Gouda made on 12-18-2009

[Likesspace]

Hi bmckee....

When I wrote out this recipe I used whey ph readings.
I've since gone to a meter that can test the curd but since I've had good luck with this particular recipe I continue to take my readings from the whey.

The last wheel of this cheese that I cracked open had aged for a 6 month period and I have to say that it is far and away the best cheese that I've ever produced. Because of that I don't plan on ever opening another of my Gouda cheeses until the 6 month period has expired.

I find Gouda one of the easiest of all cheeses to make since you don't really have a cooking stage (where you have to raise the temperature of the curd over a given period of time). It's about as cut and dried as a cheese can be which makes it fairly easy to get consistent results.

Good luck on your cheese and let us know how it turns out.
Also, if you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask.

Dave

[susanky]

Dave,
Thanks for posting recipe and picture of your beautiful cheese.  Looks fantastic!  I have a question that goes way back to the beginning of the thread almost a year ago.  You said you cut a piece out and tried it, then were going to age (the rest of it?) it and see how it was later.  I thought you could not cut a wheel or that somehow that stopped the aging.  Can you cut it into pieces, vacuum seal and age them individually? 
Susan

[Sailor Con Queso]

Susan,

Many of us will cut a wheel at 90 days (or whatever), then vacuum bag  the rest and age some more. The cheese doesn't care if it's been cut or not. It keeps right on aging.

[susanky]

Sailor, thanks for the reply.  That's good news.  Somehow I thought once the rind was compromised it stopped aging or didn't age properly.  So if I knew I was going to quarter the wheel and give to friends, would it be best to do that after brining/before drying to allow each quarter to develop a rind and age on its own?  Or wait until aging is complete and then cut.  Does it make any difference?
Susan

[Sailor Con Queso]

The cheese needs to age for a while before you cut it. I rarely cut anything before 90 days.

[susanky]

Well shoot.  Now I'm confused again.   Before we said it was ok to cut it, then reseal and age more.  So only ok after 90 days?  What happens in the aging process that we are changing by cutting?
Susan

[bmckee561]

Dave:  Thanks for the pH update.  I just finished a batch of Mozzarella for pizza this evening with my homemade pizza dough and sauce.  I intend on using your recipe tomorrow for the first time.  I like the way you laid out you recipe and the steps  used.

I will monitor the pH of the whey and also take a few readings on the curds as I go.  I plan on using my PID controller to make this cheese as it allows me better temperature control throughout the process.  I also have a cheese cave ready to age the Gouda once it is pressed.  My only concern now is maintaining 80 - 90% humidity in the cave.  I use a PID controller to maintain temperature but I have not received my PID controller for humidity control as yet.

Thanks again for the info.  I will post back when I have the Gouda in the Cave!

Salute!   

[Likesspace]

Susan and bmckee....

First of all, I agree 100% with what Sailor had to say on the subject of cutting.

After air drying the cheese for a few days I now cut my wheels into quarters and then vacuum bag. Although I love to make cheese I honestly don't eat a lot of it so by cutting a 4 lb. wheel into quarters I never have more opened then I can eat.

The beauty of vacuum bagging is that you create a rindless cheese and have no need of keeping a consistent humidity in the cave, (bmckee, this might be something that would be helpful in your situation).
After having used vacuum bagging I don't forsee myself ever going back to a natural or waxed cheese.

It really gives me a sense of pleasure to know that people are using this recipe, and seem to like the results. I will say that although I put a lot of time into making the recipe, it was information that was gathered from the members of this forum that made success possible.

Good luck to you both in your cheese making and please keep us informed on how things turn out (that means photos.....I'm a real sucker when it comes to what Carter used to call "cheese porn").

Also, if you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask.

Dave

[Likesspace]

Oh, one other thing......

Sailor and Susan.....sheesh you two stay up LATE!
By the time the question was asked and answered I'd been in bed for a couple of hours!
Didn't your mommas tell you that a good night's sleep is important? :-)

[susanky]

Holy shomoley we must have time change or computer time stamp issues!  That is one thing I have never been accused of.  9pm is about my limit.  It is now 9:10pm and I am ready to crawl into bed.  But I can't hit the hay until I've read all the new posts.  It's become an addiction.   

[bmckee561]

Dave:  I used your recipe today and followed it as closely as possible, however I did overshoot the initial 84 degree set point by about 2 degrees.  I waited for a clean break which per the calculations you mentioned occurred right around 13 minutes.  I also allowed 8 minutes of heal time as I noticed the curd breaking down @ 5 minutes when I went to stir gently.

Curd did not hold together as a solid mass but did not completely break down.  I drained whey and added 130 degree water as you noted 3 times, but had to increase my temperature to hit the 100 -102 degree mark you set.  The curd mass did not settle below the whey as I had expected, so I used a metal mesh strainer to push the curd down gently to remove the whey and then pressed the curd with 8# of weight for 10 minutes.

I strained the curds which broke down into nice crumbly curds and allowed them to drain before moving them into my cheese press (Lined with cheese cloth).  I pressed with 3# for 30 minutes then 4# for 30 minutes then I flipped the cheese and pressed with 4#.  I am now waiting for the displaced whey to reach the pH level indicated in your original recipe.  When I flipped the cheese, I was pleased to note that it was holding it's shape nicely.

I have my brine solution ready and will allow the Gouda to float for 3 - 6 hours (more if necessary)  My cheese cave is already at 55 degrees waiting for the Gouda to make it's appearance.

I can't wait to sample some of this cheese and pair it with some of my home made wine and beer.  I really appreciate you posting this recipe and will follow up with a tasting report when the time comes.

Thanks a bunch Dave.

Salute!   

[acstokes]

I waited for a clean break which per the calculations you mentioned occurred right around 13 minutes.

I am not Dave, but you say clean break occurred at 13 minutes. Do you mean to say flocculation occurred at 13 minutes? Clean break should not come until about 3 times your floc. time or about 39 minutes in your case. If you stirred at 13 minutes, this may explain why your curds did not hold together.

Fred

[bmckee561]

AC:  I checked for curd set using the floating bowl method.  This occurred very quickly after adding my rennet and stirring with up/down strokes 25 times.  I used a timer after adding the rennet and at 4 minutes (maybe my understanding of flocculation is incorrect) I multiplied 4*3=12 and added another minute to come up with 13 minutes.  My initial curds were formed nicely, but still very fragile.  Is 4 minutes to short a time for curd set to occur?  Could the increased temperature I achieved have caused curd set to occur more rapidly?

Flocculation as it relates to cheese is new to me.  I make beer and wine and flocculation related to yeast is some what different.  I know I have a lot to learn and will work to get things right as I proceed.

My cheese is now in the cave and it appears to have developed a firm outer skin (I hope this is what it is supposed to be).  I flipped it over last evening before going to bed and it is doing well.  I will vacuum seal the Gouda in a few days and allow it to age.

Salute!   

[Sailor Con Queso]

4 minutes is way too short. You used too much rennet, which can lead to a bitter cheese. You should not cut this cheese early. It needs to age longer than normal to help get rid of the bitterness. Reduce your rennet by at least half next time. You should shoot for a flocculation of around 15 minutes.

This is a good example of why you should use the flocculation method instead of blindly following recipes.

[bmckee561]

4 minutes is way too short. You used too much rennet, which can lead to a bitter cheese. You should not cut this cheese early. It needs to age longer than normal to help get rid of the bitterness. Reduce your rennet by at least half next time. You should shoot for a flocculation of around 15 minutes.

This is a good example of why you should use the flocculation method instead of blindly following recipes.

So based upon the fact that the curd set so quickly, you are saying that I used to much rennet.  Ok, I will adjust the amount down on my next attempt.  You mention that the cheese will be bitter due to the amount of rennet used, Ok, I will wait longer to sample.  My initial flocculation should be somewhere around 15 minutes next time and I will look for the change and hopefully see better results in curd formation.  Question:  If flocculation occurs at 15 minutes, would I then wait 45 minutes to cut the curds?  After cutting and healing takes place, raising the temperature to 100-102 degrees should help to displace additional whey correct?  Why do the curds not settle in 5 minutes as the original recipe indicates?  Is it because the curd was to small and continued to float easily.

I know I have lots of questions, but I learn fast and appreciate all the assistance and guidance I can get.

The Gouda still looks nice and I can't wait to sample it (I will wait though.......  I promise -  )

Salute!