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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Hard Cheddared (Normally Stacked & Milled) => Topic started by: the_stain on June 09, 2009, 01:35:41 AM
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OK, I made my first monterey jack following the recipe on this site, and cut it open after 1 month.
It's.. interesting. :)
The texture isn't quite right - it's a little hard, with a slightly open texture, and not nearly as "rubbery" as the monterey jack i'm used to. But the main thing is the flavor. It aged for one month... it's like... too sharp. It's hard to describe, other than to say it has ALMOST the tangy flavor of monterey jack, but TOO tangy... My wife says it reminds her of feta cheese. I'm thinking over-acidification, which leads me to think I just need to break down and get a pH meter, but I'm also thinking that maybe I didn't salt the curd enough, or do it right, or.... Anyway, you get the idea. Any advice would be appreciated.
P.S. I'm about to open batch #2 of Monterey Jack that was made a couple days later, so I'll report on that one later.. :)
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I'm not a monterey jack maker personally. But It sounds like your suspicions would be mine as well. Tangy/Sour is a key indicator of acid. (Think vinegar and sour candy).
If you want to monitor acid levels, I would highly recommend a pH meter.