Parmesan with whole milk

[Zinger]

Made Parmesan yesterday. Not my first time, but for some reason I inadvertently used whole milk and the error didn't cross my mind until it went into pressing. Any thoughts on what will be my result?

[wharris]

your parm will be quite edible, just much softer than you would expect.

[Zinger]

Thanks Wayne, that is what I suspected.

[Spoons]

I'm bumping the thread hoping to find out how the whole milk parm turned out. Was it softer to the point of cutting slices? or is it still a grating cheese?

[Tiarella]

I made a Parm style from very rich high butterfat goat milk and it's grating cheese for sure.  maybe I could use a cheese planer on it.....not sure because I haven't tried that.  Mine is a year old and great grated over food or used to make pesto....that's what we've done with it so far.

[Ananke]

My one month old parmesan was made with whole milk, I used a recipe on the internet.  I didn't realise this wasn't the norm.

My cheese is puffing up quite a bit, do you think that is the reason why?

[Geodyne]

Hm...using whole milk won't cause puffing. The puffing is probably because of yeasts working in the pastes of your cheese and releasing gases. This is often referred to as "late blowing".

I'd age the cheese out anyway and try it when it reaches age, if you see no other ill effects. The end result is usually a lot of holes in the cheese, like Swiss or gouda.

[Ananke]

Oh dear, a holey parmesan lol

I suppose I better get another one made soon. 

[Geodyne]

It's also worth trying to figure out where the infection came from. It could be from the culture you used (some cultures are made to encourage gas production), air-borne spores or perhaps from making bread in your kitchen.

I'm jinxing myself to say I've not had a yeast infection in any cheeses I've made yet. It's astounding, considering that I brew beer, make cheese and bake sourdough in the same kitchen.

[Ananke]

Sorry, I've only just seen this.

We do make bread and I make wine too so that could be the answer. 

Another 4 or so months till opening, this cheese making lark really tests patience.

[Geodyne]

Doesn't it just?!

I find the answer to be to make more cheese, and then suddenly the old cheeses are ready before you know it.

[Spoons]

It's also worth trying to figure out where the infection came from. It could be from the culture you used (some cultures are made to encourage gas production), air-borne spores or perhaps from making bread in your kitchen.

I'm jinxing myself to say I've not had a yeast infection in any cheeses I've made yet. It's astounding, considering that I brew beer, make cheese and bake sourdough in the same kitchen.

It's also worth noting that it can also be too much silage in the cow feed. In some parts of the world, this happens mostly during winter. There are 2 ways to counter late blowing while you make the cheese: A culture called Holdbac LC or some Sodium Nitrate added to the milk.

[WovenMeadows]

I don't think "late blowing" from clostridium spores would happen at one month? Hence the "late," usually like 4-6 months I think.
I don't think it would be from a diacetyl-producing strain (LLD or ML), that should have been killed in a high-temp parm cook. Could be proprionic though, like in swiss. Was the milk raw?

[Ananke]

No it was store bought whole milk.

[Spoons]

I don't think "late blowing" from clostridium spores would happen at one month? Hence the "late," usually like 4-6 months I think.

"Late blowing" specifically happens between 3 and 6 weeks. Usually in low acid, brined cheeses such as gouda.