salting

[T-Bird]

I have noticed in the recipe section for Colby and monterey jack the ingredient list lists both .06oz. (1.6gms.) salt and .5oz. (15gms) salt. However in the procedure they say to add .015 oz. (15gms) salt to the rennet and later say to add .5oz. salt (15gms ) salt to the curds---what tha? 15gms salt is not .015 oz and when do you use the .06 oz.? What is the purpose of adding salt to the rennet in these cheeses and not others? How much salt do you actually add to the rennet ? Also, I've read on other websites that the factories send the colby straight to the market when made  without aging because it ages so poorly. Aging is when mine gets  sour or sharp tasting.

[MrsKK]

I've never looked at those recipes on this website and have never used them. I don't know conversion rates from ounces to grams, either.

I've never heard of adding salt to rennet.  As salt helps stop the acidification process, I don't think it would be good to add it then, either.

I hope someone else chimes in here.

[wharris]

I too, have never heard of adding salt to rennet.

[Alex]

I made 2 Jack's accordimg to this recipe and I was confused exactly like you.
First version I made a Peppr Jack adding 10 gr of salt to the rennet solution for 10 l of milk. After final draining of curds before hooping, mixed in additional 40 gr of salt and the hot peppers. The result was more than very good.
Second version I made a plain version, also added salt to the rennet, but didn't salt the curds. This time I put the cheese in brine after pressing. It's 3 months old and I am still waiting.
To be honest, the floc point was at 25 minutes (that might be because of the addition of salt to the rennet) and waited x3.5 .

[T-Bird]

There are about 28 grms in one oz. 0.015 oz is 0.42 grms.  One tbl. flaked salt is a little more than 0.5oz. (in my tbl. level it is 0.6oz.) I was confused most when it said to add almost 1tbl. salt with the rennet in 1/4 cup water. All this came about with my trying to explain how my washed curd cheese that has VERY bland tasting curds coming out of the mold, can sit and air dry at 55 deg. in my cave for 2 wks before vacuum sealing and get sour tasting before the sealing. This has happened 2 times with colby and 2times with gouda. The 2nd time with gouda, I even reduced the vol of the meso m. by 1/2. I was thinking that by washing the curd that I might have been removing salt from the curd that was present in the milk and cream and I was  not adding enough back to halt acid formation. I always salt my stiltons at 1tbl. per gal. milk and it is plenty salty,there is no washing with that cheese tho.

[KosherBaker]

Hi T-Bird.

I don't have an answer to your question but thought I'd provide links for additional recipes for Colby and Jack:
Colby
Monterey Jack
Jack from Ricki