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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Hard Cheddared (Normally Stacked & Milled) => Topic started by: Cartierusm on December 22, 2008, 07:26:42 PM

Title: Making cheese right now!
Post by: Cartierusm on December 22, 2008, 07:26:42 PM
Making cheddar right now using all my new equipment. I'll let you know how it turns out and take some pics.
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: wharris on December 22, 2008, 11:24:52 PM
LOL,  As you were writing that,  I too am making another 5 gallon batch of Cheddar.

My Cheddar collection, all in various stages of aging, and waxing.
(http://vxxwgg.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p7Jli0eiudn9j3RtjfVp3Egw5qyhSqiudFHimjV3iUKS_YkV_pHfHEGzTRHuyx9PZ2veuQE6_M5s/IMG_0227.jpg)


Am pressing this batch now.


But I'm not taking any pictures.

:(


Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: Cartierusm on December 23, 2008, 01:57:37 AM
Wayne a couple questions about cheddar.

1. What kind of culture are you using, mother or direct set?
2. How long are you letting the milk ripen?
3. How long do you drain the curds for?

More questions to follow if I am stumped. I'm at my first press right now, 10 pounds for 15 minutes.
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: wharris on December 23, 2008, 02:16:33 AM
1. What kind of culture are you using, mother or direct set?
I use this (http://www.danlac.com/ingredient/choozit%E2%84%A2-ma-11-lyo-125-dcu) direct set
2. How long are you letting the milk ripen?
45 min
3. How long do you drain the curds for?
Initially, I drain the curd in my SS colander for only 3-4 min. Rocking back in forth every 30 sec to extract more. Then i stir for the next hour, draining periodically. 
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: Cartierusm on December 23, 2008, 03:36:40 AM
That looks like the same stuff I use from here http://www.thecheesemaker.com/cultures.htm. Have you had any of the cheddar you've made so far?
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: wharris on December 23, 2008, 05:13:14 AM
yes.  I had some tonight.
I am a tough critic. But my cheese was only "ok"  IT was a  bit dry and a tad over ripe.

Too hard and crumbly too.
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: Cartierusm on December 23, 2008, 08:02:43 AM
A bit dry means you pressed too much, that's how my first cheddar came out a long time ago. Very crumbly. But don't throw it away, it's still cheese. Rewax it and age it more. How long had it been aging?
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: wharris on December 23, 2008, 01:34:46 PM
Dry and Crumbly also means too much acid.


I did not watch my pH close enough, and just do not have good data on that.

I am pressing lighter these days and focusing on turning more often.

I did wax my wheels.
(http://vxxwgg.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pKPMyKU9n335_Suqr8k8bCQz3nOO8s0y2ez0gEq5QFw2AnWXCwwZwaNk93MBfZYrC65xj7bh28ryhkQrBSNo_Sg/IMG_0229.jpg)

Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: Cheese Head on December 23, 2008, 01:53:55 PM
Wayne, looks great, but how are you going eat it all? Block party?
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: wharris on December 23, 2008, 02:04:48 PM
If all goes well, these are going to be Christmas 2009 gifts.

Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: Cartierusm on December 23, 2008, 06:29:27 PM
Wayne what pressures are you using and how often are you turning?
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: wharris on December 23, 2008, 07:39:43 PM
I press with 3.6 PSI.

50lbs on my press's lever arm.  (4x distance from fulcrum)
so...
200lbs of down force around over two moulds that have 28.25square inches.
That is 200lbs/56.5sqin
That is 3.6PSI

I turn them for the first 48 hours, about every 3-6 hours.  Putting a new paper towel down at every turn.

I do this untill i stop feeling a 'damp' side.




Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: Tea on December 23, 2008, 07:44:59 PM
 :o  Wayne simply  :o

That mould certainly gives a professional finished look.
My cheddar is fairly crumbly, but the flavour is yet to develop.  Even afer nearly three months it still seems fairly mild.  But then I have been maturing in the fridge, not a warmer cave, so this is probably the reason for it slow rippening.
Watching with interest what you both are doing.
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: Cartierusm on December 23, 2008, 10:49:00 PM
I just did the calculations for my 4" mold and I get 4 PSI. Do you really think they do it commercially as PSI or force?
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: wharris on December 24, 2008, 12:04:42 AM
I'm no pro, so perhaps those amongst us can chime in.

All i know is what i saw on "Modern Marvels"  They did an episode on Cheese.

640lb blocks of cheddar were pressed at 55PSI

Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: Cartierusm on December 24, 2008, 12:06:51 AM
I saw the same episode but they could have been referring to the actual air pressure of 55.
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: Cartierusm on December 25, 2008, 12:23:53 AM
Here are some pics of my cheddar, nothing too exciting.
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: wharris on December 25, 2008, 02:37:21 AM
how much milk?
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: Cartierusm on December 25, 2008, 04:11:41 AM
This was a 2 gallon batch but I'm done with 2 gallong batches. I was just doing it to make sure all the equpiment I made was working the way it should.
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: Likesspace on January 15, 2009, 03:14:30 AM
Okay, this is an old post.....I realize this......
But......
Is this REALLY a post by Carter using ONLY two gallons of milk AND a FOUR INCH MOLD?????
I'd started to believe that he came out of the womb, making at the very minimum 10 gallon batches of cheese!
I'm shocked. I don't know what else to say.

Dave
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: Cartierusm on January 15, 2009, 03:30:27 AM
RFLMAO, sadly I only used this setup for 2 batches, one two gallon batch and one 5 gallon batch, after that it was the big league. I'm going to sell this setup though as I don't need it. I was waiting to see if moving up to the big league was going to turn out alright. I will post in the for sale section.
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: Cartierusm on January 31, 2009, 04:57:26 AM
An update to this little runt of the liter, at least for me. A 2 pounder...LOL I left it in a frig in the garage with the power off as it's been cold. We've had some heat so not cold all the time, but the shop never gets that warm this time of year.

Just to remind you I wrapped this in a cheese cloth bandage smeared with lard. The lard, from what I've read, was supposed to inhibit mold growth, well it might have worked see the pics below before reading on.

My question is what should I do, in my opinion is looks beautiful, I don't know why it just does. There is definately some penicilium roquefoti and Penicillum Candidum on it. The bamboo mat it was resting on was covered with blue mold I could have scraped off more than comes in a pack for $30. When I pulled the cheese off it mold dust flew into the air everywhere, thank god it was outsideish.

So I'm definately not tossing it, I love the way it looks, but my question of what should I do is geared toward should I keep it in this vacuum container with all the air sucked out? Should I put it in a bigger container with a humidity pack? I HAVE to keep it in some container so it doesn't contaminate everything and it's be in my cave.
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: LadyLiberty on January 31, 2009, 05:37:24 AM
An update to this little runt of the liter, at least for me. A 2 pounder...LOL I left it in a frig in the garage with the power off as it's been cold. We've had some heat so not cold all the time, but the shop never gets that warm this time of year.

Just to remind you I wrapped this in a cheese cloth bandage smeared with lard. The lard, from what I've read, was supposed to inhibit mold growth, well it might have worked see the pics below before reading on.

My question is what should I do, in my opinion is looks beautiful, I don't know why it just does. There is definately some penicilium roquefoti and Penicillum Candidum on it. The bamboo mat it was resting on was covered with blue mold I could have scraped off more than comes in a pack for $30. When I pulled the cheese off it mold dust flew into the air everywhere, thank god it was outsideish.

So I'm definately not tossing it, I love the way it looks, but my question of what should I do is geared toward should I keep it in this vacuum container with all the air sucked out? Should I put it in a bigger container with a humidity pack? I HAVE to keep it in some container so it doesn't contaminate everything and it's be in my cave.

THIS was CHEDDAR?

Er... Ok, it looks beautiful to you... but are you sure it's edible?
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: Cartierusm on January 31, 2009, 08:10:51 AM
No, it is cheddar  ;D. Of course it's edible, under all the crap is cheese. LOL
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: narelle on February 02, 2009, 04:46:15 AM
be careful how long you let it age. i did a cheddar wrapped and smeared with butter i let it age in a container standing on a rack with water underneath for 12 months and when i cut it it had dried out completely and the mold had gone right through the cheese. if i did it again i would only age it for maybe 6 months :-\
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: Cartierusm on February 02, 2009, 05:00:24 AM
Thanks for the adivce. I was wondering if I should add some humidity to it or that would make the mold grow even more?
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: Tea on February 02, 2009, 09:11:08 PM
Well for one, I would say that your lard wasn't completely pure, or rendered properly, and two, that looks gross Carter.  You seriously can't be intending to eat that thing.   :o

For an experiement it would be interesting to treat half with a brine wash, and maybe scrape the other half and redo the lard treatment, and see what happens.
Just my thoughts anyway, for what there're worth.
Title: Re: Making cheese right now!
Post by: Cartierusm on February 02, 2009, 09:35:37 PM
For one it wasn't keep in a cold environment, so I'm sure mold can grow on anything in that situation. I'll eat it once I wash of the outside and cut it open. I'll post pics in 6 months.