Hi all,
I started my first Stilton type cheese this evening. It is draining. I used the Stilton Approx how to recipe on the WA Cheese Guild recipe. I don't have a pH meter. But my floc time was under 12 min. I got distracted and for got I was watching it. Anyway. I think the curd set well. I used 4 gallons of raw Jersey milk. I added 2 c cream skimmed from milk. I have no idea fat content. They are my cows. I know I am not getting all the cream since I left baby with Momma this time.
Anyway, tomorrow morning I mill, salt and mold. I will post pictures once it comes out of the mold. I am so excited!
As I am getting everything ready my husband asked when can I make Swiss. Oh I guess that one is next now that I have a small cave.
Thanks for all the encouragement.
Quotetpmmorow morning I mill, salt and mold
Why are you waiting till tomorow? you might over acidify.
The recipe says to drain the curds and let sit overnight to acidify. So hopefully I didn't screw that up.
The curd was softer than I expected, but I am used to making cheddar and montasio. Right now it is in the press and I am flipping it. I did find it weird working with the mold floating tin the milk. I am a stickler about straining milk and keeping it clean.
Quote from: Tomer1 on May 17, 2012, 02:23:59 PM
Quotetpmmorow morning I mill, salt and mold
Why are you waiting till tomorow? you might over acidify.
With Stilton, it is possible but very hard to overacidify. Blues like their acidic curd.
Stilton does sit overnight to acidify.
Stilton does NOT get pressed.
Sorry, I meant mold not press
The recipe I use calls for overnight draining and pressing (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,9282.msg66613.html#msg66613) with about 8lbs. of pressure
It comes out of the mold tonight. I am super excited!
I just un molded my Stilton. There is no blue on the outside? What do I do?
I did not hydrate the PR before hand. Was I supposed to? The recipe did not say to. Could it be too cool, hence no mold? I am bummed.
The blue will come in time. A week or more in your cave. Then it will be unstoppable! Patience! Looks good.
Margaret
Margarets right after a couple of days at room temp it will be blue-t-full ;D
Well, it has spent 4 days at room temp. It is in the cave now. The recipe says you should see blue by the time you take it out of the mold. So I was just worried. I will be patient then. Thanks for the encouragement.
You should smooth out the surface if possible.
Thank you Tomer1. I forgot about smoothing. I just did it and I did find blue mold!
Now watch it turn blue :o
So here is the cheese now.
Can you see how when you touch it a light mold rubs off. Am I supposed to be wiping the cheese off?
I think this is day 8 out of the mold. So I am thinking I will pierce on Wednesday. Does anyone have any suggestions?
No don t wipe it off, Stilton is a natural rind cheese and it should be alright :) keep temp at 50/51 deg. RH around 90% and it should start to look something like this (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,9282.msg68930.html#msg68930) :o
We are at about 60 days. I decided to try it out. it is good. But stronger than I thought. I am very pleased with it. It has a nice buttery yellow color.
Nice! creamy?
Not really. It was smooth but not as soft as I was thinking it would be.
janij
Yes but how does it taste? It sure looks good, is it as yellow as it looks in your pic? :)
It tastes like blue cheese, but it is strong. I think next time I may only age it 45 days. And yes the cheese is that yellow. Summer milk is so different than winter milk. I love the color of summer cheese and butter.