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Cutting Curds

Started by HOPOIL, March 23, 2010, 02:59:27 PM

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HOPOIL

As a rookie cheese-maker I hope you will give some kind-hearted advice on this:
How do you get your curds cut evenly in the 'third dimension' - if you will?
It's pretty obvious how to cut the curds on a grid pattern (as you're looking down into the kettle); cutting in the up-and-down-plane is what I'd like to hear about.

I have been doing my best to get some diagonal slices going into the curd but I think I'm ending up with pretty small curds and too many little pieces.  When I'm stirring the curds later on, I well find a few larger curds that I cut in half.

I've seen cheese harps that have horizontal wires, but for the home-based cheese maker who uses a long-blade cake frosting knife, how can I get even sized curds?

thanks; HOPPY

linuxboy

Try a whisk and insert it and use a rolling motion while moving. Works pretty well. You can find a large whisk that reaches the bottom for about $10 at a restaurant supply store.

FarmerJd

When I made small batches in a 4 gallons pot, I made an L shaped wire from a coat hanger. The bottom of the L was half the width of my pot so I just lowered it in into the pot half an inch and rotated around 360 degrees then dropped another half and so on til I reached the bottom. Now I use a grill rack purchased form Sports Academy which only has wires running one way. It is a lot like this one on ebay. I took it apart and used the side with horizontal wires. Just set it in the milk and rotate once.

HOPOIL

Thanks
I have used a large whisk once or twice; I like the L-shaped coat hanger too.

I'm just trying to get the curds a consistent size.

DeejayDebi

I find the whisk the most consistant. I cut front to back, then left to right wait 5 minutes then slide the whisk straight down and straight up. Fater it cooks for a while I do the rolling technique.

I got a nice 12 inch long whisk with a botton the size of my fist from Job Lot for $4.