8th January - A Stirred curd Cheddar #3

[OzzieCheese]

8th January A Stirred curd Cheddar

8th January Stirred curd 4 hours plus pressing.  Today is very humid so I hope tomorrow is better for when the cheese needs to air dry. 
The first and second stirred curd Cheddar, although I haven’t tasted them yet, worked so well I thought I’d do it again.  The first one was for a Christmas gift made 4 months old and I wanted it to be as mature as possible.  The second one is still in the ‘Cave’  This one will be our cheddar to consume with impunity.   Again this is straight from Ricki Carrolls book with the following change, I’m going to use the Flora Danica instead of the Mo 030 culture and I’ll use the flocculation method to determine curd cut.  A range of 3 – 3.5 seems to be the recommended.  Ricki uses ½ tsp of liquid rennet but my Mad Millie rennet states .2- .5 mls per litre therefor 8 litres = 4mls = 4 gms
8 litres of milk – bought a mixture of high fat and normal, it’s not normal I know but the standard for store bought is approx. 3.4 but I managed 3L @ 3.8 (only one left), 3 @ 3.6 and 2 @ 3.4 so this should be a creamy little devil.

A bit of a late start but it’s Sunday
 
9:30 @18 degrees started heating milk
9:35 @21 degrees added 1/8 tsp of CaCl.

Target temperature is 32 degrees reached @   10:09
Added dose of Flora Danica starter @ 10:15 – 45 minutes to rennet time.

[boothrf]

Go Mal, look forward to tracking your posts. I'm getting ready to tackle some pressed cheeses now, just need to get a press, so will follow your learnings closely.

[OzzieCheese]

Hi Bob,
I'm still learning but I have had a good sucess rate with Caerphilly, Manchego, Monteray Jack.  My first one was a Farmhouse Cheddar (Ricki Carrols) it was ok but a little bland.  I've done a few caerphillys and Manchegos and they have been great and they are ready in a 3-4 weeks.  Have your bought apress or making one?  I bought my first one, spring loaded one, but I couldn't control the press weight and my first ones had mechanical holes because the weight wasn't constant.  So I built my own.

[boothrf]

Nice press Mal, might even be able to manage that myself! did you use some plans, or just make it up?

[OzzieCheese]

I sort of had a plan but it was mainly just gathered from other images on this forum and some pictures on the 'Net' .  One word of advise though make sure it fits in your workspace.  I had to modify my original as it was way too large. Opps 

== Mal

[OzzieCheese]

Added rennet 11:03 @ 32 degrees stirred in
Flocculation time @ 9 minutes – a bit fast but at 3.5 therefore 32 minutes so curd cut @ 11:35

[boothrf]

yeah....my dad did that, built a dog kennel, then couldn't get it out of the room.... ha ha 

[OzzieCheese]

That is sooo funny...    Curd cutting

[OzzieCheese]

Now where did I get to  .... the temp raise to 100 deg F (38 C).  this took 30 minutes.  Needed to keep removing and replacing the curds in the double boiler to make sure I kept to the Temp gradient.  The next was the 30 minute stirring.  The first photo is at the end of the cooking and the second is after the 30 minute stirring.  Notice the curd shrinkage in 30 minutes .... what a fantastic process.  It still is wonderous. .

now is the stirring.  You thought 1 hour was the stirring No... the next bit is. 

-- Mal

[OzzieCheese]

This is the stirring stage...
first gently add the 2 tabs of salt gently stirring in 1 tab .  stir (with your fingers) add the salt and stir in again.
Keeping the curds at 100 deg F gently stir the curds and emptying the whey expelled.  repeat this every 5 minutes for an hour.
The curds will be come firmer at the this process continues, a little like the real cheddarding process on a small scale but you can taste the acidity raising.  This is a good thing.
the first image is just after draining. The second is after the second stirring.

[OzzieCheese]

So after 1 hour of 5 minute stirring intervals.  It is time for pressing . .

1.5kg @ 550 = 15 lbs
1.5kg @ 800 = 20 lbs
4.0Kg @ 700 = 40 lbs
4.0Kg @ 900 = 50 lbs

Oh these are my press arm settings .. from fulcrum to are is 180 cm and with the dead weight of the arm these weight and measurements are from the fulcrum

The first press 15 lb for 10 minutes
The second press 20 lb for 10 minutes
2 hours press begins.  40lb for 2 hours. 
24 hours 50 lbs for 24 hours.