When should I pierce my Stilton? It is now 9 days old and I am just starting to see some blue on the top and bottom. It is still very moist and has a very strong blue cheese smell that I would characterize as a Gorgonzola smell. I have been keeping it in a plastic container at between 55F and 60F, not sure on the humidity, I am guessing fairly high as it has not really dried out on the surface at all.
Thanks!
Jon
Personally I pierce when there is some more blue on the outside and then a second tie two weeks after the first piercing.
And I recommend to get it once a day out of the cave and container for about half an hour.
I agree with hoeklijn, you need to air and flip the cheese once or twice a day depending on how damp the rind is.
I pierce my stilton-esque blues around 10 days, my rinds usually have enough blue on them at that time.
if the piercing get's plugged up with the flora I re-pierce, that usually happens about 3 weeks into the ageing process.
air and flip at least once a day until you think there is enough blue veining on the inside or you're day of cutting.
one thing about blues, they will get moldy, they will get scary, you're gonna worry and more than likely you're gonna freak out.
It's all good (http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/images/smilies/smilie_thumbsup.gif)
Here it is after 15 days, I think I will pierce it today. Any thoughts on top to bottom or side to side?
Jon
Quote from: lazyeiger on November 22, 2014, 05:04:48 PM
Here it is after 15 days, I think I will pierce it today. Any thoughts on top to bottom or side to side?
Jon
YUP, both
H-K-J: When you say both (vertical and horizontal) do you mean to pierce all the way through? Reason I'm asking is that on my last Stilton I did that but had some "break-outs" on the exiting side, even with the cheese at room temp. Next time I pierced a blue I was going to avoid a "through hole" and go about 3/4 through from the sides and pierce from the top and bottom against a hard surface. Also Jon's Stilton has a low aspect ratio which may make it tougher to pierce the sides if it's a through hole?
Hi John
I try (most of the time) not to go all the way through on the sides, I still do some of the time.
putting a lot of holes top to bottom/bottom to top seems to help the interior veining, it did on my last one (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,12574.0.html).
I have tried piercing just the sides, I wasn't happy with the outcome and have had a much better result doing it this way.
I agree that lazyeiger's low profile cheese is going to be a small challenge and it will age different than mine do but I'll bet it is going to be tasety
no mater how he pierces it (http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/images/smilies/smilie_thumbsup.gif) :P
So, I pierced it today using my thermometer. neither top or side pierces go all the way through they are about 90% through.
Thank you everyone for your help!
Jon
Lookin good!!
That's some great symmetry on the piercing Joh. I was way too sloppy on my last blue and didn't get enough holes. Your's looks like it's off to a good start.
Nicely done!
Well I just can't justify spending $60 on a trier so I made one out of a piece of 3/8 stainless tube and tried it out on my Stilton. The slot needs to be a bit wider, apart from that it seems to work fine!
It looks and tastes great, we will cut this over Christmas.
Jon
Both the cheese and the trier deserve AC4U!
I'm going to let mine 'Blue out' for 3 weeks. I like a lot of Blueness :o
--Mal
Just had to cut this! now 6 weeks old. Fantastic!
Mal, your make looks just the same as this, it took 10 days before I saw any blue on the outside and I pierced after 15 days.
Jon
I am seeing little blue patches and it's 10 days since making it and blue activity compares to your lovely Blue at the same stage - yours looks great, nice colour and lovely veining. 15 days is looking like a good time to pierce. Not sure how the little one will go but I do know there was too little weight in the curds to consolidate it properly so it's probably going to be a very crumbly blue - this one I'll open at 1/2 my target of 12 weeks as I don't have a trier.
Merry Christmas
--Mal