I have been trying to make Stilton recently. This is the recipe I used taken from various recipes on the web....
- 8 L past. Milk + 500 ml Cream (40% fat) --> Heat to 32 °C (90F)
- Add:
- Let ripen for 40 min
- Add rennet
- Set for 90 min
- Ladle uncut curds into a cheesecloth
- Place the cheesecloth into the warm whey for 90 min
- Hang the cheesecloth to drain for 30 min
- Tie up cloth and place between 2 boards with about 4 kg on top for 15 hours
- Break up curds into walnut sized pieces
- Add 2 tbsp salt and mix
- Place curds in a mold lined with cheesecloth and press down slightly
- Flip every 15 min for 2 hours then once per day for 4 days
- After 4 days at room temperature, remove the cloth and smooth the sides with a moist knife (I kept dipping a serrated one in boiling water)
- Place in a humid environment at about 12°C
- Pierce after 10 days or so
- After 2 months it should be ready to eat
The first time I made one, I pierced it twice and left it in the cheese cave for 3-4 months. It was very hard and ripe and looked like a blue parmesan (not really as good as it sounds).
The second one, I only pierced once and vacuum packed it about a 3 weeks after making it. It turned out more like a gorgonzola with the extra moisture remaining, but had the crumblyness of a Stilton. I realise I should have pierced it more to increase the blue. I also may have pressed the curds too hard into the mold which stopped the random blue veins going through it.
Has anyone else played with the variables and how they affect the end result?
I used the following to form my curds, no pressing.
QuoteDrain the whey from the curds, leave in the pot, cover them to prevent contamination, and leave for 6-8 hours (overnight). During this time, the acidity will increase, and pH will decrease to 4.6.-4.8. You may need to press the curds lightly and figure out a way to drain the whey. The curds should be fairly solid, acidic, and not too dry or too wet after 6-8 hours. If you mold the curds and have too many crevices on the surface, that's too dry of a curd. It's a delicate balance to achieve a soft paste, yet have opening to achieve the blue veining. The process in this howto should work for most people, but adjust for your equipment if necessary.
Mill the curds into smaller pieces (1/2"-1"). Salt the curds at a rate of 2 tsp per gallon milk. Salt evenly. It helps to add half of the salt, mix the salt in by tossing the curds, and salt/mix again.
Pack the curds into molds. Do not press.
Turn the molds over every 15 minutes four times, then every half hour four times, then every hour for 2-4 times. By this time, the top and bottom of the cheese will have formed, and you can leave them in the mold.
Leave the cheese in the mold to drain for 4 days, flipping 1-2 times every day. This is at room temperature.
Check the make here also: http://www.cheesemaking.com/store/pg/26-Making-Cheese.html (http://www.cheesemaking.com/store/pg/26-Making-Cheese.html)
https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,10476.0.html (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,10476.0.html)
Hi Revilo,
Your recipe shows pressing before flipping. I've only made blues without pressing (Gorgonzola) similar to Schneken Slayer's, so take this with a grain of salt. I believe flipping gently releases most of the moisture from the inside. Then gradually increasing the pressure will expel more moisture. If you press to begin with, then the rind closes up and water is trapped inside.
HTH
Try using this recipe. I do not wrap mine. Has worked great for my for years. http://www.cheesemaking.com/store/pg/26-Making-Cheese.html (http://www.cheesemaking.com/store/pg/26-Making-Cheese.html) You can see my makes here (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,10696.0.html) and here (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,15080.0.html).
Thanks for the tips :) I will have to try it again. Would love to make a 6 gallon one like you did H-K-J.
By the way, I never pressed the curds with any significant force. Just kind of packed them all into the mold.
Quote from: Revilo on January 18, 2016, 03:07:09 PM
Thanks for the tips :) Would love to make a 6 gallon one like you did H-K-J.
Pretty sure that was me. LOL
It's all good though as H-K-J and I are very good friends. ;D
Oh haha sorry ;D
Will hope to make one like you Al Lewis ^-^
Sooo...3 weeks ago I bought a 20 L canister and decided to make a big Stilton. There were more curds than expected, so I made a smaller one as well. Didn't have so much time to tend to them after piercing them, but I guess they are looking ok. The smaller one has developed a very rustic looking rind. Will keep them for another couple of weeks at 11 °C.
Pictures at 2 weeks and 3 weeks..
Looking great! Are you sitting them out for an hour a day to air out?
Is this canister 20L of milk? What are the dimensions of your cheese?
Hi, sorry it's been a while. Was moving house so I vacuum packed the cheeses in the end. Previously I made sure to air out the cheese ripening fridge/cave daily.
Yes Frodage, it is a 20L canister and the cheeses are about:
- H=12cm, D=15cm
- H=11cm, D=11cm
A couple of weeks ago, I gave the smaller one to a friend for his birthday. When we cut it open, it was a great mixture of creamy (from the surface ripening) and crumbly in the middle (see pictures). Sadly there wasn't quite as much blue in the middle as I had hoped for....possibly the curds were not pressed long enough, making it easier for it all to consolidate in a mass when filled in to the form. Anyway, working on it ;D
Other than that, the cheese tasted delicious and we decided it was more of a Gorgonzola than a Stilton ^-^
The bigger brother is sitting in the fridge at 4°C awaiting his fate...will let you know how it goes
It looks alright even if it isn't very blue.
ac4u for showing us the creamy goodness.
The curd may not have been dry enough at molding therefore no little gaps for the blue to form in. Other than that it looks good! AC4U ;D