I understand what Calcium Chloride does in a cheese recipe if I don't use raw milk, however I would like to know what its function is in brines. Thanks!
If you do not have calcium in the brine, the brine will leach calcium from the surface of the cheese, and the result will be a slimy feeling on the cheese. Note that you do not need to add CaCl if you have started with whey, nor if you are re-using brine - only need to add it when first mixing up brine using distilled water. Then you need to add CaCl and some acid (white vinegar) to balance the brine so that it resembles the makeup of whey in calcium and pH. Oh, and of course you need to add salt. :)
You also need to add ca cl if you heat the whey above 160 f. To get out the curd . Or at least I do.
I always use my whey for my feta and after a few days it gets a little slimey . So now I always add a little ca cl
That's interesting. I hadn't thought about the calcium depletion that might occur when making ricotta ...
It happened the first time it was pasturized , then we add cacl , then re pasturizing temps will damage it again .
That has been my experience . I have found I would rather have a fete that has to much calcium rather than to little , I do not much like the slimey surface texture.