Mats For Gravity Draining Curd - Too Course Weave

[wrenhunter]

Hi

I am a new cheese maker, and I'm using Mary Karlin's book "Artisan Cheese Making at Home". In recent weeks, I've successfully made ricotta and cultured butter. This weekend I made my first attempt at chevre.

I used a half-gallon of pasteurized (not ultra) goat milk, heated slowly to 86 in a heavy dutch oven. I added one packet of C20G mesophilic starter (1/4 teaspoon), from New England Cheesemakers, waited 5 minutes and stirred briefly. I covered the pot, wrapped in towel, turned on the stove's overhead light, and let ripen for 12 hours. The curds were semi solid, like a thick yogurt. I used a slotted spoon to move them to a colander lined with butter muslin, and drained for 5 minutes. I mixed in 1/4 teaspoon salt, and ladled the curds into two chevre molds over a draining rack and tray.

After 5 hours, I flipped the molds without peeking, but I'd guess each cheese was about 3/4 inch thick, and "felt solid" as they moved to rest against the rack. So far, so good.

About 4 hours later, I lifted the molds to peek and the cheeses had pretty much melted away. See picture below.

I have some ideas of what may have gone wrong, but I'd like to hear more experienced opinions first. NB: I made a half recipe, so each chevre mold was only half full to start.

Thanks.

[Sailor Con Queso]

Almost all store bought goat's milk is ultra-pasteurized and the proteins are damaged beyond use for cheese making. In fact, I have yet to find one that isn't. They are not required to state that on the label.

You need a MUCH smaller mesh for draining.

[wrenhunter]

Thanks, I strongly suspected the mesh rack, especially since it was the "last link". I am just starting out, so I used what was at hand. But I do have fine-mesh draining mats on order. Hopefully they will help the next batch.

Given that the cheese seemed good otherwise, and I have no source for raw goat's milk, I may try that milk once more.

Incidentally, is it worth it to try "chevre" with cow's milk that I know is low-heat pasteurized, in place of goat's milk?

[Sailor Con Queso]

It's not the same product with cow's milk but still very good. Some people call it French Chevre. But it would be much cheaper to learn on.

[smilingcalico]

With molds such as those, and chevre, it's not necessary to flip them.  Fill the molds and walk away from them for 24 hours.  Chevre is a delicate curd, not solid like a firm cheese.  It has so much whey to drain.  If 24 hours is too dry for you, next time drain for a shorter time.  Even once you pop them out of the mold, 8'd still recommend drying on a crochet mat, or is it needle point, a fine plastic mesh.

[wrenhunter]

Thanks for the replies. I will give it another try once my mats arrive.

[steffb503]

Does that culture have rennet in it?
Where's the rennet?

[wrenhunter]

According to their web page:

http://www.cheesemaking.com/store/p/140-Chevre-DS-5pack.html

the packet contains a "microbial coagulant enzyme", which may or may not be derived from rennet.

[zion6]

I have the same molds. I think you may have turned the molds over so the open part was down towards the grate before they were dry enough.
I let mine sit for 24 hours in the mold, salted that side, then flipped the CHEESE over in the mold (so the top was now at bottom of mold) salted that side, and set with closed side down in reefer for another 24 hours and it was perfect. At no time did I have open side of mold facing down.

Maybe that was it?

[wrenhunter]

You are right that I turned the molds themselves over, rather than flip the cheese inside the mold.

I just re-read the recipe, and sure enough, Ms. Karlin writes, "If you are using the molds, flip the cheeses once during the draining process". I guess I might have got away with it if I had used a finer mesh for draining, as Sailor noted.

Thanks for pointing that out!