I'm having trouble understanding the correct time to cut my stirred curd goat milk cheddar. I have learned on this forum the importance of getting a clean break before cutting the curd, also I have learned the importance of the flocculation point and using a X3 factor for a cheddar.
So lets say I get a flocculation point at 15 minutes, I wait another 30 minutes ( X3 factor ) I then check but don't get a clean break, what should I do? If I wait for a clean break irrespective of my flocculation point, then cut my curd. what is the importance of the flocculation time?
I have had cheese that did not meet with the calulated flocculation time marker for one reason or another - I just wait until I get a clean break. The multipler is a guide not a hard fast rule. You will generally fine they are not a fixed number but a range of numbers.