Pink Jack made 30th sept

[OzzieCheese]

Friday 30th sept
Today is pepper jack day I’m using pink peppercorns instead of chilli so I’ll name this one Pink Jack.
9:22 Heat milk added cooled pepper water and 1/8 teaspoon Calcium Chloride to 8 litres of milk. Started at 16 degrees target of 31C (88F) before adding the culture.  If I remove the boiler from the heat just past 30 and add at 31 the residual heat should bring it up to 32 degree 90 without it running away.
9:32 23 degrees
   Cheese: Pink Jack
Date: 30th september
Culture Add at 31C
raise to 32C Ripen   32.5-33.5 opps  40 minutes
Add Rennet @ 33 degrees Set for 45   
Cut curds   ¼ inch (small)         
Set  5 min   
Stir for 45 minutes   32 degrees
Heat curds-stirring   38 degrees   35 minutes      
Stirring    38 degrees   30 minutes      
Resting   38 degrees   5      
Draining   To the level of curds         
Resting   38 degrees   30 minutes
Stir every 5 minutes
Press   5 Kg   15 minutes      
   15 Kg   30 minutes   
   20 Kg   12 hours   

This one is a little different from the Green Living Australia recipe as there is a protracted first stirring for 45 minutes instead of letting it sit.  The other difference is the 30 minute rest at the end.  The amount of curds will product quite a thick cheese and also I don’t think the pepper will be enough but it’s an experiment so it should be fine.  I’m not entirely happy with the quality of the whey as it wasn’t green enough and when pressing it was a bit milky.  I’ll have to watch the pressing weights.
This is a waxed cheese.  Air dry for 3-5 days and wax.  Mature 1 to 3 months.

After making this one I decided to make my dutch press.. to at least get some consistant pressing weights.

[OzzieCheese]

Today is the six week mark from the cheese and we ran out of cheese in the fridge..  so it was time..
OMG why would people settle for the bland and characterless stuff in the supermarkets.  This was 6 weeks old with a creamy taste and a firm just slicable (slightly crumbly in thin slices) paste. Although the pepper wasn't as prominant as I would have hoped but there was a nice bite on the back of the tongue.  This also melted like a treat, bubbled in the microwave and was streatchy without burning..
 

[MrsKK]

Nice!