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feta fiasco #2

Started by cowboycheese, March 28, 2013, 02:12:46 AM

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cowboycheese

Feta  #2
03/24/2013
Based very loosely on several cheeseforum posts and from notes on my first fiasco feta.

2 gal Cozy Cow Dairy p/non-h (winter milk, fermented feed)

1/4 tea Calcium Chloride in 50ml RO water
Start 6.6 pH
Warm to 88°F and keep it there
1/8 tea MA4001

Rehydrate 1/8 tea sharp lipase in 50ml RO water for 30 min then add

Hold for an hour

1/4 tea calf rennet  in 50 ml RO water   (50% of what the bottle recommended)
Floc in 13 min
4x multiplier = 52 min to cut
Stand 10 min to heal cuts
Slow, intermittent stirring for 20 min
Bit faster stirring for 20 min – whey at 6.3 pH
Intermittent faster stirring for 10 min – whey at 6.25 pH
Same for 10 min – curd at 6.16 pH – ladled into baskets
Tested pH 5.60 at 2 hours – first flip
Leave overnight to drain at room temp – flips at 4 and 8 hrs.
Salted and into cave for a few days.
After day 1 tested 5.05 pH. Probably will let acid develop a bit further (4.9 or 4.8) before cutting and brining.

Notes to self:
1. Winter milk is so much fun – not.
2. Got at least another day to read up on proper brine techniques.

cowboycheese

I and several neighbors have done the taste tests. Not too sharp compared to what I've found in the stores - which I like. I'm happy with this make.

The aging whey/brine is working out well. Many thanks to everyone for the millions of posts on brine issues and recipes. This batch is staying nice and firm. I'd also like to give thanks to my new pH meter - without it I'm sure I'd end up with mush.