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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Semi-Hard "Sweet" Washed Curd => Topic started by: Chetty on May 24, 2016, 05:17:00 PM
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Yesterday I made a 36 gallon batch of Gouda. I was going off of Peter Dixon recipe except I washed twice ( usually works good for me) and cooked to 99 instead of 102 took out of press and brined. Left to air dry overnight and they lost there posture. Why did this happen? I stored the curds for a good half hour while cooking and cut them fairly small because the extra moisture in my last couple of batches has been too high causing light slumping but never this bad.
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Never mind I think I figured it out. My math skills were off at 3:00 in the morning ( have to get the milk while it is warm. ) I added to much rennet 36 mls instead of 27 mls big difference.
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It looks like your cheeses slumped. It is necessary to turn the cheeses over every few hours until they firm up. The photo shows mat marks on the top of the cheeses so by the time of the photo they had sat long enough on one side to have developed what is called "elephant foot". Flipping every few hours does not stop the slumping but it puts the bulge in the center of the side and gives it a nice shape with rounded sides as in the photo below.
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I made a redemption batch using the same amounts except for the extra rennet. I brined it for 30 hours. Took them out of brine and I might be paranoid but I think there might be swelling. Is it possible for the rind to have tightened up being in the brine. Or could the flora d causeing some swelling this early.
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The rind will definitely tighten up from being in the brine. Unless you start to see distinct bulges, I wouldn't be concerned.