I, like so many others, am new to cheese making. I have watched many videos, visited many websites, and purchased a couple of books. I really want to do this.
I have tried 4 times to make a Farmhouse cheddar. Each time it has taken at least 4-5 hours to get a clean break. Here is my process:
Using sterilized stainless steel, heat 2 gallons of store bought whole milk (pasteurized and homogenized) with calcium chloride added, to 90 degrees. wait 45 minutes. Add mesophilic starter, wait 45 minutes. Add 1/2 rennet tablet diluted in distilled water. I am using store bought Junket rennet, and purchased a 2nd box, thinking maybe the first was old. Still taking way too long to set.
I am using room temperature distilled water, and read on this forum that it needs to be cold (recipe calls for cool). Could that be the problem? By the time I get a clean break, the milk has cooled down quite a bit.
I have read a lot of this forum and learned a lot from it. Thanks to those of you who are helping the beginners like me.