I made my 2nd batch of Colby, yesterday. My first attempt was very acidic. So, I gave it a second shot yesterday.
3 Gal Whole Milk (Store brand - not UHT)
1/8 tsp starter (Leeners Mesophillic A ) - Half of what I used last time
1 1/2 tsp Calcium Chloride, diluted in 1/4 cup distilled water
Warmed to 86f
Added culture
stirred
45 minutes of ripening (1 hour last time)
added rennet (1/2 tablet Marshall) and some annatto for a little color
after about 25 minutes, it seemed like it had a clean break (but i wasn't sure)
after 40 minutes, the curd was cut (3/8") - Well, as close as I could manage.
slowly warmed to 102f in a water bath (took about 40 minutes)
held at 102f for 30 minutes
waited 5 minuted to settle
drained about 3/4 - 1 gallon of whey and added back cold tap water to drop to 80f
held at 80f for 15 minutes.
drained in a cheese cloth lined colander
added 3 Tbsp of flake salt a little at a time
gently mixed the curds
scooped into a cheese cloth lined mold.
20# for 20 minutes
flip and redressed
30# for 20 minutes
flip and redressed
60# for 12 hours
Sometime during the night, the weights that I put on top of the mold had shifted and my cheese was lopsided.
Grrr
Sooo, I figured, maybe the best thing to do would be to carve off a piece to straighten up the cheese. From the outside the cheese looked very nice. When I cut a chunk off the cheese, the texture was not what I was hoping for. Maybe I don't know what to expect. I am going to attach a picture:
(http://www.meadowedge.com/colby2.jpg)
This is what the texture looked like last time and the cheese got very acidic.
Am I doing something wrong?
After i cut a chunk off the bottom, I put it back in the press (60#) to see if that might help. More whey seems to be coming out.
Thanks for anyones help.
Might not bee so bad now. After some more time being pressed, this one might be saved. We'll see in a few more days. I've got my fingers crossed.
Sometimes acidic just means that the cheese is too young and needs to age some more.
Well I certainly won't throw it out. I'll give it some time and sample some. Thanks!