Author Topic: Cheddar me that  (Read 8465 times)

max1

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Re: Cheddar me that
« Reply #15 on: August 18, 2012, 04:49:54 PM »
6.4 milling target?  That seems a bit high.  I think you mean 5.4, no?

Offline Boofer

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Re: Cheddar me that
« Reply #16 on: August 19, 2012, 03:45:02 PM »
No, 6.4 is correct. The initial pH of the milk was 6.89, which is pretty high for milk in my area.

I realize that a lot of Cheddar recipes call for milling around 5.4, but I wanted to try to avoid a dry, crumbly cheese so I milled earlier to slow the progress of the acidity. The cheese came out of the press later at 5.14, so it will have some tang to it. The problem is...I won't know for another 6-9 months whether this cheese is a success or not.

-Boofer-
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Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

bbracken677

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Re: Cheddar me that
« Reply #17 on: September 19, 2012, 04:27:41 PM »
Boofer! Have you tried this cheese yet?  I am wondering about the use of ALP D for cheddars, whether that is a good option or not.

Offline Boofer

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Re: Cheddar me that
« Reply #18 on: September 20, 2012, 07:09:28 AM »
Too early, Bruce.

I looked at a number of Cheddar makes in the forum and tried to analyze Hansen's Cheddar brief to determine what direction I should take. The brief states that Cheddar-type cheeses are primarily mesophilic-based and considers Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris. It also talks about blending mesophilic and thermophilic strains. Add to this a desire to possibly highlight flavor and texture through the use of Lactobacillus helveticus and Lactobacillus casei.

I played the Mad Scientist and figured that Alp D might be a suitable candidate to offer up most of these cultures in a Cheddar. Time will tell, I'm afraid. My desire is to not break into Cheddar Me This and Cheddar Me That for 12 months. Sometime in between now and then I have a Wasabi Cheddar on the docket. That little can of wasabi powder stares at me whenever I open the pantry door.  :P

You may notice that both of those makes have a similar culture mix, but arrive at it from different directions.

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

bbracken677

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Re: Cheddar me that
« Reply #19 on: September 20, 2012, 09:31:38 AM »
Yeah...I was particularly interested in your slow acidification approach, which makes sense to me. I think a faster acidification approach would be an approach for a short aged cheese. I think I am going to try both methods, cutting into one early and the other much later.

tnbquilt

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Re: Cheddar me that
« Reply #20 on: December 23, 2012, 03:19:15 PM »

I realize that a lot of Cheddar recipes call for milling around 5.4, but I wanted to try to avoid a dry, crumbly cheese so I milled earlier to slow the progress of the acidity. The cheese came out of the press later at 5.14, so it will have some tang to it. The problem is...I won't know for another 6-9 months whether this cheese is a success or not.

-Boofer-
[/quote]

I want to know what you mean by "so the cheese will have some tang to it". Does the low ph cause the tang or a high ph? I have some cheddar I made last year and it has a tang to it so I didn't know it was the ph level that might cause it. I have been calling it the "It's not ready to eat yet tang", but it's a year old.

I have learned so much about cheddar in the past 2 weeks since I started reading this forum. I haven't made cheddar since last February because I wasn't able to get it to knit properly. I read on one of Boofer's posts about pressing in the pot and WALAHH I took one out of the press this morning and it was all knitted this time.

Offline Boofer

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Re: Cheddar me that
« Reply #21 on: December 23, 2012, 04:34:45 PM »
Yeah, Tammy, sour foods have an acidic "tang". Some is good. Too much, not so good, and the cheese may be dry, crumbly, overly acidic.

Typical calibration levels:
  • Low pH =~ 4.00  (acid)
  • neutral pH = 7.00
  • High pH =~ 10.00  (base)
Congrats on your voilà moment. The "pressing in the pot" idea comes to us from Sailor. Duly credited. ;)

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

bbracken677

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Re: Cheddar me that
« Reply #22 on: December 23, 2012, 04:52:49 PM »

Congrats on your voilà moment. The "pressing in the pot" idea comes to us from Sailor. Duly credited. ;)

-Boofer-

Outstanding! I suspected as much, but I entered the scene, apparently, after that introduction and was not really sure who to credit. I think, Boofer, that at one time you sent me a document illustrating how to do it which was originally from Linuxboy...but I knew that there was further history I was not aware of.

Thanks for the clarification, and thank you Sailor! (and Boofer, Linuxboy, for the document that helped me out). I have since developed my methodology for pressing around that document in a way that made it easier for me to implement. Also, I would like to thank JeffHamm for some points he clarified for me, personally.

tnbquilt

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Re: Cheddar me that
« Reply #23 on: December 23, 2012, 05:41:34 PM »
So bbracken is sailor?

I appreciate the pressing in the pot technique share. I have tried wrapping hot towels around it, and pressing it harder. While wrapping hot towels around it helped, the towels get cold pretty quick. The pressing in the pot holds the heat in nicely and it worked just fine.

bbracken677

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Re: Cheddar me that
« Reply #24 on: December 23, 2012, 08:47:46 PM »
No no no...I am a rank amateur (stress the rank)  lol Sailor Qon Queso  is the pro!  :)

Offline Boofer

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Re: Cheddar me that
« Reply #25 on: March 27, 2013, 05:33:14 AM »
Well, I decided to cut into this wheel this afternoon. Seemed like a good time.

There has been some residual moisture in the bag which I have attempted to dry up on several occasions. The rind is whitish because of that moisture.

Cutting into this cheese causes it to cleave before I have finished my cut. It spalls off at the cleave point. I would expect some spalling for an aged Cheddar. The taste is mildly sharp. It could have used a little more salt. Undoubtedly some was lost at milling. The flavor is more prominent when the cheese is melted. This could possibly be an excellent grilled cheese sandwich candidate. ;)

I cut into six sections and vacuum-sealed them.

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

JeffHamm

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Re: Cheddar me that
« Reply #26 on: March 27, 2013, 06:42:31 AM »
Now that is a fine looking cheddar Boofer!  I tried to give you a cheese for it, but I have to wait as I just cheesed your garlic gouda. 

- Jeff

There, my hour is up a few times over now, so a cheese to you!
« Last Edit: March 27, 2013, 06:05:40 PM by JeffHamm »

bbracken677

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Re: Cheddar me that
« Reply #27 on: March 27, 2013, 12:20:53 PM »
Nice job on the Cheddar!  A cheese for you Boofer!