A sort-of Stilton-esque Blue

[Boofer]

What say ye?

Linuxboy's schedule:

• 7-10 days
• 3-4 weeks
• 4-6 weeks

-Boofer-

[awakephd]

Thanks, Boofer - that is very helpful. So according to that schedule, I should go ahead and pierce now. I won't have a chance to get to it until tonight, but then I'll pull out the ol' thermometer (since I use the stem as my piercer).

[nccheesemike]

Cheese looks great Andy! Being able to see the blue from the outside in 9 days is amazing. I hope it continues to ripen well. Someday I plan to make some blues

[awakephd]

Update on the semi-Stilton - picture below. It is now at 4.5 weeks old. A core test (no picture of that, sorry) showed really extensive blue-ing inside.

The rind seems to want to stay wet on whichever end is down -- even flipping daily, letting it air for an hour or so, by the next day the end on the mat is wet, and there is some wetness under the rack that holds the mat. The ripening container likewise is quite damp each day. The cheese has shrunk down quite a bit, so I'm guessing it is exuding the moisture and shrinking. Is this normal for a Stilton?

Normally with my gorgonzolas I let them go about 6 weeks, then cut them into sections and lightly vac-bag for final aging. I was planning to let this one age for a full 12 weeks before cutting, but given how blue it is inside, I'm not so sure.

Any recommendations from the Stiltonators out there?

[Al Lewis]

If it's showing good veining I'd cut it.

[Boofer]

Any recommendations from the Stiltonators out there?

H-K-J, are you out there?

-Boofer-

[Al Lewis]

How does the paste taste when you check it?  The twelve weeks is based on a cheese made up of 17.6 pounds of curd.  Smaller cheeses will develop faster although they might not develop all of the attributes the larger ones do.  That's the reason I always try to do large Stiltons, or at least as large as I can.  Often times trying to follow the larger cheese recipes on a much smaller scale can result in a dried out lump.  Been there, done that.  If your paste is good I would cut it.

[awakephd]

Funny you should ask about / suggest cutting it. I decided to go ahead and cut it yesterday; picture is below - not a very good picture - but still shows the veining. Beautiful "flecking" of blue throughout. Taste is good, but not yet fully developed; however, I apparently got way too much salt in this - definitely will cut back next time. As you can see, I also got a good bit of B. linens on the ends -- whichever end was down always wound up wet, even when I flipped daily and aired out. I finally reconfigured the way I had it in the cave so that the bottom would dry out, but the cheese was getting pretty dry - thus the decision to cut. I cut it into quarters and lightly vac-bagged them to further develop the flavor.

[Al Lewis]

Looks great Andy!!  AC4U!!

[Danbo]

What a beauty... AC4U!

[awakephd]

Thanks ... if only it weren't so salty. But it should be good in salads or such.

[DoctorCheese]

I am jealous.... AC4U

[Boofer]

Nice job, Andy. Your "flecking" characterization is spot on. Good coloring.

Have a cheese.

-Boofer-

[AnnDee]

Oh wow, that looks great! AC4U!

[nccheesemike]

Great looking cheese Andy! Great job