Author Topic: A Tale of Two Cheddars  (Read 6242 times)

bbracken677

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A Tale of Two Cheddars
« on: September 20, 2012, 05:12:26 PM »
It was the best of times, it was the worst best of times!

I did some research before this make, involving long strolls through the Hard Cheddared portion of the forums as well as Pav's website. This recipe is, more or less, an adaptation of Pav's recipe for Cheddared Curds from his website, along with a recipe that Dthelmers developed from the same source. It seems the theory is to achieve a slow ripening phase to develop a more flavorful curd. The adaptation takes it a bit further to produce a shorter ripening cheese, one that can achieve a sharp flavor in much less time.  I have made 2 using the following recipes, one which will be eaten sooner (a month?) and the other will age out a few months. The make notes below are from the 1st & 2nd make...
Later I will make another cheddar using Boofer's recipe, which strives to slow down the acidification to achieve a cheese that should age gracefully over an even longer period. That will be next  ;D

Cheddar Cheese: 1st  Make
FARMHOUSE CHEDDAR
(Dave/Pav’s recipe)(short affinage)

pH Targets:
starting pH: 6.7
rennet: 6.4
drain, cut and stack curds: 6.0
salt curds: 5.5
press: 5.1

Ingredients:
2 gallons of whole raw milk
1/16th  teaspoon MM100 (or Flora Danica)
1/8th teaspoon MD89
1/8th teaspoon of Streptococcus Thermophilus (TA61/62)
1/4th  teaspoon of liquid calf rennet dissolved in 1/4th  cup of cool filtered water
1.5 oz. of kosher salt

1)   Heat the milk to 76ºF, add mesophilic  cultures  and let rehydrate 2 minutes before stirring.
2)   Maintain heat and let ripen (target pH=6.4, this took 3.5 hours).
3)   Slowly increase temperature to 92ºF and add Su Casu. Let ripen for a half hour.
3)   Added rennet.  Flocc was 11 minutes x 3 = 33   …cut curds at rennet + 33 minutes.
4)   Cut curd into 3/8 inch cubes and let rest 15 minutes.
5)   Increase temp to 102 degrees, taking 20 minutes  (hit 102.8 )
6)   Remove whey down to level of curds. Whey pH=   (maintaining 102F) )—pH target 6.0 for drain
7)   Drain curds in cloth/colander, applying pressure to form curd mass, which is then cut into ½ inch slices.
8 )   Stack curds in pot, maintaining some warmth, restacking every 10 minutes. Target pH=5.5
9)   Cut into ½ inch cubes, toss with salt and hoop-gouda mold.  -pH at hooping 5.1
10)   Place mold in press and press at 50-60 lbs for 30 minutes.
11)   Flip and resume 50-60 lbs pressing for another 30 minutes.
12)   Flip and press at 85 lbs.  Flip again after a few hours and resume 85 lbs. overnight.
13)   Remove from mold and let dry a couple/three days flipping a couple times per day.
Age in the cheese cave.

2nd make:

2 gallons raw milk, pH=6.75
¼ tsp. ALP D  (note: 2nd make made in pot with remnants (tablespoon or2) of whey from a previous make-Feta)
¼  tsp. single strength liquid veal rennet  diluted in ¼ cup water
1.5 ounces salt

1)   Warmed milk to 90 degrees (hit 90.8F (11:40 AM)), added cultures and let rehydrate 2 minutes before stirring.
2)   Maintained heat and let ripen (target pH=6.4, this took a couple of hours).(12:40 pH=6.6,  1:56PM  pH= 6.4)
3)   Added rennet @ 1:59PM .  Flocc was 9 minutes x 3 = 27…cut curds at rennet +27= 2:26PM.  Actual cut=2:29PM
4)   Cut curd into 3/8 inch cubes and let rest 15 minutes.
5)   Increased temp to 102 degrees (hit 105.6) over 45 minutes. Stir gently periodically (every 10 minutes or so) —pH target 6.15 (took 30 minutes to get to the pH target, even before I hit the temp target).
6)   Removed whey down to level of curds. Whey pH=6.0 (maintaining 102F)
7)   Drained curds in cloth/colander, applying pressure to form curd mass, which was then cut into ½ inch slices.
8)   Stacked curds in pot, maintaining some warmth, restacking every 10 minutes. Target pH=5.3-5.7 (actual 5.4)
9)   Cut into ½ by 2 inch pieces, tossed with salt and hooped-gouda mold.  -pH at hooping 5.1-5.5 (actual 5.1)
10)   Placed mold in press and pressed at 50-60 lbs for 30 minutes. (4:00PM)
11)   Removed from whey, flipped and resumed 50-60 lbs pressing for another 30 minutes. (4:30PM)
12)   Flipped and pressed at 85 lbs.  Flipped again at 10PM and resumed 85 lbs. overnight

Yield at unmolding 1 lb. 13 oz. and 1 lb. 15 oz.

The 2nd one (pictured) is my best knit yet...getting a better handle on the pressing process. Even though I did make a different cheddar than planned for the 2nd make.
« Last Edit: September 20, 2012, 09:27:08 PM by bbracken677 »

Offline Boofer

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Re: A Tale of Two Cheddars
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2012, 09:14:54 PM »
1/8th teaspoon of Streptococcus Thermophilus (Su Casu or ALP D)
I think for the Streptococcus Thermophilus you want to specify something like TA-61/62, not Alp D, which is a complex mix all to itself.

-Boofer-
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

bbracken677

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Re: A Tale of Two Cheddars
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2012, 09:26:17 PM »
OH..that was my note to myself...will fix...thanks, you are right!   :)

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: A Tale of Two Cheddars
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2012, 03:12:30 PM »
IMHO that is too much Strep thermophilus for cheddars. The TA61 is just an adjunct and should be used in small quantities. You are using as much TA 61 as you are your primary cultures and that is going to give the cheese more of an Italian texture and flavor.

Also MM100 is not the same as Flora Danica. The MM 100 should be your dominant culture, not the MD89. The MD89 is a single species of Lc. b diacetylactis that adds diacetyl (buttery) flavor. It is a weak acidifier and should not be your main culture.

In fact, MM100 already contains Lc. b diacetylactis so you really don't even need to use the MD89.

bbracken677

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Re: A Tale of Two Cheddars
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2012, 03:52:51 PM »
I hear ya Sailor....was conducting an experiment based on 2 recipes:
http://wacheese.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=80:fresh-cheddar-curd-extended-shelf-life&catid=43:moderate-cook-temp&Itemid=66
http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,9225.0.html

The result is a cheese that should exhibit sharper characteristics (in theory) such as one which has been aged longer. We shall see...I am thinking about giving it a taste in a couple of weeks and aging the rest out to about 4 weeks.

My next cheddar make will be based on a Boofer recipe which is designed to be aged a year or so...since I should soon have some cheeses ready to eat, I figure I can tuck one away in the back of the cave for a year or so (also in theory   ;D  )

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: A Tale of Two Cheddars
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2012, 06:11:46 PM »
Pav's recipe is for shelf stable cheese "curds" not cheese. Different animal entirely. Strep thermophilus is sometimes used for "stabilizing" cheeses that would otherwise ripen/over-ripen too quickly. For example, you might add some to a Brie to slow down the proteolysis. And ironically it is also used a lot these days (especially in cheddars) to speed things up later on during the aging process. But that does not mean that you will have a great tasting cheddar in just 2-4 weeks.

It takes time to produce a nicely aged cheese. Why the mad rush?

The hardest thing to learn in this "hobby" is patience. :)

bbracken677

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Re: A Tale of Two Cheddars
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2012, 06:44:17 PM »
I see...so you are saying that I shouldn't bother trying to make a faster ripening cheese as an experiment?
I was well aware what Pav's recipe was for, after all, I can read.
I also read Dthelmer's threads, and was interested in trying it out. I also made a more traditional make which will age longer, and intend (as stated) to make another cheddar to age out to a year. That gives me 3 cheeses to compare and also to learn from.
 

iratherfly

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Re: A Tale of Two Cheddars
« Reply #7 on: September 21, 2012, 10:29:55 PM »
I agree with Sailor's asessment of the cultures and dosages completely.

I also think that if you want to use thermophilus with MM100 - why not just use MA4000 series? That's exactly what it is, MM100+thermophilus.  But anyway, perhaps not with this cheese.

If you want to accelerate ripening, the trick is to create the right environment and not to double up on cultures. Cultures take their time and some things will have to happen in succession for your cheese to produce flavor and texture. The acidification is followeb by breakdown of texture and fatty acids which takes its sweet time no matter what.  When you load the cheese up on cultures, what you end up with is lots of strains competing aggressively for the same neutrients. Some strains will win and others will die in starvation, and the cheese will run out of lactose too soon. It's a bit like loading up bread with sugar and yeast to make it rise faster. It works, but you get bread that tastes like yeast and has unrefined textures and dense holes. Not enough time for the gluten to work.

My suggestion if you want to speed up ripening on a cheese like this is actually to cut back on cultures and focus on a basic mix that give you what you want, such as MM100. Then add LBC80 to it. This will ripen the cheese faster without acidifying it. It accelerates the texture and flavor development properties.

But as sailor said... patience is key. Just drop is in the back of the cave and forget about it for 3 months. It's worth it!

bbracken677

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Re: A Tale of Two Cheddars
« Reply #8 on: September 21, 2012, 10:52:32 PM »
Why didnt yall ask those questions of Dthelmers when he first posted the recipe? I pretty much followed that recipe verbatim, which you would have noticed had you followed the link I posted.
I found the thread interesting and followed the recipe.
As I said, regarding patience, I have 3 makes in my schedule, one (above) for a quick eat, the 2nd (also above) for a few months (like 6) and then the third for a year.
The purpose is to have 3 different makes and aging to try, test compare.
I will not discuss this any longer.

iratherfly

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Re: A Tale of Two Cheddars
« Reply #9 on: September 22, 2012, 12:44:30 AM »
Sorry... I only saw this today for the first time when I was looking at latest posts.

bbracken677

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Re: A Tale of Two Cheddars
« Reply #10 on: October 04, 2012, 01:14:59 AM »
No problem...it just seemed as if no one, Sailor, was reading anything  I posted, including the opening paragraph, except for the actual recipe. The opening paragraph identified Pav's recipe as for cheese curds...etc etc.

I don't mind, and indeed have welcomed,  constructive criticism, however I do mind criticism for the sake of criticism.

I appreciate all the help and advice I have received previously...You and Sailor are great resources. All I ask is to try to fully read the text before jumping   :)

Offline Boofer

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Re: A Tale of Two Cheddars
« Reply #11 on: October 04, 2012, 04:25:42 AM »
No problem...it just seemed as if no one was reading anything  I posted
You, sir, are being watched. 8) Feel it?

See, no reason to be paranoid....

Some of us just like to camp and linger in the background...scarcely uttering a word.  A)

-Boofer-
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

bbracken677

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Re: A Tale of Two Cheddars
« Reply #12 on: October 04, 2012, 12:18:26 PM »
I meant this particular post...I lurk a bit myself at times   :)
It just seemed that a massive miscommunication (lack of) was occurring and yet illiciting responses.

bbracken677

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Re: A Tale of Two Cheddars
« Reply #13 on: October 04, 2012, 12:31:08 PM »
No problem...it just seemed as if no one was reading anything  I posted
You, sir, are being watched. 8) Feel it?

See, no reason to be paranoid....

Some of us just like to camp and linger in the background...scarcely uttering a word.  A)

-Boofer-

hmm...you aren't paranoid if "they" really are out to get you!  Which is a good reason to wear foil hats and underwear!  The voices told me that!

haha!

Offline Boofer

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Re: A Tale of Two Cheddars
« Reply #14 on: October 07, 2012, 02:22:44 PM »
Yeah, my straitjacket's out at the cleaners, so I'm free as a bird this weekend.  ::)

-Boofer-
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.