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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Hard Grana (Grating Cheesee) => Topic started by: Flound on March 03, 2014, 04:21:48 PM

Title: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Flound on March 03, 2014, 04:21:48 PM
So after 4 wheels under my belt, my noobity figured it's time I actually make a tasty cheese to go with the bresaola, capicola and pancettas I make. And of course, my all time great weakness, fresh handmade pasta.

So I said to the cheese minions, "Bring on the Romano!"

And they exclaimed, "Woohoo! Ro-Man-O! Ro-Man-O! Ro-Man-O!" (They're prone to chanting and the rule of threes)

Regardless, I tackled the make yesterday afternoon;

Romano. 3/02/2014

3:00 milk and cream at room temp, 20.4C - started to warm to 31C.

3:45 lipase added 0.25 teaspoon temp 32.6C

3:55 starter added temp 32.3C

4:11 CaCl added temp 31.9C

4:20 rennet added, 2.3ml in 60ml distilled water, timer started, temp 30.6C

4:37 floc at 16m30s, cut curd 5:02 temp 30.8C

4:48 temp 30.6C

4:55 temp 30.8C

5:02 cut curd into quarter cm temp 30.6C, finished 5:06 ten minutes to let curds rest

5:16 stirred curds gently temp 30.9C

5:21 stirred temp 31.8C

5:29 stirred temp 33.0C

5:40 stirred temp 35.5C

5:47 stirred temp 37.1C

5:53 stirred temp 38.5C

5:58 stirred temp 40.1C

6:01 stirred temp 41.4C

6:06 stirred temp 42.3C

6:10 stirred temp 43.4C

6:16 stirred temp 45.8C moved to sink bath

6:30 stirred twice, temp 45.4C

6:50 temp 45.7C, drained whey, transferred to mold.

7:00 pressed in mold, in bottom double boiler to keep curds warm during knit 5kg

7:35 removed from mold, nice knit, flipped and redressed, put in press under 12.5 kg for three hours.

10:30 removed, flipped, redressed, under 23kg for 12 hours

Next day

6:30 removed, removed cloth, pressed without cloth to smooth surface. Under 25kg.

11:00 removed from press, pierced lightly with fork all over, placed in saturated brine for 12 hours. Weight 1180g.

I'll post pictures when it comes out of the brine.

While in the middle of the make, I was chatting with @JeffHamm, just after making a pancetta and bresaola. Which meant my iPad lost juice and no pictures of the make.

I did get pics of the charcuterie goodies though. I know it's not directly on topic, but it's a good marrying. :)

Bresaola

(http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa474/Flound/image_zpsa9f71a49.jpg)

Pancetta

(http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa474/Flound/image_zps94532266.jpg)

(http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa474/Flound/image_zps5124b66c.jpg)










Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: JeffHamm on March 03, 2014, 05:32:06 PM
Make sounds good.  Next time, though, don't do that pierce with the fork thing.  I don't know what that is supposed to do (though it is on the wiki here - or used to be) and all I can think of is that it corrupts your nice knit!  Go to the notes and put "omit" beside that for next time.

Anyway, a post of the final cheese when the batteries are charged will be nice.  This should be a good one I think.  Should be ready around Christmas time.  Nice.

- Jeff
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Flound on March 03, 2014, 08:51:02 PM
Make sounds good.  Next time, though, don't do that pierce with the fork thing.  I don't know what that is supposed to do (though it is on the wiki here - or used to be) and all I can think of is that it corrupts your nice knit!  Go to the notes and put "omit" beside that for next time.

Anyway, a post of the final cheese when the batteries are charged will be nice.  This should be a good one I think.  Should be ready around Christmas time.  Nice.

- Jeff

Lol. You know, that's the fourth time you've given me a sage piece of advice after the fact....I'm beginning to suspect a plot is afoot.

Here's a picture of the wheel safely ensconced in brine.
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Al Lewis on March 03, 2014, 10:12:45 PM
That's one good looking wheel of cheese there!! ;D
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: JeffHamm on March 04, 2014, 12:29:09 AM
:)  Sometimes it's easier to spot things after they're done! :)

- Jeff
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Flound on March 04, 2014, 01:39:29 AM
That's one good looking wheel of cheese there!! ;D

Thanks, Al. Its beauty marred only by countless pinpricks of a fork.

After I told the fork of Jeff Hamm's advice to banish it from cheese-making, it was quite irate. As I consigned to the silverware drawer, I heard it exclaim, "From the Hell's heart, I stab at thee..."

Who knew cutlery were fans of Melville and Ricardo Montalbán?

Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Flound on March 04, 2014, 02:27:40 AM
Voila! Fresh out of the brine.

1150g. It even has that sharp aroma of a Romano. Color me impressed...
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: JeffHamm on March 04, 2014, 04:33:24 AM
That looks very good.  A cheese to you!

- Jeff
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Flound on March 04, 2014, 01:14:38 PM
This morning's flip presented me with a mostly dry wheel. It's not bone dry, but the wheel hasn't expelled much, if any, whey. There's some moisture on the underlying plate, but I suspect that's mostly the surface moisture from the brine bath.

It could be a 24 hour air dry...

Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Al Lewis on March 04, 2014, 03:01:12 PM
Look like it swelled up everywhere you stuck it with that fork. LOL  Gotta love bumps! ;D
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: JeffHamm on March 04, 2014, 05:28:52 PM
The weight of the final cheese also indicates it probably hadn't retained much whey.  The small size of the curd, from bashing it with the whisk, pretty much ensures good whey removal.  However, give it three days prior to caving to firm the rind up really well.  Keep an eye on it though, and check for cracking ; just in case.  If you can, give it a freshly sterilized ripening box.  Keep it isolated from mouldy and b.linen rinds.  It should, after a few months and an oiling or two, be pretty self reliant. 

- Jeff
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Flound on March 04, 2014, 06:30:55 PM
Look like it swelled up everywhere you stuck it with that fork. LOL  Gotta love bumps! ;D

Okay, leaving aside the fact that the line you wrote could be applied to a fair number of other activities that are (or more accurately, used to be in my life), the bumps are from the mould.  :D

In truth, Geo turned me onto doing a final, short pressing without any cloth to smooth out linen lines - makes for a clean looking cheese with little bumps. So far, they seem to dry and fall off with a day or two leaving a pretty wheel.

So sayeth the noob!

Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Al Lewis on March 04, 2014, 07:26:13 PM
Yeah, I get the same bumps from my molds.  Just pulling your proverbial leg. LOL >:D
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Flound on March 04, 2014, 08:39:03 PM
Yeah, I get the same bumps from my molds.  Just pulling your proverbial leg. LOL >:D

Well, then I bit hard on that bait. My leg appears to be longer... :D
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Flound on March 07, 2014, 04:15:10 AM
After 4 days of drying, this cheese is looking, and smelling, like a grana. I love smelling this cheese.

Christmas seems so far away....
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: JeffHamm on March 07, 2014, 06:27:06 AM
Yes, these lipase cheeses have a wonderful aroma.  You will love this cheese when it's ready, but until then, you must be patient grasshopper.

- Jeff
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Flound on March 07, 2014, 10:29:16 AM
One question to the Cheese Gurus; how long before one starts the alternating oil and salt treatment?

The make instructions seem a little sparse on that detail.
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: JeffHamm on March 07, 2014, 05:09:35 PM
Hi Flound,

I did a quick search on romano in this board.  Found a bunch of threads, and generally, people seem to oil it around 6 weeks.  One or two "treatments".  Then, vac. seal around 6 months (to prevent too much moisture loss).

- Jeff
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Flound on October 26, 2014, 12:50:10 PM
After nearly eight months of waiting, it's Romano day!

Made on March 2nd, I cut into it my little Italian buddy yesterday.

Texture is very Romanesque, hard, almost to the point of crumbliness, but stopping just shy. A bit of moisture, shreds nicely.

Nice bit of sharpness from the lipase up front, buttery notes right on its heels and a pleasant mouth feel.

I can't wait to try this on some pasta.
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: scasnerkay on October 26, 2014, 06:00:15 PM
Congratulations on a beautiful looking make and on the patience to wait for opening! A cheese to you!
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Curdtastrophe on October 26, 2014, 06:15:20 PM
Great looking cheese! A cheese for you!  :)
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Boofer on October 27, 2014, 01:48:57 AM
Beautiful looking cheese, Flound. Very classic.

A cheese for your efforts.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: JeffHamm on October 27, 2014, 06:37:10 AM
A cheese to you Flound!  Very good looking Romano.  I bet it will be very nice over some pasta. 
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: John@PC on October 30, 2014, 08:23:39 PM
Another cheese for your bulging collection :).  I'm going to start doing a hard cheese every month. each to age a year because good Parmesan and Romano are expensive and they are fairly simple recipes.
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Geodyne on November 07, 2014, 06:33:37 PM
A cheese to you! It looks simply fabulous, and I think I can smell that lovely lipase aroma from here.

I opened my first parmesan recently at around the 9-month mark (just couldn't wait), and I may never buy parmesan again.

Now, enquiring minds need to know: what pasta did you have it over???
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Flound on November 07, 2014, 08:46:46 PM
An authentic Bolognese, using an official recipes from the Bologna Chamber of Commerce, served on handmade tagliatelle. Yes, it should be a Parmagiano-Reggiano, but I think a lipased Romano wannabe is a nice sub in.

http://foodnouveau.com/2010/09/destinations/europe/italy/how-to-make-an-authentic-bolognese-sauce/ (http://foodnouveau.com/2010/09/destinations/europe/italy/how-to-make-an-authentic-bolognese-sauce/)

I took pics of the sauce making but when I started making the pasta, for some reason I stopped. Anyway, it reduced for about three hours after the last picture, looking like very meaty sauce.

The carmelization of the beef, the white wine and milk make this unlike most North American bolognese clones. Seriously, that sauce is magical. No seasoning other than sea salt and pepper. Just the ingredients.

Atop tagliatelle, a dab of butter and some of my grated Romanoesque......divine.


Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Geodyne on November 07, 2014, 09:22:10 PM
It looks divine!
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Spoons on November 08, 2014, 04:17:10 AM
How did I miss this!?! That's an absolutely wonderful looking cheese, Flound (The meal too!).

A cheese for you!
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: John@PC on November 08, 2014, 02:21:46 PM
Flound, great pics but you need to add captions for us non-Italians.  Here I was looking at pictures of this wonderful sauce and all of a sudden I was peering down into a volcano cauldron on a snow capped peak ::).
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Flound on April 18, 2015, 11:46:30 PM
Here's some things my Romano has been doing....

Bolognese, with Romano
Carbonara and sautéed broccoli, with Romano
Grilled asparagus with balsamic vinegar and Romano.
Caesar salad with Romano
Perfect fries with Romano and garlic oil
Homemade mini loaf with garlic oil, Romano and chives.
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: LoftyNotions on April 18, 2015, 11:59:57 PM
Beautiful dishes, Flound! AC4U.

Larry
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: shaneb on April 19, 2015, 12:18:04 AM
Yum. What time is dinner time?  ;)

Shane
Title: Re: 1st Grana - Romano
Post by: Flound on April 19, 2015, 12:48:43 AM
By the way, those fries, are a wee bit larger than normal fries. Heston Blumenthal's fry recipe but with my own twist. Link below to his YouTube video...

How to cook perfect chips - In Search of Perfection - BBC (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCB9jIpNGzY#ws)