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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Hard Cheddared (Normally Stacked & Milled) => Topic started by: chilipepper on January 25, 2009, 08:15:40 PM
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I built my first 'bigger wheel' and I use that totally relative to my production. It is a 5 gallon batch of stirred curd cheddar. I did add Annatto for coloring and pressed according to the psi method of thinking and referenced Carter's chart for the force needed.
Used 5 gallons of store bought whole milk and brought to 91 degrees in a water bath. First off this is the max capacity for this pot. Added meso and allowed to ripen for 45 minutes then added CaCl and rennet (both dilluted in 1/4 cup water). Curd set nice and firm in 45 minutes. My curd knife (frosting spreader) wasn't long enough so I scrambled for something to work and found a kabob skewer that was thin. Cut the curd to approximately 1/4 cubes and started raising temp in water bath. Rested for 30 minutes at 100 degrees then drained whey and returned to kettle in 100 degree water bath. Salted and stirred and allowed to cheddar for 1 hour stirring every 5 - 10 mintus to keep curd broken up. Used cheesecloth lined mold and pressed for 15 minutes with 45 lbs then another 15 minutes with 60 lbs and finally 15 hours with 120 lbs of force. Pulled the cheese from the press at 76 oz and looked pretty good. The top of the cheese/curd was a little open after pressing. Bottom and sides were good.
(http://www.kesabe.com/cheese/cheddar_0001.jpg)
capacity of pot exhaused with this one.
(http://www.kesabe.com/cheese/cheddar_0002.jpg)
curd after salting and in the 'cheddaring' phase.
(http://www.kesabe.com/cheese/cheddar_0003.jpg)
close-up of the curd
(http://www.kesabe.com/cheese/cheddar_0004.jpg)
pressing - first time - very milky whey ???
(http://www.kesabe.com/cheese/cheddar_0005.jpg)
Cheese out of the press and ready for drying.
Couple of thoughts;
First, in picture 4 I lost alot of very milky whey when pressing. What would cause this and how can I avoid. I assume that isn't normal.
Secondly, I tried to make sure this curd was very well 'milled' before molding and there is no way it would have knitted even as good as it did without the amount of force I was putting on the press. I think there is definately a lot more research that needs to be done on the whole 'pressing' question.
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Well that looks great, congrats on the batch and stepping up in size, that large stockpot was certainly full!
I normally only get milky whey if I have a poor curd set, but am puzzled here because your curds and whey looks good! Is it possibly a function of the high force you were applying?
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Thanks John, it was fun making the larger batch. You certainly find out quickly what your deficiencies are when doing a larger batch. Oh well I got to clean out some of the drawers while scrambling for pieces and parts. I do need a better larger mold with a more tightly fitting follower.
As for the milky whey during pressing... I don't think that it was a product of the pressure as it was already present in the cheddaring phase while I was stirring the curd. It must have gave up something while cheddaring? I noticed Carters farmhouse he made had a similar looking whey during the final stages...
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chilipepper,
That is one very nice looking cheese. Congratulations! I hope it ages well.
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Chili...
Great looking cheese and congrats on moving up to a larger batch size...
It looks as if we use the same cheese pot.
I also did a 5 gallon batch in my newest vat and honestly it was a pain.
My spoon barely reached the bottom and I found myself gripping it, literally by the tips of my fingers.
Also, my knife would barely reach the bottom of the pan and in fact, the handle was in the curd at times.
I learned alot from that batch, mainly that I needed the proper tools if I was to continue making the larger size wheels.
Since that time I've dropped down to doing four gallon batches until I can get the proper utensils, bought or made.
Did you also notice how heavy everything was with a five gallon make??
I don't consider myself a wimp, but simply lifting the vat to pour off the whey was a real challenge. Everything changes as you move up in size, but man it sure is fun doing something different.
Congratulations on what appears to have been a very successful make.
Dave
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Thanks it was a fun one to make and I tend to agree with Dave...given the current pot restrictions I may want to stay at 4 gallons. However, 5 gallons sure makes a nice 8 inch wheel of cheese! :D You do have to work for it a little bit though.
Here she is after waxing and sitting in the cave.... There is certainly some significance to a five pound cheese versus the two pound one it is beside. I can only imagine the girth of the farmhouse cheddar Carter made with 15 gallons of milk!!
(http://www.kesabe.com/cheese/Cheddar_0006.jpg)
(http://www.kesabe.com/cheese/Cheddar_0007.jpg)
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The similarity to my stirred curd cheddard is striking:
(http://vxxwgg.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pKM0B58owLqClYjG2-Yyhyb3UYI7lSACZEUwo4-fhRS9BbPHb6Y_IWCkyvxMm-jzMb2TXluJPAOQ/DSC_0096.jpg)(http://vxxwgg.blu.livefilestore.com/y1ppvl00mnjAYL8MwmPJOIzSvK8BQn0esmryDm2Xp0yU58h5uJvY4RgvPCWTdY5HWA7fIufQyBd2CI/DSC_0060.jpg)
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WOW isn't that the truth! Are you still waxing with your cool little waxer rack or are you vacuum sealing your cheddars now? Both?
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These cheddar wheels are pre-dipper (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,556.0.html).
and based on last week's taste (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,830.0.html). There is only one that I would care enough to wax.
So, both is the answer.
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Chili, I have the same problem when making mozz, only it is the butterfat that I lose usually when it comes to the stretching stage. I agree that it isn't the set that is a problem, (well at the moment it is not pointing to that) but somewhere in the cooking stage that something is going wrong. Whether this is a vital PH problem I am yet to work out, but it is frustrating. The resultant cheese is bland and dry when aged. Still working on this problem.
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Good looking cheese chilli. How long did you air dry for before waxing?
Also I've read that you should stir in the CaCl separately as it can react with the rennet. I always add as I'm heating up so I don't forget to add it, but most of what I've read is to put it in when you put in the starter. Your thoughts?
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I add CaCL2 at the same time i add Annatto
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LOL, thanks Wayne, what time do you add those?
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Geez, sometimes my posts really lack.
I do that at the beginning, before i add the starter.
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Me too I add lipase, annatto, CaCl, mold when I start to heat so I don't forget, sometimes when I go to add the starter that's all I think about.
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Yeah, I guess my originaly wording left some questions there for the Cacl addition. I did add it in two seperate additions and each in 1/4 cup distilled water. I have to try and dig a little and see where I found it but there was a theory about only adding the CaCl just before the rennet addition and not earlier on in the warming phase. I'll see if I can find the rational behind that.
As for the temp. and humidity in regards to air drying my cheeses.... I'm just drying them on a bamboo mat in my basement kitchen. Measured the temp there is 65 degrees and just a shade over 30% humidity. With it that dry I can usually be waxing in 2 days with a nice even rind on all sides of the cheese. Seems like the top where the follower was in the press is the last to dry out. I do believe the cheesecloth in the press lends quite a bit to the rind creation and promotion of drying of these cheeses.
Wayne, are you getting a similar result with the Kodova molds? Does that fine mesh screen in there get a nice rind going?
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I would love for you to find out where you heard that about CaCl, because I talked to 2 professionals and they said it didn't matter. Please let me know.
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I think where it stuck in the back of my head was from "The Cheesemaker's Manual" by Margaret Peters-Morris. She says:
"Calcium Chloride is used to promote a nice firm curd by stabilizing milk's chemical balance. It is a required ingredient if working with homogenized or pasteurized milk since these two processes denature the milk structure. It can also be used in unpasteurized raw milk to maintain cheesemaking consistency year round, taking into account that seasonal variations in milk can affect cheesemaking results, particularly coagulation.
Calcium chloride is added to the milk at the same rate as rennet and is always added just before the rennet."
That last line must be what my subconscience is basing my opinion on.. :)
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Great, thanks, actually written proof. I'll try that next time.
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"Proof" might be stretching it a bit as each book is only one person's opinion. Non-the-less she does make it sound good however a little more rationale behind it would certainly help seal the deal. Obviously, it has been working out well for you guys at whatever stage you add it.
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Well I finally slurged yesterday and bought some cacl for a mead that I am making. I decided that I would also try some next time I make cheese and see if I feel that they is any difference in the curd. Well let you know what I find.
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well not necessarily true, i'va always used it. never tried a batch with out.