Author Topic: Coagulation, Rennet - Raw Goat Milk, Lumpy Curd  (Read 7244 times)

judyp

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Re: Coagulation, Rennet - Raw Goat Milk, Lumpy Curd
« Reply #15 on: July 25, 2011, 04:25:26 AM »
Only stir for 20-30 seconds?  Wow!  I stir for 1 minute.  This particular time, I noticed the milk was already coagulating...floating some curds as it does when I make 30-minute Mozzarella.  I thought that was strange, but set my timer and came back when that time was up. 

The curd was at the bottom of the pan and the whey on top.  It was not like the pictures of what a clean break looks like. 

This was my first try at parmesian cheese so it's not a common problem I am having.  In fact, I am a new cheese maker!
Thanks for your input!
Judy

MrsKK

  • Guest
Re: Coagulation, Rennet - Raw Goat Milk, Lumpy Curd
« Reply #16 on: July 27, 2011, 01:16:57 AM »
I hope you get this figured out...parmesan is such a long wait, you don't want to mess it up.

Annie

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Re: Coagulation, Rennet - Raw Goat Milk, Lumpy Curd
« Reply #17 on: July 27, 2011, 09:52:08 PM »
How long are you stirring after adding the rennet?  Some recipes say 2-5 minutes, for example, but the milk should only be stirred for 20-30 seconds after adding rennet.  The bonding starts happening as soon as you add rennet and if you stir for a long time, it damages the coagulation.

Sorry if you already know that.  I hope you get it figured out soon.  Is it only Parmesan that you are having this issue with?
What Karen said was exactly what I was going to suggest, because that exact thing happened to me: the recipe said to stir for longer than I needed to.

Also, if you put it on something like a freezer, the vibrations can mess it up. I know this from experience... However, I took both batches and added vinegar and made ricotta, but that was due to panicking. There may well be another solution. i do 2-gallon batches and would try adding more rennet if it happenes again.

Annie

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Re: Coagulation, Rennet - Raw Goat Milk, Lumpy Curd
« Reply #18 on: July 28, 2011, 03:23:14 PM »
I have another question/thought/idea... Yesterday when I made cheese, I used a different set of measuring spoons, and this one required 25 drops instead of the 20 my other one takes (what's up with that!) and it made me wonder, since Karen is using 4 gallons, if that might not be a problem?

MrsKK

  • Guest
Re: Coagulation, Rennet - Raw Goat Milk, Lumpy Curd
« Reply #19 on: July 28, 2011, 08:15:14 PM »
I use dry calf's rennet and the label directions have a range of milk volume for each measurement: 1/16 tsp for 1 to 3 gallons or 1/8 tsp for 4 to 6 gallons of milk.  So, for instance, if I make a 4 gallon batch of cheese, I use a scant 1/8 tsp of the rennet, a level 1/8 tsp if I'm making a 5 gallon batch, and a slightly heaping 1/8 tsp for a 6 gallon batch.

I really like using the powdered rennet much better than the liquid.

zando

  • Guest
Re: Coagulation, Rennet - Raw Goat Milk, Lumpy Curd
« Reply #20 on: August 01, 2011, 06:26:30 PM »
Hi all,

sorry to intrude in this thread, but this site is way big and did not want to create a new topic.

in short - making feta for the past year - great success. lately however, my curds are becoming softer and softer - to a point that when I transfer them into the cheese cloth - they break apart and the whole thing looks like a white soup, and the water doesn't come out as easy as it used to.
The way I do it - warm up the milk to 38-39C, add CaCl , some yogurt, and then rennet. after approx 40-45 min the whole thing is jello-like, cuts very well, and after another 45-60 min - there are clean cubes and clean water in the pot. Picture-like results. carefully spill it in the cloth and my misery starts....
what am I doing wrong - over / under heating, not enough CaCl ?, the rennet is not old ... any tips / suggestions? Thanks a lot  for the help - you can probably understand best how much suffering there is with no feta on the table ... :)
« Last Edit: August 01, 2011, 06:51:03 PM by zando »

MrsKK

  • Guest
Re: Coagulation, Rennet - Raw Goat Milk, Lumpy Curd
« Reply #21 on: August 02, 2011, 02:44:51 AM »
The only thing I can think of off the top of my head (since the rennet isn't old) would be have you calibrated your thermometer lately?  I was having some trouble making cheeses and finally discovered that my thermometer was off.

Hope you get this figured out soon.

judyp

  • Guest
Re: Coagulation, Rennet - Raw Goat Milk, Lumpy Curd
« Reply #22 on: August 03, 2011, 01:00:35 PM »
Hi all,

sorry to intrude in this thread, but this site is way big and did not want to create a new topic.

in short - making feta for the past year - great success. lately however, my curds are becoming softer and softer - to a point that when I transfer them into the cheese cloth - they break apart and the whole thing looks like a white soup, and the water doesn't come out as easy as it used to.
The way I do it - warm up the milk to 38-39C, add CaCl , some yogurt, and then rennet. after approx 40-45 min the whole thing is jello-like, cuts very well, and after another 45-60 min - there are clean cubes and clean water in the pot. Picture-like results. carefully spill it in the cloth and my misery starts....
what am I doing wrong - over / under heating, not enough CaCl ?, the rennet is not old ... any tips / suggestions? Thanks a lot  for the help - you can probably understand best how much suffering there is with no feta on the table ... :)

I made mozzarella yesterday using a different rennet and it turned out.  I'm thinking that even though my rennet was new, there was something not right with it.  Just a thought.

zando

  • Guest
Re: Coagulation, Rennet - Raw Goat Milk, Lumpy Curd
« Reply #23 on: August 04, 2011, 12:08:50 AM »
So, after checking my thermometer accuracy - it was fine, the recipe - it was correct, even my socks were the right side out :), turned out we have been getting different brand of milk from before... went back to "Foremost" - no issues whatsoever. Strange, eh?
The conclusion from the story is - don't change your cow for a different cow :)
cheers,
 

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Coagulation, Rennet - Raw Goat Milk, Lumpy Curd
« Reply #24 on: August 20, 2011, 01:07:49 AM »
Some brands of milk just don't work. They may be UHT milks without mentioning it on the bottle.