This is the fifth cheese make ever so I was pretty curious what I had since I have made obvious rookie mistakes for the first three to four makes. I began and continue my cheese making endeavors with raw Jersey milk and have since learned the need to cut down on the amount of culture and rennet when using raw milk. I didn’t expect this to be very good because of this and, is the reason I continue to cut into these first makes early especially after the super over-acidified first Gouda make which I confuse with a cheddared (Chihuahua), make. Well this was a pleasant surprise but, first the make which came from the recipe link on NEC's website:
http://www.cheesemaking.com/Gouda.html3 gal raw Jersey milk
¼ tsp. MM100
½ tsp. Single strength veal rennet.
April 28th, 2012
02:25pm: Inoculate 87F milk with MM100
02:30pm: Stir down. Ripen for 30 min. Temperature 87F.
02:59pm: Add rennet. Hold for 45 min.
03:43pm: Clean break! Pre-cut curds to 1 inch cubes, let rest 3 min.
03:46pm: Start final cut to 3/8 inch over 5 min. Temperature 86F
03:52pm: Stir curds for 15 min.
04:10pm: Removed 1/3rd whey and added 130F water. Temperature to 100F
04:15pm: Stirred curds 15 min. Temperature 100F.
04:30pm: Filled molds under whey and pressed lightly for 45 min.
05:15pm: Removed molds from whey and pressed for 45 min.
06:00pm: Flipped and redressed, pressing for 45 min.
06:45pm: Flipped and redressed, pressing for 45 min.
07:30pm: Flipped and redressed, pressing for 8.5 hours.
April 29th, 2012
04:00am: Unwrapped and rested in mold at 50F
01:30pm: Into brine for 8.5 hours.
10:00pm: Out of brine to dry.
May 10th, 2012
5:00pm: Waxed and into cave at 52F.
Well sliced today at 45 days. I was bracing for more over-acidified curd and was hugely surprised to find a very nice flavorful Gouda with classic texture, wonderful flavor and, and, well and just a Gouda the way I like it. Aftertaste was nutty and buttery all at once. No bitterness, no crumbliness. There is nothing negative I can say about this outcome. I am most definitely hooked and should Gouda make no. 3, currently in the cave not prove better, then this will be my make for this cheese.