Monterey Jack experiement

[Tea]

I made 5 rounds of monterey jack on Friday using the recipe that is posted here.  I added smoked salt, rosemary and garlic as my flavours.  I am intending to marinate two in herbed oil, and age one in an oil bath.  I want to wax one, age another using oil rubs, and one just to age with no washes or oils, or waxing, and see what the difference is going to be with the different cheese.  I think I am going to need to document this for further use, but I just thought it would be interesting to see what differences these treatment bring out.  Hoping to age all to the 2 months mark.
Here's hoping.
Will post pics as I go.

[Cartierusm]

Smoked Salt? Where in the world did you get that, very interesting?

[Tea]

I got the salt from the supermarket in the spices section.  I thought it would be interesting to try.  Not sure that the flavour will come through very much, but you never know.  Ok here are the cheeses that are going to be trialled.  I have put two in the oil marinade today.  Leting the others dry a bit more before continuing with their treatment.

[Cartierusm]

Those are beautiful little cheeses, congrats on the delivery.

[Tea]

Thankyou Carter I was very proud of them too.
Ok for the sake of documentation here are the cheeses at their next stage.
Oil marinating for two. One waxed, one brine washing, and one oil rubs.

[saycheese]

Cartierusm,
Whole Foods carries smoked salt.

[Likesspace]

Tea,
Those look fantastic. I also love how you are willing to experiment with new additives and procedures (oil bathing).
I can't wait to hear your review once you crack these open.
Thanks for the post and the different ideas.

Dave

[Tea]

Thanks Dave, I certainly hope everything works out well.  Will just keep updating this as I proceed to the next step, or something interesting/strange happens.

[Tea]

Update in this.  One of the oil marinated cheeses has gone into an oil bath, where it will stay for another month.
The three that were forming rinds from either the brine or oil, have been compromised by a pink mould, which I have treated but didn't get rid of. So I have cut off the mould and put these into the fridge.
Tried the oil marinated round, and as usual there is a hard rind, and the flavour is full of herbs and garlic.  The cheese texture is smooth and creamy, so apart from the mould, I am happy with the cheese and how they are aging.

[Tea]

Here are the pics.  The mould is what it there after treatment, so this is pretty persistant, and as it gets older is turning orange.

[Cartierusm]

Weird. Have you tried it or is there too much mold?

[Tea]

I'm going to do a "Carter"

Jeez, didn't you read my post!!   

Yes I have tried it, and near the top where the pink/orange mould is the flavour has defiantely changed, but the rest of the cheese is fine, with the usual flavours. 

Actually I wondered whether I was creating a faux limberger?   

[Cartierusm]

I knew you tried it earlier, but I thought this was a different one you were aging. Nevermind my bad.

[Likesspace]

Tea,
Despite the mold problems, the texture of the cheese looks fantastic.
It seems that you consistantly turn out nice looking cheeses.
Good for you.

Dave

[Tea]

Carter I'm sorry, it is my bad, I really shouldn't have said that, but I couldn't resist.   

Dave I am happy with the texture, the middle part is beautifully smooth and creamy, which I am really happy with.   The section that had the mould on it has a really sharp flavour that takes on the flavour of the smell of the mould, if that makes sense, so that is why I am going to cut off the rest of the mould and brine again, and hopefully that will get rid of it.