Author Topic: Ellen's Gouda #2 AKA The Leaning Tower of Gouda  (Read 2661 times)

ellenspn

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Ellen's Gouda #2 AKA The Leaning Tower of Gouda
« on: December 04, 2011, 11:09:31 PM »
2 gal Kalona pasteurized cream top whole milk
1/8 t MA 4001
3/4 t CaCl2 solution (Hoegger)
1/2 t Calf Rennet (Cheesemaker.com)

Followed instructions in 200 easy cheese recipes

Milk pH 6.70
Whey pH at Curd cut 6.44

Flocculation time 23:54  ???
pH of whey after washing curd pH 6.45
pH of whey after pressing 5.38

First press was 10 lbs not under whey (someone  ::) accidentally poured it down the drain!) plus 1 can on small bonus cheese.
2nd press was 39.5 pounds until the weights slipped off sometime in the night leaving me with the Leaning Tower of Gouda!  Bonus cheese had 4 cans and  it didn't fall despite strange Jerry-rigged configuration (Jerry is my husband).

Large cheese (1.5 lbs) soaked in brine for 5 hours, small cheese (0.5 lbs) for 1.5 hours.

It ain't pretty!

Now for the questions.  How much should I increase my rennet to get the flocculation times back on track?  Also any suggestions on how to produce an even press so I don't have the leaning issues?  It was already leaning after the first press!



Offline fied

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Re: Ellen's Gouda #2 AKA The Leaning Tower of Gouda
« Reply #1 on: December 04, 2011, 11:37:46 PM »
I've been having trouble with renneting, too, recently. For this amount of milk, I've upped the rennet by another 1/8th to 1/4 tsp and it seems to have been successful, floccing at around 16 mins. Renneting is always variable depending on the qality of milk  used and the strength of the rennet. Rennet sellers' instructions are nearly always off the mark for commercially processed milk and are more suitable for raw milk.

On presses, you may need to move to at least a simple board press. MrsKK, I think, put up a photo of one she had recently made; it's much like the one I use and only takes a 2-3 hours to put together.

Here's a link to another: http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,8328.msg58421.html#msg58421
« Last Edit: December 05, 2011, 12:09:45 AM by fied »

ellenspn

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Re: Ellen's Gouda #2 AKA The Leaning Tower of Gouda
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2011, 01:38:19 AM »
Okay, that gives me an amount extra a rennet to play with.  I did speak with my supplier about the 3rd great thaw of 2011 (when the fridge went out) and he suggested adding a bit more, but not as much as you suggested.

I remember Mrs KK's post.  We own a drill press but haven't been pushing the husband who has been working boucoup hours to make one for me.  If I have to break down and buy one I'll probably get the Sturdy Dutch press I've seen on EBay. 

Thanks!

Oh and here is  a picture of the cheeses drying.

Tomer1

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Re: Ellen's Gouda #2 AKA The Leaning Tower of Gouda
« Reply #3 on: December 05, 2011, 08:08:28 AM »
Using a dedicated mould will really help get an even shape.
Gouda doesnt need alot of pressure and you can get away with minimal to no pressure  with some small modification to the recipe in order to reduce curd moisture.
(shorter fluc time,cutting smaller,more agressive stirring)

When packing the curds into the mold just squize the curds by hand and press them against the mold to expell as much whey as you can.

ellenspn

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Re: Ellen's Gouda #2 AKA The Leaning Tower of Gouda
« Reply #4 on: December 05, 2011, 02:08:32 PM »
The only reason for the small one is that I didn't want to waste curds.  Once it dries I'll be vacuum packing it.  It's an experiment ;)

My current tomme mold is one of those little 5.25" (13.3 cm) ones and can't hold all the curds for a 2 gal batch.  I'm working on getting a slightly larger mold that doesn't turn my 2 gal cheese into pancake.  My problem is that my weights slipped and fell off during the night and I don't know how it didn't wake me up!  I was pressing it in a roaster pan and the 2.5 lb weights are metal.

ellenspn

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Re: Ellen's Gouda #2 AKA The Leaning Tower of Gouda
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2011, 02:10:39 PM »
Vacuum packed the small one and tossed it in the cave.  It now weighs a total of 7 oz   :) 

Forgot to weigh the larger one, but it's now in the cave as well, sitting next to the Caerphilly.

Propercocker

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Re: Ellen's Gouda #2 AKA The Leaning Tower of Gouda
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2011, 04:37:28 PM »
I really do need to try a gouda...

Yours looks good!

ellenspn

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Re: Ellen's Gouda #2 AKA The Leaning Tower of Gouda
« Reply #7 on: December 08, 2011, 02:58:43 AM »
Well, other than the 7 oz "Baby" this Gouda is history. 

I have dogs, I left the cheese cave door open accidentally for a short while.

Need I say more? :-\

Cloversmilker

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Re: Ellen's Gouda #2 AKA The Leaning Tower of Gouda
« Reply #8 on: December 08, 2011, 04:10:28 AM »
Well, other than the 7 oz "Baby" this Gouda is history. 

I have dogs, I left the cheese cave door open accidentally for a short while.

Need I say more? :-\

Something like that happened to one of my lovely large 4 pound tommes once.  I had so many cheeses packed into the cave that the door swung open and our old heeler made off with the tomme.  It was too much for her though, a couple days later she brought back most of it.  She had obviously buried it at least once. 

ellenspn

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Re: Ellen's Gouda #2 AKA The Leaning Tower of Gouda
« Reply #9 on: September 21, 2013, 06:33:03 PM »
Opened the 7 oz baby Gouda with trepidation. There was mold in the cracks of the wrapping to my dismay. It was very elastic so I had hope.
 But my hopes were dashed when it tasted like Gouda with a very strong ammonia smell and flavor. Not surprising was that the dogs approved.