Cheddar thoughts and advice please

[Kirkbybil]

I'm planning on making a cheddar at the weekend.

I bought a small 1lb 'artisan' cheddar at a market on my travels recently which was fantastic. The cheesemonger told me it was aged one year.

However, instead of being a really hard cheese as I expected (Cheddar always seems to be very heavily pressed)
this was quite soft and although it could be sliced with a shape knife, it could probably have been spread with a little pressure and the texture was quite soft and 'fluffy'. I could easily squish it between my fingers. The flavour was also very strong, tangy and mature.

I would really like to try and replicate this cheese, I will probably make a 4 gallon batch so 4 x 1lb cheeses and so I'm happy to mature a couple for as long as it takes.

Does anyone have any thoughts as to how the cheese consistency might be achieved?





 

[jwalker]

I can only offer my own observations .

I have been trying for the same results and have been having much success by just lowering the press weights.

I never press with more than 10 lbs anymore , and that's on an 8 inch mold , I think that's like .2 PSI , way less than most recipes call for.

All I can say is , it's working for me , cutting larger curds seems to help as well.

I have also noticed that my cheeses melt better as well.

[Kirkbybil]

Thanks, that's really interesting, a few questions if I may:

1.Is there a specific recipe that you have used that you would recommend? I have Ricki's book and two failures though they were the first two cheeses I ever made so I know better now (I hope)

2. Her recipe for trad. cheddar calls for 1/4' curds, how much bigger do you cut?

3. Do you have any issue with curds knitting to form a smooth rind at that press weight or are you waxing?

4. I am looking for a strong mature flavour - how long do you age for?

[Spoons]

2. Her recipe for trad. cheddar calls for 1/4' curds, how much bigger do you cut?

Typically, a 1/2" cut is required for a cheddar and most hard cheeses. 1/4" is dryer and usually required for cheeses such as a parm. You could try a larger cut and see what it gives. You can also try a longer floc multiplier like 3.5 instead of the typical 3.

4. I am looking for a strong mature flavour - how long do you age for?

Mild is about 6 months. Medium about 9 months. Old is more than 12 months and can age indefinitely.

[jwalker]

Thanks, that's really interesting, a few questions if I may:

1.Is there a specific recipe that you have used that you would recommend? I have Ricki's book and two failures though they were the first two cheeses I ever made so I know better now (I hope)

2. Her recipe for trad. cheddar calls for 1/4' curds, how much bigger do you cut?

3. Do you have any issue with curds knitting to form a smooth rind at that press weight or are you waxing?

4. I am looking for a strong mature flavour - how long do you age for?

I had trouble with Rikkis recipes as well , I made three of her Cheddars and only one was good , it was a two gallon make , I presently have one aging that was done according to Caldwells book , I tried it a month ago , it is now six months old but will need another few months to develop a stronger flavor , it has a fantastic texture tho , probably just what you are going for , it is a lrger 4 gallon wheel.

That one was pressed with only about 7 pounds of weight , I cut the curds at about 1 inch.

I've also found that all of my cheeses lately have a nicer texture since I went to 4 gallon makes , perhaps bigger cheeses retain more moisture and age better , just a thought.
All my Cheddars have been coated or waxed or both.

I've also been experimenting with adding Lipase to different cheeses , they seem to develop a sharper flavor much faster , you may want to try that as well , it is working really well for me , I've been adding it to all of my hard cheeses lately.

During the handling and processing of commercial milk, particularly if it is pasteurised, the lipase enzymes are usually destroyed. This makes achieving that sharp taste more difficult so Lipase can be added back into the milk, to reintroduce those enzymes and their usual function.

[Kirkbybil]

Thank you - I have recently started 4 gallon makes but for my cheddar I want to divide this into 4 smaller one pound cheeses. If I wax them I shouldn't lose much to rind.

Do you have a copy of the Caldwell recipe you could email or post? I have never seen it.

I'd also be interested in the amount of Lipase you add. I have added it to Parma and Manchego but hadn't thought of it for Cheddar.

[jwalker]

I'll find it later and post it here for you.

[jwalker]

Caldwells Cheddar.

2 gal. whole milk.
1/4 tsp. ma 4000
calcium chloride (1/4 tsp pr gal. is what I have been using.)
1/4 tsp rennet (I use 1/2 tablet to 4 gals.)
2-3 tsp salt or 2% by weight of milled curd.

warm to 80 f.
add cultures , let sit 5 minutes then stir for 2-3 mins.
increase to 90 f. hold for 30 min.
add calcium , wait 5 min add rennet.
stir in rennet , wait 45 min or 3.5 floc. time.
cut into 3/8 curd (I use 1 inch curd as P/H milk tends to break up more when stirring)
let rest 5 min.
stir gently and raise temp to 102 f over 30 min.
hold and stir for 45-60 min.
goal ph at end of stirring is 6.15-6.2 (I don't use ph as my meter seems unreliable , I use 60 min.)
drain whey , keep at 98 f for 15 min , turn ad let sit for 15 min.
cut into 2 slabs , turn every 15 min by reversing slabs on top of one another til ph 5.3 or 5.35 (i do this for 1.5 hrs.)
when it resembles cooked chicken breast meat , cut into 1x2 in. slabs and put in collander
add 1/2 of the salt and let sit 10 min. then add the rest. (goal is 2%)
put in cloth lined mold , flip at 15 min. and again at 30 min
use weight needed to close rind and press 12-24 hours

she doesn't state any exact weights , but I use about 10 lbs from star to finish , and press for 12 hours.

Affinage: any way you like , I wax mine , age six months.

As for lipase , I went with instructions on the container , there are different kinds.

I'm also curious as to why you want to do four 1 lb. cheeses as opposed to one large one , in my limited experience , the larger ones always tend to age and develop a nicer texture than the smaller ones , I just cut my larger ones in half when I feel it is time to try them , then vacuum seal or re-coat if they need more aging.

[H-K-J]

Here is the same thing basically only with PH targets and this one with a couple of culture tweeks not to much info in the later just the change in cultures

[Kirkbybil]

Thanks, that's brilliant - I will use that recipe, make a single cheese from 4 galls, cut curds 3/4"-1", add half the recommended Lipase (1/4tsp to 5 litres so I will use 1/8 as I'm aiming to age for at least 6 months) and a press weight of 10lbs for 12hrs.

Not going to get time this weekend but hopefully next and I'll post the results.

THANKS!!

[Kirkbybil]

I finally got around to making the cheddar yesterday.  I decided to make 2 x 2Lb cheeses just for ease of waxing and ageing. Ended up with 2,200g of curds.

The make seemed to go well, floc time was a little long at 18 mins so x 3.5 =63mins but I used a new liquid rennet so maybe a little adjustment needed there. The cheddaring process seemed to go well, nice 'chicken breasts'.

When I milled the curds, however, before putting in the molds they seemed quite dry. I pressed for 15 mins at 10lbs as suggested, but they weren't knitting too well so I added another 5 lbs and left for an hour, then flipped and left 12 hours with 20lbs on.

As you can see from the pic, 12 hours in now and still not a great knit.

Any suggestions please? Should I just leave for another 12 hours? wait and wax over, or butter and cloth or is this how they are meant to be?

[jwalker]

That rind is pretty open , I usually get a way better knit on mine , maybe the curds were a little too dry for some reason ?

Or too cold , I try to keep mine pretty warm while pressing.

I would try smoothing the rind with a spatula or knife before waxing , bandaging or coating , kind of like you would do for a stilton.

Otherwise there are a lot of crevices for molds to grow in.

Mine usually come out like this , not a perfect rind , but smooth enough that the wax or coating covers it easily:

[Digitalsmgital]

I have made two cheddars, one with drier curds as you are reporting, and one moister batch. Both batches I pressed the first hour under warm whey, and got a good knit.

Try warming the press with a heating pad and a towel wrapped around the mould.

[Matthewcraig]

What I would recommend it to either smooth it down with something like a palette knife or just your hands and try and fill all the cracks, what I would then do is leave it for a week or two just to air dry then wax it and I find a amazing cheddar should be aged for about 12-16 months depends how long you can wait  so good luck.