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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Hard Grana (Grating Cheesee) => Topic started by: chilipepper on February 12, 2009, 06:28:14 PM

Title: Chilipepper's Cheese #014 - Parmesan
Post by: chilipepper on February 12, 2009, 06:28:14 PM
Well I build another Parmesan pretty much based on my previous attempt HERE  (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,781.0.html)with a few differences that I will note here. 

2/8/09 - Using 4 gallons of raw milk (Jersey).  I allowed two gallons to sit overnight and the cream to separate.  I siphoned the milk out from under the cream of 2 gallons and then added this 'skim' milk to two gallons of raw milk. 

Heated with water bath to 90 degrees and added 1/8 tsp of each TA61 and LH100 cultures and allowed to ripen for 45 minutes.

At which point I added 1/2 tsp of Liquid Veggie Rennet and allowed to set for 30 minutes and had a very good curd set and clean break at that point.

I used a large commercial whisk to cut the curd which worked out really well to get the curd down to pea sized or smaller.  Way easier than trying to utilize a knife and curt 1/4 inch cubes and then still having to beat these down.

Raised temp to 124 degrees over 45 minutes and allowed to cook at 124 for 30 minutes stirring during cooking.  I allowed the curd to settle and mat for another 15 minutes.  Whey pH at this point was 5.6.  Ladled off much of the whey and then drained remainder briefly in cloth lined colander, maybe 3-5 minutes.

Press for 40 minutes at approximately 15 lbs
Redress and flip
Press for 1 hour at approximately 20 lbs
Redress and flip
Press for 18.5 hours at approximately 20 lbs

Remove and put in saturated brine for 48 hours.

(http://www.kesabe.com/cheese/parmesan0101.jpg)
Title: Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #014 - Parmesan
Post by: Cartierusm on February 12, 2009, 08:05:38 PM
Looks good Ryan, you're a cheesemaking machine.
Title: Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #014 - Parmesan
Post by: Tea on February 12, 2009, 08:58:25 PM
That looks excellent, love the finish that you achieved.  So which recipe do you think you prefer.  This one or the original one, and why did you want to make the changes in the first place?
Title: Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #014 - Parmesan
Post by: chilipepper on February 12, 2009, 09:16:06 PM
Thanks!  The things that changed were pretty subtil and based on circumstance and a little on recent discussions here.  First off I had just received a new batch of cultures so I went with a more traditional mix of cultures.  I also used amounts as indicated on the literature for those cultures.  Secondly I had just got a huge wire whisk to use for this and the manchego to break up the curd into small pieces without the need for the tedious cutting.

Lastly, based on some of the discussion here, I allowed the cooked curd to settle in the whey and start to mass together. I did this in an attempt to keep the curd as warm as possible going into the mold and press.  The one thing I did notice is very clear whey while pressing where my last batch was a little milky.

So some subtle changes and hopefully better results... too bad I will not be able to fully evaluate the effects for some time!  :'(
Title: Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #014 - Parmesan
Post by: Cartierusm on February 12, 2009, 10:58:22 PM
Ryan, what mix of cultures? Where did you get them? What amounts?
Title: Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #014 - Parmesan
Post by: chilipepper on February 12, 2009, 11:11:05 PM
TA61 - (ST) Streptococcus thermophilus
and
LH100 - (LH) Lactobacillus helveticus & (LBL) Lactobacillus lactis

Both are Choozit from Danisco.  I used 1/8 tsp of each for the 3.5 gallon batch.
Title: Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #014 - Parmesan
Post by: Cartierusm on February 12, 2009, 11:26:31 PM
That's exactly how I do it, except I sing to the cultures to keep them happy.
Title: Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #014 - Parmesan
Post by: Likesspace on February 13, 2009, 02:24:52 AM
Ryan, the cheese looks fantastic!
Hopefully we'll both be happy (in about 10 months or so) with our attempts at parmesan.
One thing that I've noticed is that on nearly every "high temperature" cheese, they recommend "pitching" the curd (allowing it to settle and begin to mat at the bottom of the vat). I'm not sure why this is important with the high temp varieties, but it does seem to make the curd knit together really nicely upon pressing.
I did a Toscano Pepato this past weekend and the recipe stated that the "pitching" was a very important step in the process. I did it, even though I had no idea WHY I was doing it.
Regardless, it did seem to produce a very nice curd knit so I guess I don't have to know why. :-)

Dave
Title: Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #014 - Parmesan
Post by: Tea on February 14, 2009, 08:43:00 PM
Quote
That's exactly how I do it, except I sing to the cultures to keep them happy.

Maybe that where you are going wrong... ::)