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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => ADJUNCT - Blue Mold (Penicillium roqueforti) Ripened => Topic started by: Cartierusm on February 01, 2009, 07:31:48 AM

Title: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Cartierusm on February 01, 2009, 07:31:48 AM

I'll be making an 8 gallon blue cheese today and that should yield me a 4" high 10" diameter cheese, which should be plenty big for a blue cheese. I'll post updates tomorrow.

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Tea on February 01, 2009, 09:36:04 PM

So... how's the cheese going?

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Cartierusm on February 01, 2009, 09:46:16 PM

Good, I just added the rennet. I'll post pics when I'm done.

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Likesspace on February 02, 2009, 02:13:23 AM

Come on Carter, I know it's Super Bowl Sunday, (watching the game right now) but we want to see some pics and hear an update.
Looking foward to seeing how this one turns out.

Dave

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Cartierusm on February 02, 2009, 03:46:19 AM

Everything well very good today. The final PH I took about an hour ago after flipping in the mold for a few hours was 5.5 which is in line with figures I have from other sources. Here are some pics.

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Cartierusm on February 02, 2009, 03:48:48 AM

More pics.

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Cartierusm on February 02, 2009, 03:50:48 AM

More Pics.

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Cartierusm on February 02, 2009, 03:54:12 AM

I think I'll be sending chunks of this to everyone here its a big cheese.

I'll be making 3 cheese this week, 15 gal. Parmesan, 15 gal Stilton and another farmhouse cheddar so I can perfect my waxing technique.

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Captain Caprine on February 02, 2009, 05:56:48 AM

Carter,
I think your cheese making efforts alone are keeping the California dairy business in the black.
Way to go!
CC

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Cartierusm on February 02, 2009, 07:14:36 AM

LOL, thanks Captain. I want to perfect Parmesan, it's hard because it doesn't knit together very well when pressing.

I'm going to take a page from John or maybe it was Dave, keep the curds in the whey right up to the time to ladle into the mold.

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Likesspace on February 02, 2009, 06:16:58 PM

Carter,
Looks great!
As for the parmesan, I did get a really good knit on the curds I made this weekend.
I'll get a pic up tonight if I have time but if not within the next day or so.
If you ever decide to eat all of the cheese you've been making, that Tabasco colonic might not be a joke. :-)

Dave

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: chilipepper on February 02, 2009, 06:26:06 PM

Congrats on the big blue!! 

Dave, I was thinking the same thing on the Tabasco colonic.  At the rate and volume Carter is producing cheese you might even have to ramp that up to the Habanero colonic if he were to take up eating cheese as a profession! ;D

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Cartierusm on February 02, 2009, 09:58:57 PM

You guys!!

Chili, what you said reminds me of "Old School" "Here's to you Old Blue".

I went to the doctor and told him I have a piece of cheese for him, I just didn't tell him where it was.

It's hard to remember but I have to keep reminding myself I"m not making 2 gallon cheese and I have to start using my sense of feel for these things. Such as I drained this overnight as I normally do and was going to salt this afternoon after work. It's 8 freakin' gallons and I'm still getting drain off. I can't go by time on these big wheels I'll just keep flipping until whey stops leaking out.

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: chilipepper on February 03, 2009, 04:19:07 AM

Old School is one of my favorites. I laughed my butt off: "You're my boy, Blue! You're my boy. "  "We're going streaking!"... classic.

I suppose keep flipping it. Did you have any of the cling-on (Klingon) problems John was having?

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Cartierusm on February 03, 2009, 07:29:06 AM

Not in the kitchen, if you catch my meaning. ;)

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Cartierusm on February 04, 2009, 01:29:39 AM

Pics, it's a monster, I was hoping it was shorter as Blue is not supposed to be super tall, but I'll live.

The cans are for size comparison, Coke for the Men and of course Diet Coke for the ladies.

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Likesspace on February 04, 2009, 01:37:57 AM

That might just be the best example of a blue cheese wheel I've ever laid my eyes on. Seriously.
I am really becoming envious of the wheels you turn out.
Great work Carter. I can't wait to see this one once the bluing starts.

Dave

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Cartierusm on February 04, 2009, 01:51:26 AM

Thanks Dave. Bluing=Bliss

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Tea on February 04, 2009, 08:59:29 PM

That certainly looks very impressive.  You are going to be eating blue until it come out of your ears!

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Cartierusm on February 05, 2009, 04:24:31 AM

Thanks. I plan to give some away. But maybe you're right and I shouldn't make that much of a cheese that onced aged is ready to go.

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: chilipepper on February 05, 2009, 03:10:49 PM

Carter, no problem you'll just have to up the game on our Tabasco intake....  ;D ;D ;D
(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/107/252202927_3536cad34e.jpg?v=1159172896)

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Tea on February 05, 2009, 08:22:39 PM

If you have lots of friends to give it away too, then it shouldn't be a problem, but I'm just thinking that a lot of cheese to eat.  What is it's shelf life once ripe?

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Cartierusm on February 06, 2009, 03:43:07 AM

Once a blue is in the regular frig and wrapped it can last a very long time, probably months. I keep store bought blue in there that long without any extra mold growing.

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Bella on February 06, 2009, 07:49:17 AM

Wow! That is a great looking cheese, Carter.  Congratulations!

What did you use for the mould?

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Cartierusm on February 06, 2009, 08:32:26 AM

My molds. I make them. 10" mold.

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Cheese Head on February 08, 2009, 04:12:20 AM

Me I drink Coke Zero ;D.

Carter, are you going to smooth the surface of that big head of blue like you did on your previous one, or did I miss that step?

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Cartierusm on February 08, 2009, 04:28:55 AM

No that is purely a Stilton thing. From all the recipes I have blue only gets salted on the outside for 2-8 days depending on size. You want an overall salt content of 4%. I guess I should measure how much salt I'm using everytime by premeasuring an amount and then take the mass of the unit?

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Cartierusm on February 18, 2009, 02:16:56 AM

Here's a pic of the blue, nothing happening yet.

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Likesspace on February 18, 2009, 02:47:33 AM

Carter,
Shouldn't there be some bluing after 13 days?
Maybe a day at room temp. would do it some good.
Just a suggestion.
Regardless, it looks wonderful.
Keep us informed.

Dave

Title: Re: 8 Gallon Blue Cheese
Post by: Cartierusm on February 18, 2009, 03:48:28 AM

Dave, this a blue not a stilton, with blues you salt the outside for 3-9 days to retard the mold, you want mold on the inside not so much on the outside.