why a cheese won't melt

[jaghoss]

I'm getting hit and miss results with my cheeses when it comes to melting. What causes a cheese to not melt? How much impact does aging have on this characteristic in a cheese?

[Stinky]

Good question. I will try to get back to you on that once I've consulted my sources. 

[scasnerkay]

I think the cheese does not melt well when the pH has gone too low during the make. I have had that happen with cheddar...

[AnnDee]

I am wondering the same thing. Maybe acid development? I think you need balance acidity in the cheese for it to melt, right?
The first year I make my own cheese, I made a lot of mozzarella and halloumi.
I found that on mozzarella making, whenever I didn't acidify the milk enough, it resulted a cheese that get softer when heated but would not melt completely, aka Accidental Halloumi. Especially whenever I use culture to acidify the milk.

Maybe it can be due to quality of the milk also. While all my cheeses that made with raw milk melts beautifully, except when I made halloumi (not accidental this time), not so much when I use pasteurised and homogenised milk. In fact I only use pasteurised and homogenised milk for bloomy rind cheeses now.

Views in this?

[jaghoss]

I've read both explanations, acid development and milk quality (milk fat content). I have seen a few problem batches lately acid wise, but they seem to be reading good ph levels until after pressing. My most recent batch of peppered cheddar developed near perfect acid levels, looks, smells and tastes wonderful, but it's a little rubbery and a small piece will not melt. Right after a cheese wheel comes out of the press, I cut it into quarters for drying and waxing. This makes it easier to give out to friends and family after it has aged. It also makes it easier to sample a little of the new cheese to get an idea of the beginning flavor, texture, etc. I do use store bought milk, and have recently started adding calcium. I would suspect my milk, except my previous two cheddar wheels turned out great, I just opened one (a little young perhaps) at two months old, and it tasted, smelled and melted wonderfully. I appreciate everybody's thoughts and ideas, keep em' coming. Also, if anybody has any experience with how aging affects the melt-ability of a cheese, I'd love to hear about it.

[awakephd]

Also, if anybody has any experience with how aging affects the melt-ability of a cheese, I'd love to hear about it.

So far, as I've gotten older, it has not affected my ability to melt cheese.

Sorry, couldn't resist ...

[AnnDee]

Also, if anybody has any experience with how aging affects the melt-ability of a cheese, I'd love to hear about it.

So far, as I've gotten older, it has not affected my ability to melt cheese.

Sorry, couldn't resist ...

Ah Andy, are you having those anti aging creams and pills?

[awakephd]

Now, now, just because half the emails I get LOOK like spam, doesn't mean that they're ALL spam. I'm sure these pills are doing me some good. I haven't hardly forgotten ... wait, what were we talking about?