My 1st Wensleydale

[Al Lewis]

Making my first Wensleydale today.  Most of what I'm doing is taken from Jeff Hamm's make however, I had to do some conversions due to the ingredients I'm using as opposed to those he uses.  We'll see how it comes out.  :o  Anyway, here's the recipe I'll be using for mine.

3 Gallons  PH whole milk + 1 quart heavy cream
1/4 tspn Flora Danica granules (Dissolved in warm milk for 30 mins)
1/8 tspn C21 buttermilk culture (Dissolved in warm milk for 30 mins)
1/2 tsp CaCl (33% solution) diluted in 1/4 cup warm water
30 drops calf rennet diluted in 1/4 cup warm water
Mold: 6" diameter
3 tbspn salt

1)   Warm milk to 90f
2)   Add starter and ripen 1 hour 20 minutes
3)   Add CaCl
4)   Add Rennet allow to set 1 hour
5)   Cut to ½" cubes
6)   Rest 5 minutes
7)   Hold temperature, stir gently for 1 hour 30 minutes
      Drain whey into pot for Ricotta
9)   Form a curd cake, and cut into blocks
10) Turn every 10 minutes for 30 minutes
11) Cut into 2" cubes and keep curds warm 30 minutes
12) Mill into fine crumb (Thumbnail size, and add salt after milling)
13) Press in the pot 30 minutes @ 25 pounds
14) Flip, redress, press in the pot 30 minutes @ 25 pounds
15) Flip, redress, press in the press 1 hour @75 pounds
16) Flip, redress, press in the press 1 hour @ 100 pounds
17) Flip, redress press 12 hours @ 200 pounds
18) Flip, redress press 12 hours @ 200 pounds
19) Air dry
20) Wax
21) Cave and age (minimum 4 weeks)

[Al Lewis]

Now I like pictures as much as the next guy but if anyone really wants to see a pot of milk on my stove with a thermometer stuck in it then check any one of my other makes.  It hasn't changed.  If I ever remodel I'll post some new ones.  Until then you only get pictures of the exciting stuff and that's only for H-K-J.  ;)

[Hande]

30 drops calf rennet diluted in 1/4 cup warm water

dilute rennet in warm water can make it weak..

Hande

[Al Lewis]

Actually it helps it to disperse through the milk.

[linuxboy]

Heat denatures chymosin. Hande's point was to use cold water, not to avoid the use of water as a dilution aid.

[Al Lewis]

Thanks LB, I understand however the "warm" water I used was the same temperature as the milk it was going into.  Tepid probably would have been a better word to describe it.  Cheese is in the press and just fit into the 6" mold.  It will be taller than round.

[Boofer]

Thanks LB, I understand however the "warm" water I used was the same temperature as the milk it was going into.  Tepid probably would have been a better word to describe it.  Cheese is in the press and just fit into the 6" mold.  It will be taller than round.

Per linuxboy's recommendations I always use chilled distilled water to dissolve my rennet, and then only just before it gets stirred into the milk.

-Boofer-

[Al Lewis]

Thanks guys.  I'll make a note of that for my future makes.  Well the cheese is in the press in a 6" mold at 200 pounds of pressure for the night.  It will get redressed and flipped in the am.  Press has pushed it down about 1" in height so far.

[JeffHamm]

Should be a good one!  Looking forward to seeing how it looks out of the press. 

- Jeff

[Al Lewis]

Me too Jeff!  Still has some time to do on the second side at 200 pounds. 

[Al Lewis]

Well it's certainly not the prettiest cheese I've made but it tastes good.  Finished up at 6" diameter and 5" tall.  Now we'll see how long it takes to form a rind so I can wax it.  May even do a short term age and just tend the rind.

[JeffHamm]

Looks good.  How much does it weigh?

- Jeff

[Al Lewis]

Should be right at 4 pounds but I haven't weighed it yet.  Still seems very wet considering it's been under 200 pounds for 24 hours.  Probably because of the height.  Seems whenever I make a tall cheese they stay moist.  I guess there's a reason big 22.5 pound parms are short and fat.  Maybe if I stored it on its side. LOL  I'm guessing it's going to be quite a while before I can wax this one, if ever.

[Al Lewis]

Okay Jeff, I threw it on the scales tonight and it was 3 pounds 12 ounces.  It keeps trying to get elephants foot so I have to flip it quite a bit.  Happened the same with my colby's but they were the same basic dimensions.  Bottom line is that tall cheeses don't like me!! LOL

[Al Lewis]

This one decided it wanted to squat down a bit.  :o  Actually, I kinda like the shape. :D