Author Topic: 15 Gallon Batch Parmesan #6  (Read 10979 times)

Tea

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Re: 15 Gallon Batch Parmesan #6
« Reply #30 on: January 22, 2009, 08:53:19 PM »
At least it was only brine and not wax over everything.

Anyway, sorry for the demise, better luck next time.  Just thinking, that was en expensive death!

Offline Cartierusm

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Re: 15 Gallon Batch Parmesan #6
« Reply #31 on: January 22, 2009, 09:04:35 PM »
Not too bad, it wasn't the good milk experiment.

Sing_cheese

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Re: 15 Gallon Batch Parmesan #6
« Reply #32 on: January 23, 2009, 01:09:46 AM »
What a drag.  I do know the feeling of loosing large amounts of milk like that and usually fell even worse about the time wasted, but the learnings are worth it in the end.  I have had similar results (perhaps I should post all of my failures as well, so many in the paper log book it will take some time to ge them all on the web). I know this has been said before, but I have found that most of the knitting issues when I do hard pressed cheese are usually down to proper PH at time of pressing.  I had a lerge cheddar we did and everything was perfect, so we thought, although we had measured PH of the Whey and not stuck the meter into the curds, left the curds ripening for a long time and the whey PH was telling me that I had to wait longer.  After about 3 hours finally it was too late and gaveup and put the curds in the press. JAbbed the PH meter in the curds at the press and the PH of the curds was way below target.  Pressed the curds and the resulting cheese just would not knit (large curd chunks not small like parma.  Parts fell off when I tried to put in the brine, kept the remain and even waxed it before chucking the ugly thing.  Since, have been like a hawk on curd PH and have never had a similar problem.

Offline Cartierusm

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Re: 15 Gallon Batch Parmesan #6
« Reply #33 on: January 23, 2009, 04:13:01 AM »
Sing where are you getting your PH targets from? And do you just let it ripen until you get the target PH?

Cheese Head

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Re: 15 Gallon Batch Parmesan #6
« Reply #34 on: January 23, 2009, 11:14:58 AM »
Carter & Sing (Gerritt) there are process and pH targets in the culture manufacturer CHR Hansen's Guides, one problem is that some of them are for the cheese, rather than milk or whey, how do you measure that, litmus paper?

Offline Cartierusm

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Re: 15 Gallon Batch Parmesan #6
« Reply #35 on: January 23, 2009, 09:09:35 PM »
Actaully John that's a great idea, I was told to get a probe PH meter so I can smash curd onto it, but I don't want to spend $150 and I don't want to take a chunk out of my nice wheel just to check the PH. but the papers would be perfect so wasting curd and easy results. I'll pick some up and try. Thanks John.

wharris

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Re: 15 Gallon Batch Parmesan #6
« Reply #36 on: January 23, 2009, 09:14:44 PM »
I will do same

FRANCOIS

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Re: 15 Gallon Batch Parmesan #6
« Reply #37 on: June 11, 2009, 09:59:30 PM »
This might be too late you for you but here goes:

pH issue:
pH is temperature dependent with the mechanics of the meters used.  If your meter is not adjusting for temp then it is most likely not accurate when the milk is cold, this is why you are getting falsely high readings.  I am also assuming you are calibrating regularly.  Also be careful with cleaning your probe, pH works by hydrogen concentration and wiping with a cloth can cause static build up on the probe, skewing results.

Now for your knitting:
Most likely causes of poor knit are excessive cooking, loss of too much heat during pressing and insufficient pressure during pressing.  Traditionally parmesan is allowed to "settle" in the hot whey which creates the tight texture of the curd and it is lifted enmass into the mold.  The curd must be very hot for this recipe to knit well.  Don't be afraid to flip, flip, flip in the press.  As the pH on the surface drops it will toughen and your finsh will get smoother and finer.


Also, for pH drop, you are looking for 0.1 minimum, with 0.2 preferable, between renneting and hooping.  Generally you want to rennet at 6.5 (about).  This depends on many factors but is a good ball park for mesohilllic recipes.  For this recipe you want to just get the thermo primed, so say a 30 minute wait, then you can add rennet and cut right at floculation.

Good luck in the future.

wharris

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Re: 15 Gallon Batch Parmesan #6
« Reply #38 on: June 12, 2009, 12:42:19 AM »
I believe Carter's pH meter auto-adjusts for temp.  He has a pretty high end one.