CheeseForum.org » Forum

CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Hard Cheddared (Normally Stacked & Milled) => Topic started by: Boofer on April 20, 2012, 05:54:55 AM

Title: Cheddar me this
Post by: Boofer on April 20, 2012, 05:54:55 AM
Wednesday was time for cheese-making once again. My wife was out of town so I had the kitchen all to myself!

I took inspiration for my first Cheddar from anutcanfly, 200 Easy Homemade Cheese Recipes, and CHR Hansen’s Cheddar Cheese brochure. I didn’t want a dry, crumbly, excessively tangy cheese when I finished. I was shooting for a softer, more malleable, creamy cheese with a slight tang. I expect this cheese to age out to at least 12 months.

Initial pH: 6.83
Renneting pH: 6.69    (target: 6.55)
Cutting pH: 6.62    (target: 6.5)
Drain pH: 6.5    (target: 6.5)
Milling pH: 6.45    (target: 6.45)
Moulding/Pressing pH: 5.68    (target: 6.4)
Out of press pH: 5.40    (target: 5.4)

4 gallons Dungeness Valley whole raw milk
8 cubes MA4001 mother culture (LL, LC, LD, ST)
1/16 tsp LH100 (LL, LH)
1/64 tsp LR (alluded to in the CHR Hansen's paper)
1 tsp annatto, in ¼ cup distilled water
½ tsp CACL, ¼ cup in distilled water
1/16 tsp Renco dry calf rennet, dissolved in ¼ cup cold distilled water
3 TBS pickling salt

The Streptococcus thermophilus (ST) and Lactobacillus helveticus (LH) should help the aging and lend a more complex nature to the flavor profile down the road. I wasn't sure if the Hansen's guide really intended that Coryneforms such as LR should be added, but I decided to include a little bit.

 -Boofer-
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: JeffHamm on April 20, 2012, 06:32:43 AM
That looks very nice.  Are you sure 14 hours of air drying will be enough?  I would keep an eye on it just to make sure it doesn't leak in the bag.  Mind you, my ability to press only goes up to a bit over 2 psi, so perhaps you're ok.

Nice job.

- Jeff
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: hoeklijn on April 20, 2012, 10:23:13 AM
Nice wheel Boofer! Another cheese I never tried but I surely want to make sometimes! I only have the opportunity to make cheese in the weekends but not every weekend... Next weekend I'm going to prepare some more glass shelves for the cave to gain more space to age the cheeses. And after that I have a list of cheeses I want to try and a list of cheeses my wife and children want to eat (different variations on Gouda mostly).
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: H-K-J on April 20, 2012, 02:14:17 PM
Nice wheel Boofer, I was thinking about making a cheddar but have decided on a Swiss
http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,9541.msg69275.html#new (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,9541.msg69275.html#new)

A cheese to you for such a nice wheel  :)
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: Boofer on April 20, 2012, 02:49:05 PM
That looks very nice.  Are you sure 14 hours of air drying will be enough?  I would keep an eye on it just to make sure it doesn't leak in the bag.  Mind you, my ability to press only goes up to a bit over 2 psi, so perhaps you're ok.

Nice job.

- Jeff
It seemed dry enough and I didn't want it exposed to the elements any longer than it needed. Both caves have new blues coming on so that also presented a source of unwanted innoculation. You know I'll be closely watching it.

Nice wheel Boofer, I was thinking about making a cheddar but have decided on a Swiss
[url]http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,9541.msg69275.html#new[/url] ([url]http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,9541.msg69275.html#new[/url])

A cheese to you for such a nice wheel  :)
Looking forward to seeing how that new masterful (and artful) Dutch press works out along with your new cheese mould.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: anutcanfly on April 20, 2012, 04:14:09 PM
Your cheese looks great!  It conforms to the standard for this type of cheese.  The real test is in the aging.  I'll post the results in 6 months on my overweight cheeses.  I quite curious about it too.
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: Boofer on March 08, 2013, 03:50:57 PM
I couldn't wait another day to cut this cheese.

There was some moisture accumulated in the vacuum bag. I dried the cheese off when I removed it from the bag. Looks pretty good, slices well with few crumbly bits coming off. The texture is good and the flavor is slightly sharp which reflects the 11 month affinage. The cheese melts well which would lend itself well to cooking and grilled cheese sandwiches. :D

-Boofer-


Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: CWREBEL on March 08, 2013, 04:02:21 PM
Sure looks like cheddar to me! Mmmm... homemade mac n cheese! A cheese to you Boofer!
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: Boofer on March 08, 2013, 04:51:08 PM
Thanks for the cheese, Chris. :)

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: JeffHamm on March 08, 2013, 05:03:42 PM
Great looking cheddar.  A cheese to you boofer. 

- Jeff
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: mdmoore00 on March 08, 2013, 07:07:39 PM
Wonderful! I love the dramatic lighting in one shot.
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: george on March 09, 2013, 11:56:36 AM
Awesome, Boofer, congrats!!  (And especially on your patience!)  I'm having the same problem eyeing that Double Gloucester - but it's only 3 months old and I want to wait as long as you did (6 or 7 months, I believe).  It's so haaaaaarrrrrddddddd!!!!!!
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: Boofer on March 09, 2013, 02:26:20 PM
Hang in there, george. Find some other cheese to divert your attention. :)

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: H-K-J on March 09, 2013, 05:04:14 PM
Looks good enough tuh eat
A cheese for your perseverance (Wow 11 months ^-^) A cheese for you  ;D
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: Al Lewis on March 09, 2013, 06:05:57 PM
Beautiful looking cheddar!!  Great job and a cheese to you for patience and skill!
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: Boofer on March 10, 2013, 02:33:25 PM
Thanks, guys.

I took this cheese out and flipped it quite often over those months, trying to imagine what it was doing inside the vacuum bag. Now I have its sibling (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,9589.0.html), made a week later with a different culture mix, to compare it to. Hmmm.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: Boofer on March 16, 2015, 01:36:11 PM
Pretty much down to empty cheese shelves presently, I was scrounging in the cheese drawer for a scrap of cheese this morning when I came across this little nugget.

Not quite 3 years old, but promising an interesting diversion, I cut into it. Amazingly cut-worthy. :) There's a slight white waxiness on the outside of the cheese...the result of being vacuum-bagged for so long. I have seen a similar characteristic in some waxed cheeses. It doesn't negatively impact the enjoyment of the cheese though.

The cheese holds together rather than crumbles away when it is sliced. There is a slight tang to the flavor that lingers on the tongue. I've sliced this cheese to take for my lunch along with a sliced Braeburn apple. Yum! :P

With three cheese wheels (Montasio, Tomme, & Tilsitter) freshly-made over the past two weeks, I am looking forward to more fully filled cheese shelves in about four months.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: Stinky on March 16, 2015, 01:43:11 PM
Can I have it?  :P
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: H-K-J on March 16, 2015, 03:30:45 PM
Can I have it?  :P

Sorry Stinky, I think it's gone.
AC4U Boofer  for finding that wedge of pure gold ;D
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: Al Lewis on March 16, 2015, 04:32:07 PM
AC4U for your patience in aging that beauty!! ;)
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: Danbo on March 16, 2015, 08:26:58 PM
A cheese for you. Really nice - I wish that I had a cheese that old! :-)
Title: Re: Cheddar me this
Post by: JeffHamm on March 16, 2015, 10:57:58 PM
Another cheese for you Boofer!  That's a great looking piece of aged cheddar.  Well done.