Author Topic: refrigerated fresh cheese  (Read 2050 times)

jwwbrennan

  • Guest
refrigerated fresh cheese
« on: July 10, 2012, 09:00:47 PM »
Do fresh cheeses made with unpasteurized milk age differently than pasteurized or store bought cheese? I made mozzarella with unpasteurized milk and kept a small bit in a sealed glass container to nibble away every day to see what changes and how. I am interested in how many days there are before it becomes undesirable so I will know how to divide and store future efforts. I am at day nine and although I won't take it this far again it has no dark surface mold. I have never actually timed it but seem to recall store bought would have a coat on by now.   

mtncheesemaker

  • Guest
Re: refrigerated fresh cheese
« Reply #1 on: July 11, 2012, 02:38:38 AM »
I figure it's good as long as it tastes good. Mold will give an off flavor. Some fresh cheeses can be frozen also.

iratherfly

  • Guest
Re: refrigerated fresh cheese
« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2012, 06:24:09 AM »
I wouldn't keep it more than a week. Regardless, when Mozarella is heated during making it kind of pasteurizes it if it's hot enough. If you cultured it naturally it will last longer because of the competition effect from your cultures vs bacterial growth. If you used acid instead (citric acid, vinegar, lemon juice, etc.) than you won't have that effect.

In any event, Mozzarella is not meant to be aged and this is not aging. This is just shelf life.

jwwbrennan

  • Guest
Re: refrigerated fresh cheese
« Reply #3 on: July 11, 2012, 09:46:02 AM »
I used thermophilic culture and it became unpleasant, or at least less than fresh, after about six days and I wouldn't want it on pizza or in omelets after that point. I froze half and will see how it turns out. Next time I might try the recommended method of freezing it in smaller quantities just before heating and stretching and then thawing and continuing with the remaining steps.

I wasn't certain if 'aging' referred strictly to the intentional, beneficial process or if it also included the less desirable, sittin'-round-gettin'-ugly process.

"it's good as long as it tastes good" sounds like a good cheesemaking maxim to me. How did we ever get to fearing our food so much? From pickles to homemade bacon some of us fear for our lives if it isn't industrially produced.

Thanks.

george

  • Guest
Re: refrigerated fresh cheese
« Reply #4 on: July 11, 2012, 09:48:01 AM »
And some of us fear for our lives if it IS industrially produced.   ;D

iratherfly

  • Guest
Re: refrigerated fresh cheese
« Reply #5 on: July 11, 2012, 07:18:16 PM »
"Aging" refers to the practice of intentionally refining cheese over time, hence the confusion.  Mozarella doesn't stay alive for long time. If you want to experience stretched curd aging, try making Provolone, Caciocavallo or Scamorza!

jwwbrennan

  • Guest
Re: refrigerated fresh cheese
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2012, 09:18:42 AM »
Scamorza Affumicate sounds tasty and interesting - good texture, nice smokey flavour with Shakespearean overtones. Not everyone leans towards 'beheaded' when naming a cheese. I never heard the name before but it is up there on my list when I figure out how to smoke it with a Weber smoker.

Thanks
« Last Edit: July 12, 2012, 12:52:30 PM by jwwbrennan »