Blue Me Away

[Boofer]

Thanks, Brie. It has been pierced once already. I'm set to do it a second time next Monday. I guess you're right that it's aging faster because of its smaller size.

I am starting to see a wider range of colors in the tall boys.

-Boofer-

[Helen]

That looks so good Boofer! I never got Blue to grow so beautifully. I am very very impressed.

[Tea]

Well now that I have my family enjoying blue's, I am really interested in trying a stilton, and this thread has helped me make up my mind.  These look wonderful Boofer.

BTY, where did you get those round plastic mats? 

[Boofer]

BTW, where did you get those round plastic mats?

The mats are from our local crafts chain, Michael's, in the needlepoint department. They are available in sizes to accommodate camembert molds (4inch), Tomme molds(7.5inch), and different hole-density sheets 9x12inch.

-Boofer-

[Boofer]

I pierced for the second time yesterday and they residue that came out with the skewer was very nice.

A little bit of a crack at the one end. I don't think it's major.

The puck seems to be getting softer. When I flip it, that seems apparent.

All three cheeses are fully engaged with the blue.

-Boofer-

[Boofer]

I'm coming up to just 30 days with these cheeses. I don't see how they could possibly make it for another 60 days. Really!??

About every third day I air them out and wipe out the moisture in the minicave.

I don't know if the blues are looking good or bad. Any opinions out there?

Seems like the puck is really asking for me to slice into it. Its smaller size probably means that it will be ripe earlier than the tall boys.

-Boofer-

[mtncheesemaker]

I would try to wait, at least on the bigger ones. 30 days isn't very long!
They look very good from over here!

[Neil H]

Boofer they look fantastic man !!!

[iratherfly]

Can't wait to see them open!

[Boofer]

So I've seen opinions for both sides: wrap...don't wrap.

Should I be enclosing these in foil, cheese paper, or cellophane wrap? Or is that only an option at Day 90?

There is a little bit of creamy weepage coming from the pierced ends when I go to flip them. Does that seem reasonable?

-Boofer-

[Tea]

Boofer they look wonderful.  I don't have much experience with blues, but my blue/white are wrapped in foil on day 10, and then aged.  So I am interested to know too.   

[Aris]

So I've seen opinions for both sides: wrap...don't wrap.

Should I be enclosing these in foil, cheese paper, or cellophane wrap? Or is that only an option at Day 90?

There is a little bit of creamy weepage coming from the pierced ends when I go to flip them. Does that seem reasonable?

-Boofer-

Aging it for 90 days is overkill imo. Besides, the two big ones are not that big compared to the size of real Stilton. Since yours are way smaller, they would require less time to ripen especially the little puck. I think you should eat the little puck now, its just going to ammoniate and dry out if you age it  for far too long or liquify because of the white mold. The one i made is only 38 days old and its almost as strong as Roquefort. Wrap your cheeses in tin foil if your worried about it drying out but you will halt the blue mold growth.

[Hande]

I get some trouble when I wrap blues maybe too early.
Moisture can't go away and rind get wet, not good.
Now I keep them in box and let them breath every day until there is not so much moisture in box, after that I let them breathe every 2 or 3 days or so.
So I can control better blues hole aging time. After cut I vac pac.

Hande

[Boofer]

wrap...don't wrap.

Since yours are way smaller, they would require less time to ripen especially the little puck. I think you should eat the little puck now, its just going to ammoniate and dry out if you age it  for far too long or liquify because of the white mold.

I couldn't stand it any longer...Early this morning I cut into the puck to check on the progress. I found that some of the holes had closed up and it showed a clean channel where the skewer had penetrated but there was little to no blue in the channel. I have pierced each of the cheeses at least twice.

The paste was creamy, but not oozy, and the blue was there but not too excessive. Mild blue flavor and maybe a little over salty. The salt was 2 tsp mixed into the curds in a 2 gallon make. Overall, I am pleased with the progress at this point. I believe the tall boys will show different personalities than this puck. I am also looking forward to cutting the raw milk Stilton I created from the slice of Royal Blue Stilton. That should be pretty interesting.

I decided to wrap the cut half in cheese paper to let it age a little longer. The paper is microperforated so that it does breathe somewhat.

-Boofer-

[Aris]

I think the reason for the minimal veining is the white mold. It made the paste soften therefore closing the crevices. Maybe next time you should pierce early, like at age 10 days.