Help, I left cheese in brine too long!

[Tiarella]

I made a nice little Caerphilly style cheese yesterday, took it out of the press this morning at 7 am before I went to the barn and then my day got going and I totally forgot about it until it had been in the heavy brine for 12 hours!  Yipes!  It was partly because I went to the next town to consult on some landscaping/grading issues and was gone so long I didn't remember my cheese and gosh it was chore time....

This cheese did get cheddared with 1 1/2 tsp salt and then rubbed with a teaspoon of salt between pressings.  It's a 3 gallon make and it was supposed to be in the brine for 45 minutes per 2 pounds of cheese.  I didn't weigh it before putting it in the brine.  (I was late for milking already) It weighs 3 pounds, 8.3 ounces now.  Is there something I can soak it in that will have the salt leach out?  or should I just accept that it's going to be WAY too salty???  I am selling off much of my milking herd so I won't have as much milk for experiments so it's a bit hard to lose this cheese to a salt brine fiasco.   :-\

[hoeklijn]

Hi Kathrin, that's too bad. I read once that you can try to soak it in milk for a couple of hours. Didn't have to try that myself, so I don't know if it will help. I hope so....

[Boofer]

I thought the Welsh miners needed that saltiness in the Caerphilly to replenish their body salts lost in the hot, sweaty mines.

That problem is solved!

Kathrin, you just need to find some Welsh miners. ;)

-Boofer-

[linuxboy]

Soak in water adjusted for pH and calcium.

[Tiarella]

Soak in water adjusted for pH and calcium.

Without a pH meter I'm not sure how to proceed with that.  I thought I remembered that doing something like this would cause it to balance out but need more precise instructions if you have some. 

[Tiarella]

I thought the Welsh miners needed that saltiness in the Caerphilly to replenish their body salts lost in the hot, sweaty mines.

That problem is solved!

Kathrin, you just need to find some Welsh miners. ;)

-Boofer-

And the Boofmeister leaps in to save the day again!!!!! ^-^.  if you see any salt deficient Welsh miners wandering around you be sure to send them my way please!!!   ;D

[linuxboy]

Soak in water adjusted for pH and calcium.

Without a pH meter I'm not sure how to proceed with that.  I thought I remembered that doing something like this would cause it to balance out but need more precise instructions if you have some.

Oh right. Sorry. 1 gallon water, 2-3 tablespoons CaCl2, 1-2 Tablespoons vinegar. It's like making a brine but without the salt.

[Smurfmacaw]

Anti-brine!

[Tiarella]

Thank you SO much, Linuxboy!  Unfortunately I'm away at my downtown office now but will do this when I get back home.  Hope it isn't too late/too dry then.

[linuxboy]

You'll be fine. Target the water temp to be the same as the cheese

[Tiarella]

 :(

You'll be fine. Target the water temp to be the same as the cheese

oops, forgot to ask how long to leave it in there.  The logical mind, the one that believes the entire universe is made up of pasta and anti-pasta, thinks I should leave it in there the exact number of hours it was in the brine too long which would have it in there for about 11 1/2 hours.  But then, I am totally clueless about this.  I hate to bother you again but I'd love a sense of how long I should leave it in there.

[linuxboy]

I don't like anti-pasta; long story. Nah, that's a bit long. 8 hrs or so should do it. What final salt % are you targeting?

If you are a fellow pastafarian, may you be touched by his noodly appendages http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Touched_by_His_Noodly_Appendage.jpg.

[Tiarella]

I don't like anti-pasta; long story. Nah, that's a bit long. 8 hrs or so should do it. What final salt % are you targeting?

If you are a fellow pastafarian, may you be touched by his noodly appendages http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Touched_by_His_Noodly_Appendage.jpg.

This is sort of  ("sort of" because it's rare for me to do more than use recipes as guidelines or ideas) from Gianaclis Caldwell's book.  She has one salt it twice, once at the cheddaring stage  (she says 1 % of curd weight) and once rubbing the salt on when flipping between presses.  (again, 1 % of weight)  She doesn't seem to mention final salt %.  Any hints? 

Because I really need my sleep tonight I'll take it out of the anti-brine and go to bed and then wake up and put it back in for whatever amount of time is deemed necessary.  (or whatever time period my squirrelly brain comes up with)  Again, hints welcome......  and very much appreciated.  I'll check out the pasta link.....    ;D

[scasnerkay]

Tiarella, I am curious what happened with this cheese? I just left a 3.5 # tomme in the brine 5 hours longer than intended... It is now in the "anti-brine" for a 4 - 5 hour attempt at reversal....

[John@PC]

Thanks for reviving this Susan as I've wondered what you could do in this situation so I'll use Pav's "solution" if I over-brine :).