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GENERAL CHEESE MAKING BOARDS (Specific Cheese Making in Boards above) => STANDARD METHODS - Aging Cheese => Topic started by: NimbinValley on December 02, 2013, 01:37:05 AM

Title: under salted cheese
Post by: NimbinValley on December 02, 2013, 01:37:05 AM
Hi.  I have a hard pressed cooked (to 50oC) cow milk cheese that 8 weeks down the track appears to be under salted.

How can I increase the salt level?  Can I throw it back in the brine?  I've been washing with a 10% brine so maybe I should increase this to 20%?

Any suggestions are welcome.

NV.
Title: Re: under salted cheese
Post by: linuxboy on December 02, 2013, 02:16:49 AM
throw back in brine. But, be careful, depending on rind condition, the salt penetration might be super slow. I'd use a 18% ish brine to try and get more salt into it. Saturated impedes transfer.
Title: Re: under salted cheese
Post by: NimbinValley on December 02, 2013, 03:20:39 AM
OK.  Ill do that.  I only have saturated brine so I will have to give that a go.  Ill try another 48hours.

By the way Pav, ran into a colleague of yours, Sue Sturman, at Mons in Lyon a couple of weeks ago!

NV
Title: Re: under salted cheese
Post by: linuxboy on December 02, 2013, 03:30:57 AM
Consider diluting it in a few buckets just for this. If you have any kind of rind on it (meaning low water in outer layer), it is like a plastic barrier. Add saturated to it and it will draw more liquid out. No salt will get in. Saturated dehydrates the outer layer even more before the salt starts making its way in. 18-20% on the other hand is more gentle. will not dehydrate as much as will transfer faster.

Glad you took that class. They do an amazing job @ the Academie. Small world :)
Title: Re: under salted cheese
Post by: NimbinValley on December 02, 2013, 03:33:39 AM
OK.  I understand all of that - basic physics isn't it!  I will set up a special brine in our sink tonight.

Thanks.

NV
Title: Re: under salted cheese
Post by: jwalker on December 02, 2013, 02:41:37 PM
Just a thought , but would it help to cut it in half and give it an exposed side for better salt absorption ?

Title: Re: under salted cheese
Post by: NimbinValley on December 04, 2013, 10:17:19 PM
Yes it probably would give a better salt absorption rate, but I suspect I would also lose quite a bit of cheese around the cut face.  I guess I could cryovac after to reduce the loss.

Thanks.

NV