PeeeeUuuuuu! Smells awful

[darius]

My 3rd try at a pseudo stilton is now about 3+ weeks old, and smells awful when I open the container to flip it. Should it smell so bad? Mostly it's an ammonia smell, I think, although I have anosmia and my sense of smell is seriously damaged.

It looks okay but very soft to handle when I flip it (my fingers make indents), and a little seems to stick to the plastic drain mat which is elevated in the container. The blue is dying off and a decent tan is covering about 80% now, so I pierced it.

Am I wasting my time or is this fairly normal?

[JeffHamm]

Haven't tried a blue yet, so I don't know.  Could you leave it open to the air for 1/2 an hour each day to let the amonia clear out?  I know if camembert gets like that airing it a bit helps, and when it comes to eating it, just cut it and let it sit for an hour or so and the taste is just fine. 

Perhaps a photo would help?  There are lots here who do good blues, so I'm sure you'll get some more informed advice soon.

- Jeff

[Sailor Con Queso]

Ammonia is normal with a Blue. However, the ammonia can also kill the blue mold if you keep the lid closed. So be sure the cheese is getting enough air circulation. All sounds as it should be.

[darius]

I take it out of the mini-cave (small wine chiller) every day to flip it, and let it breathe for an hour or so.

I'll try to get a photo tomorrow.

Thanks!!

[Boofer]

The blue is dying off and a decent tan is covering about 80% now, so I pierced it.

Is this right? Is this the second piercing? If not, I understood that the first piercing should be when the blue has enveloped the rind.

I ask because I'm doing my first blue and want to make sure I get the detail right.

-Boofer-

[darius]

Boofer, I have no clue if that's right or not... it's just what I did, relying on memory and not verification of technique!

[Sailor Con Queso]

Boof, if you pierce too early the cheese is still soft and the holes will just close in on themselves. I usually pierce at about 3 weeks.

[Tomer1]

When you sense something is weird and your own sense of smell is impaired ,asked for a second opinion from someone. (who doesnt thing "smelly cheeses" are disgusting) before thinking of tossing it.

[Boofer]

Boofer, I have no clue if that's right or not... it's just what I did, relying on memory and not verification of technique!

Sorry, my comment may have come off as something other than curiosity.

I went back and checked linuxboy's recipe. I've attached an extract from it. I would guess that you're at the 2nd stage.

-Boofer-

[darius]

Boofer, thanks for looking up the notes on piercing, esp. since that's the very recipe I used. This is the first piercing, which now appears should be the 2nd one. I'm assuming it will be okay, and I have no intentions of tossing it!

Later today (if the rain stops) the mini wine chiller gets moved to the root cellar and the Stilton will have it all to itself, rather than sharing space with a few condiments. It will have more space around it, and more air circulation with daily attention. Hopefully I'll get a photo, too.

The mini blues cave goes next to the converted refrigerator I finally got re-finished and stocked with some 1 to 4 month-old rounds of cheese this morning. Don't ever try that with an old refrigerator that has been sitting outside. Nasty, nasty, nasty job to clean and sterilize! I bought a Johnson Controls digital temp. control for the big fridge, and now thinking on humidity control...

[darius]

Okay, here's my "Stilton"...

The wine chiller iced over after moving it to the root cellar last night, so I'm working on temp adjustment, and humidity control.

[Knoal]

Darius,

In my experiments with blues, when they stink to high heck and they get soft, they are done (done as in gone)

I tried holding on to two blues until they liquified and were putrid (I think I posted pics)  The smell attracted flies and various other insectoids.

I'm now trying to age them in the bottom of my cave where the humidity is highest (90-95%).  I previously had them in a large container where I think the humidity was too high and they 'rotted'.

Hope this helps.

Knoal

[Sailor Con Queso]

Get your blues to the point where you like them and then vac bag and refrigerate. This will cut off oxygen and stop the development. I like a fair bit of proteolysis in my blues.

[Boofer]

I have a commercial Stilton that proves that point. It came wrapped in plastic wrap and vacuum-sealed. I can cut off a piece, rewrap it in fresh plastic wrap, and vacuum-seal again. It seems to be staying very fresh.

-Boofer-

[darius]

I'll have to try that, but at just over 3 weeks I think it's too soon? Bear in mind I have never made a 'Stilton' so I have NO experience. Heck I barely have any cheese experience!