My 2nd Wensleydale

[JeffHamm]

Hi,

Well, I decided to have a go at Wensleydale again.  The make went ok, though the temperature got away on me once or twice during the cooking phase (up to 34 or 35 C when it should have been more around 30 or 32).  Also, the multiple series of millings was interrupted, and I only milled it abuot 4 times rather than 6-8 times.  Notwithstanding those issues, the make went pretty well I think.  The final knit is still a bit incomplete, but better than the first time I made this.  Last time I included sage flavouring, but this time I left that out.  I can add herbs when cooking, but I can't remove them. 

Anyway, here are my make notes a photo of the cheese out of the press.

Wensleydale  (Sun. Aug 7, 2011) start time 8:56 (below 18, cloudy)
10 L home brand standard.
1 ice cube mesophillic (Flora Danica)
½ tsp 30% CaCl
0.6 ml rennet

1)   Warm milk 30C (time:   9:15  actual temp 30.0 when starter added, but rose to 31.0)
2)   Add mesophillic starter, and ½ tsp Calcium Chloride strir 1 minute
3)   Cover, wait 45 minutes (start time 9:15 – 10:00 (at 9:36 temp had risen to 35!)
4)   Add rennet  (0.6 ml)  (time: 10:00;  temp: 33.2 C)
5)   Floc time (11:30 and 3x floc, gives cut time after 34:30 min or at 10:34)
6)   Cut into 1.3 cm cubes (roughly) (time: )
7)   wait 5 minutes (start wait 10:40 - 10:45).
8)   Stir for 10 minutes (start: 10:45-10:55 )
9)   rest for 15 minutes (start: 10:55 – 11:10: temp 30.5 C)
10)   Raise temp to 32 and hold for 2 hours (starting at 11:18 – 1 :20).
11)   Drain whey through cheese cloth into colindar (temp: 34.0   c).
12)   Break up curds every 15 min for 2 hours.  (start time: 1:30-3:20)
13)   3:20 break for the last time, add 4 tsp salt
14)   Mix and put into cloth lined cheese mold. 
15)   Press in the pot (water @ 50C) with 10 kg for 45 min (start time: 3:30),
16)   remove from mold, redress, flip, and press in pot with 10 kg for 30 min. (4:15)
17)   Remove, flip, redress and press at air temp at 20 kg for 12 hours. (Start press 4:45 pm  finish: 6:00 am)

After pressing weighed in at 1292g.  Knit not perfect.  Can see edges of the curds, but better than the first time.

Air dry for 2-5 days.  Put in the cheese cave.  Can be waxed for longer aging.

Edit: noticed a few errors in the notes.  Nothing major, except I had the pressing weight at 50 kg rather than 20!  Also, I added 4 tsp salt not 3.

[smilingcalico]

Will you remind me of the flavor profile of Wensleydale? I seem to recall it being a mild cheddar with a flatter taste and an odd dryness, even though the paste was slightly sticky.  Perhaps my recall is of an inferior sample.

[Tea]

Jeff that cheese looks pretty good.  Hope it behaves it's self while aging.

[JeffHamm]

Hi smilingcalico,

It's in the cheddar family of cheeses.  It should be crumbly, but creamy, and melt really well.  Very good with apple pie.  I've only had the real stuff once, and it was very good.  The "sage wensleydale" that I made a while back turned out really well in some ways (melted like a dream), but I've decided I'm not a huge fan of herbs in the cheese.  It was great over potatoes, etc, but not so good just by itself.  This one knitted a bit better than the first attempt, but not a perfect seal.  Hoping I don't have too much problem with blue getting into the cracks.  I may try and smooth them over with a warm knife this evening. 

- Jeff

[JeffHamm]

Hi Tea,

My slightly out-of-focus camera work does wonders for hiding the imperfections in the rind! (Works well on pictures of me too, the blurrier the better I always say! )  I'll try and fill in any large cracks this evening.  I'm hopeful that all went well.  We'll see once it ages for a few months.  My parents are comming to visit late Nov or Early Dec, so that would be a good time for it.

- Jeff

P.S. I think the pressing in the pot really helped.  Although the curds were not well knitted by the end of that stage, I think this helped to keep them warm, which then improved the knit when the heavier weights were added.  I'll probably get a couple more 5kg weights and increase my final press amount to 30 kg rather than 20kg for these cheddar types.  Until I build some sort of Dutch press, I just have to go with weights.

[JeffHamm]

I decided to wax this one for longer aging.  Will see how that turns out.

- Jeff

[JeffHamm]

Noticed a couple of small spots of mold developing under the wax.  Nothing major, but decided to cut through the wax and deal to it (shaved off the mold) and re-wax over.  Sort of "key hole surgery", so the patient seems to have little discomfort and is resting well again.

- Jeff

[Boofer]

My slightly out-of-focus camera work does wonders for hiding the imperfections in the rind!

Oh thank goodness, I thought I was going blind. Thanks for clearing that up. 

-Boofer-

[JeffHamm]

It also helps that the larger cracks were on the bottom! Pictures can lie

- Jeff

[JeffHamm]

Hi,

I waxed this earlier than usual because the knit was not that great.  Figured I would head off mould.  It's now roughly 5 months on, and I've been conducting "keyhole surgery" on this fairly often.  I decided it was time to remove the wax to give it a good once over, and the two faces were both quite damp.  Indeed, it hadn't dried enough by the time I waxed it.  So, I've decided to air dry it again for a day or two, then back into the cave to develop the rind a bit, before cutting into it to see if it is ok.  Poor little cheese.

- Jeff

[pliezar (Ian)]

Honestly Jeff, what did this cheese ever do to you?  Cheese torturer.  Just kidding.  I had to do that to my last cheddar, but instead of waxing I vacuum sealed it.

I hope it turns out for you.

[anutcanfly]

Looks like it has the pox!  Do you have a cheese of ill repute lurking in your cave? 

[JeffHamm]

Yes, I think my cheese is in that awkward teenage phase.  I've given it a good dose of salt on one face to try and help recondition the rind.  You can see the large white patch on the top where the moisture was.  It's drying quite well already, and it's only been a couple hours, but I think this will need a bit of attention to get it back on track.  Actually, I suspect one good salting on each face, and rubbing the brine/slurry that forms over the whole cheese, will go a long way to sorting it out.  Some time air drying, then some time in the cave, and it will be ready for the table.  I was only planning on taking this out to 6 months anyway, so next month was it's due date.  It's still on schedule for that as I think it will only take a week or two to sort things out; despite all appearances to the contrary!  Although this cheese may not win any beauty contests, I am hoping it will do well in the popularity vote.

- Jeff

[Boofer]

Looks like it has the pox!  Do you have a cheese of ill repute lurking in your cave? 

ROTFLMAO!! 

Jeff, be watchful the rind doesn't crack on you. I've come close to that predicament. The faces are moist but the edges are very dry.

Hey, it has a face even a mother could love. Poor cheese. In the end the taste will probably knock your socks off...world-class.   

-Boofer-

[JeffHamm]

Hi Boofer,

I'm hoping the taste will be good, as the looks are, well, not! ha!  The sides are still pretty soft too, so it shouldn't crack as long as I put it through the usual air dry then cave routine.  The drying process seems to have been halted too early by the waxing, which is what waxing is supposed to do of course.  So, now I just have to try and wring it out and see if it's ok.  I was going to make a replacement Wensleydale today, but we're going out this afternoon and the make I want to try is a long one.  So, I'm going for Lancashire as that I can have completed by the time we go out. 

- Jeff