Stilton questions

[lazyeiger]

I have a couple of questions about Stilton.

All the videos I have watched about commercial Stilton making show them cutting the curds before either transferring them or draining in place, whereas the home recipes I have seen mostly call for transferring the curds without cutting?

here is my simplified schedule please comment

2 US gallons milk + 1 quart cream
Warm to 70F
Add MS4000, LM & PR
Warm to 89F leave for 30 mins
Add lipase and CaCl
Wait 5 mins
Add rennet
Leave for 1 hour
Cut curd into 1.5" cubes
Leave to rest for 2 hours
Drain whey, leave draining overnight
Mill with 2.5% salt
place in hoops
Turn  every few hours
After a few days "rub up"
Age
Peirce after 1 week
Age

What size hoop would I need for 2 US gallons of milk plus 1 quart of cream?

Thanks!

Jon

[John@PC]

Hi Jon and welcome.

I'll let others comment on the recipe but it does looks like on the right track to me.  I think in cases where the curd is "directly transferred" it is sliced into layers using a ladle so results are similar to cutting large size cubes.

If you want a Stilton form-factor I would say you need 4 to 4.5 max. ID mold.  Needs to be tall (8" or so) to contain the milled curd.