Sunday 20thNov
Today is Manchego Day.
As I have had good success with Ricki Carrolls Recipe and method I’m going to modify this one with the following Amendments.
¼ tsp of Calcium Chloride.
5gms Mad Millie’s Lamb Lipase.
10litres of 3.4 % milk with a 3litre 3.6 to bump the fat content. (10litres in total)
as I’m using the Lamb lipase I’m not using an aromatic culture this time, simple MO 030 from GLA and a MO036 thermo.
liquid rennet using Mad Millie state .2 - .5 ml per litre so I’m after a good floc rate of 9-11 minutes so 1ml = 1gm therefore 10litres of milk 5gm – glad my scales are gram accurate. The other thing now is the flocculation time multiplier is 3 and the recipe calls for cutting 30 minutes so a floc time of 10 minutes would be good.
Added the culture @ 12:00 stirred for 1 minute. Added a little more than the normal dose but seeing as there is more milk a little more a further ½ of 1/64th of a tsp of each.
These cultures have been consistent up to now so a little more should be fine.
Had to rush out for a bit and temp snuck to 32OC but that’s ok. It may have over acidified the milk but not having a PH meter so the floc time might be a little short. 6 minutes to go.
Rennet added 12:49.
Floc Time 10minutes 30 seconds therefore 31minutes 30 Seconds cut time is 13:21 checking for clean break. Check again in 5 @ 13:26. I keep checking the break but it wasn’t ready so I think the Floc time was closer to 13 minutes and then re-calculated the cut for 3X time brings it closer to the recipe time.
Cut into ½ inch (1cm) cubes then rest for 5 minutes. This is the first time I’m using the whisk to stir & cut the curds further. Every description of this process says stir with the whisk for 30 minutes, but I get the feeling that it will reduce the curds to a slurry if done to fast.
So stir at 30OC for 30 minutes. This actually was, stir with the whisk, and then stir then with the spoon slowly lifting the curds to the surface. Then use the whisk to stir and slowly reducing the curd to the size of rice but not all at once.
Stirring for the 30 minutes whisk-spoon-whisk-spoon until the size is reached.
Slowly raise the temperature to 40OC taking 45 minutes. The stirring of the curds gets faster and faster as the temperature raises. Keep the curds moving on the surface and raise the temperature by 1 degree every 5 minutes.
The pressing of 15lbs for fifteen minutes three times. The knit of the cheese was wonderful and close so I don’t think openings will be an issue.
30lbs for 6 hours. And then brine solution – 2lbs non-iodized salt in 1 gallon (4 litres) for 6 hours.
Maturing time depends on what the outcome you are after new-medium-old. Cave temperature 12-15 Degrees C.
Manchego Fresco 5 days
Manchego Curado 3-12 weeks
Manchego viejo 3-12 months
Manchego Aceite – aged in olive oil- for longer than 12 months.
Depending on what you are after control mold with a cloth dipped in brine. If mature for a long time 2 months plus keep the rind moistened with olive oil.
