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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 10, 2009, 12:48:59 AM
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I'm working on a 15 gallon Stilton right now pictures when it's ready to cut and such.
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... you really like these 15 gallon batches, don't you ;D
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No what gives you that impression? Are you a mind reader? ;D
Yeah, I just like the look of the bigger wheels, plus in bigger sizes you get a lot more cheese, from what I hear. I'm always looking forward so if I make a really good batch I have more. It's like cigars I love cigars but I don't ever buy the "Limited Edition" ones because let's say I love them and can't get enough then I'm screwed as limited means expensive and only for a limited time. Maybe not a good analagy, but you get the point. This one is going to be huge I think.
What are you making now?
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I am waiting impatiently for the 2 farmhouse Cheddars I made at the weekend to be edible, so that I can find out if they're... well, edible!
Mrs has instructed me that I am to make a Stilton, so I will be watching your progress with great interest!
This weekend, if I get the chance, I will get to the dairy shop and buy 2 gallons of 145f pasteurised whole milk. At $5.69/gallon, I may hold fire on that till I have a couple more test batches under my belt!
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Looking forward to seeing this one, Carter.
Just the thought of flipping a 15 lb. cheese makes me cringe and I don't even want to think about smoothing a monster like this.
Have I mentioned that I really hate the smoothing processs on a Stilton? It's some of the most tedious work I've ever encountered.
Also, the amount of cheese that I got off of my last (2 gallon Stilton) is A LOT.
I gave one large sized wedge to my parents. I'm eating on another and have two more in the freezer. I hope you have lots of friends and family that you can share this with.
Looking forward to the pics.
One thing I would suggest (and I'm far from an expert on this cheese) is to smooth the rind as soon as possible, before any surface bluing begins.
On my next batch I'm going to try removing from the mold on day three or four and smooth the surface right away. I need to figure out what gave me the classic Stilton rind so I can duplicate it on every batch.
Dave
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what do you think your yield with this will be - about 1.25lb per gallon? ???
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Guys and Ladies, I typed this before the disaster:
Here are some pre-pics of the break after curd set. I haven't recieved my new CaCl2 so I didn't use any. Stilton uses less rennet so all things considered I got a pretty good set as I've said in other threads I don't think I'll be using CaCl2 anymore.
I will post pics tomorrow so Dave keep a lid on the impatient thing ;).
What a freaking nightmare, at least my kitchen needed to be cleaned head to toe. Needless to say trying to move this amount of curds that's supposed to be soft is a freaking headache. There are curd splashed all over my kitchen, well not anymore. I even had to a take a shower, thank god it's that time of year anyway.
When I make a large cheddar or parm it's easy because the curds are not all that soft. Anyway more tomorrow.
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:o
oh, dear!
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Okay, I tried to be patient...
I really did....
The problem is that even when you SAID you were posting "pre-pics" of the make, you didn't attach a thing!
Carter....my friend.....the mind is a terrible thing to waste.
Also, "tomorrow" is nearly over and there are still no photos attached to this post.
You are just lucky that I've been seeking counseling for my patience issues and will not allow your negligence to bring me down. Of course that could just be the Cabernet talking. :)
Dave
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ya, where are the pics? I want to see you covered head to toe in curd!
I noticed you said re: a shower "it's that time of the year anyway"
I'm beginning to suspect you must be single! :D
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Sorry Joy, I'm taken, but I do live alone, second the shower thing was a joke. I try to take one every week...just in case that was a joke too.
Man you people are hard to please. The pics are just of the break as the cheese is still in the mold and I was so frustrated that I didn't bother to take pics. But I've rectified the problem and came up with a very clean easy way to transfer curds and drain without any hassle.
P.S. It looks mushy but remember Stilton uses half the amount of rennet and no CaCl2, so I think I got a pretty good set.
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Sorry Joy, I'm taken, but I do live alone, second the shower thing was a joke. I try to take one every week...just in case that was a joke too.
I know, Carter. I was joshin ya. thus the :D
Man you people are hard to please. The pics are just of the break as the cheese is still in the mold and I was so frustrated that I didn't bother to take pics. But I've rectified the problem and came up with a very clean easy way to transfer curds and drain without any hassle.
P.S. It looks mushy but remember Stilton uses half the amount of rennet and no CaCl2, so I think I got a pretty good set.
That *IS* mushy. Thanks for the pics it makes it easier to know how to do this in the future. I love the web.
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I know you knew and that you knew that I knew.
How's your Cave coming did the DH finish it yet?
As I said it's mushy looking but was actually firmish.
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I know you knew and that you knew that I knew.
How's your Cave coming did the DH finish it yet?
As I said it's mushy looking but was actually firmish.
His hygrometer with the probe didn't work (really it was way off), so I had to order him another one after searching for one on amazon, I found a remote hygrometer. We'll see how that works, this one was a 1/4 of the price of the original one he bought. There aren't very many of those out there! So no he's not finished. We did get what you sent, though, but he hasn't gotten it all set up yet. Thanks for sending that btw.
I'll have to nag him, but I'm good at that...
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If you keep posting, I'll have to keep posting and I'll never get to anything else tonight. ;D
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Carter=impatient Dave=impatient Carter=impatient only because he thinks something might be going wrong.
So after a day of flipping the Stilton, after milling and salting, there is no whey at all draining, not a drop. When I push on the follower, I use a follower for a little weight and protection on top, it compresses but it springy. Since I had so much going wrong yesterday when I was making it I think i might have drained it too much.
So thinking there is not enough moisture left to let the curds knit together I decided to press the Stilton a little. I used about 10 pounds of force. I was going to leave it overnight and then after 10 minutes or so after turning on the press I went into the kitchen right before bed and there was about 4 oz. of whey draining. I turned off the press and left it. At least my curiousity is at bay and I'll just flip from now on. I might not wait 4 days as normal to smooth the rind and cave.
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So the wheel is out of the mold. It had an odd smell, well not odd but ripened cheese smell, it's very hard to describe almost like a type of body odor, but not sour, and not the smell milk has when it goes bad, it might be normal and I don't remember or did notice before as my other batches were only 5 gallon not 15. Here are before and after pics of the smoothing. It's in the cave now and the beer bottle makes it look small but it's 16 pounds. It was not as compact as others I have made, mainly because the curds are more springy.
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Hey Carter,
Put a few candles in that thing and we'll sing happy birth day. :D
CC
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ROTFLMAO good one. that's funny as hell.
P.S. My birthday is in a week too.
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What is the diameter of your wheels?
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Wayne you should know this by now, all my wheels are 10".
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Here's a pic of the beauty as it's just starting to develop mold.
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That is one unbelievable wheel of cheese!
Just another thought.....
Once you get a good surface bluing on this one could you just slide it a little closer the the other wheel.
That might be just the kick start it needs.
Dave
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so, with that 16lb lump of Stilton you would need..... about a keg of barleywine to wash it down with ;D
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Stuart you and your barleywine..LOL
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Stuart you and your barleywine..LOL
well, it *is* the good stuff - hey, it makes Stilton edible!
:P
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I haven't commented that much in this thread, but your pictures are impressive, Carter.
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Thanks.
You should see them now the blue has gone crazy. Maybe I'll make a video series, "Blues Gone Wild".
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Thanks.
You should see them now the blue has gone crazy. Maybe I'll make a video series, "Blues Gone Wild".
Hahaha, are you gonna have little stars over the nasty bits?
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Thanks.
You should see them now the blue has gone crazy. Maybe I'll make a video series, "Blues Gone Wild".
Hahaha, are you gonna have little stars over the nasty bits?
Ow! Tea went up my *nose* at that comment!
:D
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LadyLiberty...
Great line.
Cracked me up.
LOL
Dave
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;D
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Tea the drink or Tea our forum member in Aussie? I'd guess its the former not the latter.