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"Over-Cheddared" ?

Started by rsterne, June 28, 2021, 09:41:45 PM

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broombank

if you were going to mature a cheddar with a natural rind and no cloth what humidity/temperature  would you aim for ?


mikekchar

That's a complicated question to answer.  Basically 13 C for temp and low enough humidity that blue isn't a problem.  However, since I like to start with geotrichum rinds (self seeded by the cave), I often try to start off a little warmer if I can (16 C is my target).  Then when the rind is a bit greasy (yeasts colonising the rind), lower the temp down to let the geo grow.  The first 3-4 weeks is really just trying to make the rind happy growing geo.  I use maturation boxes, so I can fairly easily adjust humidity, although I never measure it directly.  Once the succession molds get going in week 4-6, then there really isn't much to worry about.  You can actually crank the humidity pretty much as high as you want.  As long as water doesn't actually drip on the rind, it will be quite happy.  My cheeses basically end up covered with trichothesium of some description (mycodore is in the same family and it may well actually be mycodore).  It's rather boring by the time it gets to week 8 -- just a very fine, soft grey/brown rind.  After week 12 it barely even needs to be brushed ever.  It just sits there.