Lancashire recipe

[kookookachoo]

Ooh ok, that would still be ok, though, right?  Photo of the curds I put back in the pot after draining in the colander.  I don't know if it made a lot of difference, or changes the outcome, I hope not.  The curds did knit really well, though! 

I was really stressing about the temp, too.  I know you guys do a lot of things by "feel", especially cheeses you've made more than once, I'm still in the terrified-I'll-mess-up-royally stage..and will likely be here for a time! 

PS. Please let me know if you'd rather I post this in a new topic, don't want to hi-jack here (too much).  Thanks!

[MrsKK]

No worries.  I like it that so many people are trying out this recipe now, but I can't take any credit for that - it's all Sailor's fault!

I think it will be just fine.  I don't see that the cheesecloth would have any affect on it at all.

[darius]

Karen... You don't let this cheese air dry at all before putting in a humid curing chamber?

[kookookachoo]

I second Darius's question.  Actually, my hubby just asked me if we were going to move it to the cellar in a couple of days.  Right now, it's on the kitchen top, on a rack, the temp is 61F & humidity at 80%.  It is supposed to cool down here (Illinois) the next few days (down to upper 40's from our mid-70's right now!), so it should be ok in the kitchen for another day, I think. 

[MrsKK]

Nope, the recipe calls for it to go directly into the ripening container.

[darius]

Thanks. 

[Sailor Con Queso]

I always air dry for 2-3 days. IMHO recipes are often wrong or they leave out important details.

[MrsKK]

Both of the Lancashires I've made so far have turned out fine, or so I have thought.  What is the effect of not air drying prior to putting in the ripening container?

[Sailor Con Queso]

Air drying gives the cheese a chance to expel some moisture especially on the surface. More importantly it gets the rind started. By going right into a high humidity ripening container, IMHO the rind doesn't get off to a good start. This is especially true with an uncooked high moisture cheese like Lancashire. And without the beginnings of a rind, molds can be much more opportunistic.

There are lots of ways to manage affinage, so if it's working for you, keep doing what you're doing.

[MrsKK]

Thanks for clearing that up for me.  Oddly enough, I've been getting very little mold on these and it has been easily controlled with raw ACV.

[Sailor Con Queso]

OK, I'm having a duh moment. What is ACV?

[mikeradio]

Apple Cider Vinegar

[dmasterman]

"My mold is six inches wide by about 8 inches high."

Where did you purchase the mold? I've been searching for one that size since using Debra Amrein-Boyes book. 4 gallon milk batches just don't work for 8" tommes or for the 5" diameter molds that I now have. I spent most of yesterday looking for one! Guess I need better shopping skills...
Btw, I had a question  about one of the cheeses in her book, so I e-mailed her. She was kind enough to write back with a detailed answer. Very impressive. I highly recommend her book. It has recipes for cheeses I have not been able to find elsewhere -- and they are all clearly written and easy to follow.

[MrsKK]

Hey, D-Man, welcome to the CF!

I made my molds from 6" PVC.  I do have a few extras that I made up and have made followers and cheesebags for them.  I sell the set for $25 plus shipping.  If you are interested, pm me.

[steampwr8]

I am curious as to what the yogurt, a thermophilic culture mix, does for this cheese. Since it is heated only to 88-90 degrees they really don't propagate much do they?