15 Gallon Batch Parmesan #6

Tea · January 17, 2009, 10:43:56 PM

Carter I too question whether your paddle has been too effective, and has expelled too much whey, thus causing the dry and brittle curds.

Still don't throw it, keep it and see how it ages, it could also be an invaluable learning experience.

Cartierusm · January 17, 2009, 11:55:22 PM

I always do, I never throw it away.

Cartierusm · January 19, 2009, 07:21:07 AM

How many of you are wrestling fans..I'm not but maybe you'll appreciate this.

"The Rock has finally returned to my Brine", well kind of close.

I've never had a cheese sink in brine, but this brick has. As I said it's too hard already but dam. It is like a rock. I'll still keep it and try it in a year. Maybe I'll do a washed rind as to keep some moisture in there.

Cheese Head · January 19, 2009, 11:16:28 AM

Wow that is dense!

I've also never had a cheese sink, but then I've been using saturated brines for salting/brining, except for Feta.

I think you also use NaCl (Sodium Chloride, household salt) saturated brines, in which case at room temp the brine has a specific density of about 1.2!

Cartierusm · January 20, 2009, 01:15:08 AM

John, what salt do you use?

Cheese Head · January 21, 2009, 06:47:09 PM

Carter, I use regular cheap household non-iodized Sodium Chloride (NaCl), I buy US made Morton Brand Canning & Pickling Salt. I assume that's what everyone is using for brining?

I made an info webpage on Ingredients - Salts and another on Best Practices - Making Brine.

PM me if any corrections/changes/additions

.

Cartierusm · January 21, 2009, 07:35:12 PM

Ok, it just sounded like you were using special salt and I had missed something major.

wharris · January 21, 2009, 07:36:13 PM

Quote from: Cartierusm on January 16, 2009, 01:57:40 AM
John, I appreciate the sentiment but not necessarily. Any cheese that's not too dry can make an interesting experiment, but I believe this one is going to be chalky which never tastes good. People think regular parmesan is dry as can by but there is still significant moisture in it.

From what I read:
True Parmigiano Reggiano has a moisture content of 30.8%
Cheddar on the other hand has a mximum moisture content of 39.0%

Cartierusm · January 21, 2009, 07:59:17 PM

Wow, I didn't realize it was that close, it always looks so dry. The wheel in this batch is a brick. I'm not sure if I should even keep it, but I will. It turned my brine yellow, I don't know if I should keep it or toss the brine?

chilipepper · January 21, 2009, 10:03:04 PM

"The Brick" teehee... the Rock has nothing on the Brick. You better nurture this one along just like all the rest. It may end up to be something special! If so could you replicate it!

Cartierusm · January 21, 2009, 11:25:16 PM

Just for Chili, "the Rock has finally returned to my colon"

Yes, I'll save it and Yes I can replicate it because it took no skill.

Cartierusm · January 22, 2009, 02:42:02 AM

"The Brick" past away at 5:30 pm PST, he was shot down over the sea of brine.

I was pulling it out of the brine and it crumbled into a million pieces. Just what I wanted to do clean my floor, my bread maker, my cuisinart, my pants, my counter and my blinds...it plopped back into the brine spalshing everything.

wharris · January 22, 2009, 03:02:27 AM

CH need a smiley or some other button here that plays "Taps"

Cartierusm · January 22, 2009, 04:57:15 AM

LOL, that would be funny.

chilipepper · January 22, 2009, 05:56:45 PM

Oh man that is not good! Well better now I guess then after you've been tending to it for a year.

15 Gallon Batch Parmesan #6

Tea

Cheese Head

Cheese Head

wharris

chilipepper

wharris

chilipepper