammy.  Heat tolerance takes practice.  I made what I thought was a mild/no heat at all chili for friends.  I didn't notice any heat using 20 smoked New Mexico chilis. in a 6 quart batch.  After they complained of the heat and used all the home made creme fraiche I discovered that New Mexicos are about on par with Tabasco sauce.  I'd effectively used a cup and half of Tabasco and no tomato.  I added smoked serranos to my portion to get the heat up.  I've been off the heat cycle a while and now jalapenos give me problems.  Time to practice up.  My son made a great tasting hot sauce with ghost peppers and fatalis.

I grew my own ghost peppers, habaneros, fatalis, serranos, jalapenos, poblanos and New Mexicos along with some sweet peppers, tomatoes and herbs.  Around this time last year I was making the neighbors wonder what was going on in that room with 1200 watts of grow light on 16 hours a day.   A)  My avatar is some of my ghost peppers.  A very short season up here near Lake George. 

High Altitude

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Re: Chipotle Cheddar again
« Reply #7 on: February 26, 2013, 01:01:16 AM »
Thanks Tammy.  They also recommend that you blanch the fresh peppers for a couple of minutes to kill off any bacteria.  I want to add jalapenos to this make, but I am snowed in for a couple of days so have to go with what I have in the house (which is the dried pepper flakes).  Ooo, I do have some canned chipotles....I could rinse off the sauce, chop and toss in with the salt and pepper flakes.  Better yet, I'll save those for a chipotle farmers cheddar or colby maybe.  Hmmm....so many cheese options! :-)

BobE102330

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Re: Chipotle Cheddar again
« Reply #8 on: June 08, 2013, 04:36:58 PM »
Time to open this one. After aging in a vacuum bag I noticed some whey weeping. Pulled it out of the bag and let it dry in the cave for a few days before opening to try.  It has a nice cheddar and chipotle flavor with just a hint of heat. It's a little over acidified but much better than my last attempt. My girlfriend liked it until the heat hit. Still developing her heat tolerance.

Half the wheel went back in a vacuum bag for July 4th use. Some went to my son and the balance will probably get used up on the grill today. Chee'burga. Chee'burga.

Forgot to take opened pictures but it looks pretty much the same as it did above.