I have to digress here. I just made Feta cheese the other day and I have to say is is AMAZING.....I dried it half the amount of time required so it held a creamy texture with an amazing flavor. That is definitely a redo........This recipe is fro a creamier Mozz and uses no Citric Acid. The thermopelic or mesophilic culture makes the acid required for the curd to set. Also add no Calcium Chloride .Yes it takes longer 3 hours or more but you can adust the firmness of the finished product by making the adjustments listed in the recipe...Have fun.. Read the entire recipe for you will not follow it per exact instructions if you want the creamier mozz. Take note temp is lowered to 86 instead of 100 and also note NO MICROWAVE is used......
Mozzarella with culture
First a few notes on making Mozzarella
In making Mozzarella with a lactic bacteria starter
culture, this “cultured” mozzarella is much more
flavorful because the bacteria produce their own flavor
as they convert the lactose in the milk.
Cultured mozzarella can be made using either
thermophilic cultures (used for high temperature
cheeses) or mesophilic cultures (for low temperature
cheeses).
The cheese can be made from full fat milk as well as low
fat milk-the difference will be less flavor in the
latter.
If a soft moist cheese is made, it is best eaten within
a day or so (in Italy this would be considered fresh for
only a few hours).
The drier cheese however can be aged for longer
depending on final moisture and will actually improve
with a few days aging because of the live bacteria that
are still working after the cheese cools and changes the
protein structure.
A recipe for making Mozzarella with an acidifying
culture
The recipe will be for a normal
pasteurized milk.
I have included a chart here to guide you in using
various milk resources:
Changes for Milk Quality
*Normally Pasteurized Milk
161F for 16 secondsAs per recipe below
High Temp Pasteurization
168F+ for 20+ secondsIncrease rennet 50-100%
plus increase the coagulation time by 2-3 times
that of the recipe below.
Raw milkReduce culture by 30-40% and rennet by
20-30% of the recipe below.
Also cook temperatures after cutting the curd
may be reduced by 6-10 degrees for a softer
final cheese.
Note also that raw milk is not homogenized and
the fat % is usually greater than can be held by
the curd so you may see a much cloudier whey.
This cream can be recovered by allowing it to
rise and then skimming it off. It is good for
butter or making sour cream since it also
contains the bacteria.
No Ultra-Pasteurized Milk It just will not work
due to protein damage and calcium changes
Before you begin:
You will need:
2 gallons of milk (Not Ultra-Pasteurized)
1 packet of thermophilic culture
Rennet 1/2 tsp or 2.5 ml liquid rennet (single
strength) or 1/2 rennet tablet
A good thermometer
A knife to cut the curds, and a spoon or ladle to
stir the curds with.
A colander and butter muslin, I use disposable, to drain the curds
A sturdy bowl or pot to hold the curds for heating
and stretching to save your hands from the hot
curds and water.
A wooden spoon
Another pot for heating water. This does not need
to be stainless steel.
As much salt as you would like in your cheese.
Normally I like about 1/2 tsp but it is not
essential to the process as in other cheeses and
Yes, you can make this salt free.
Everything needs to be clean and sanitized.
You can make a larger or smaller amount of
Mozzarella by increasing or decreasing the
ingredients above.
I will also include several control variables
through the recipe to provide an option for a
drier or moister cheese.
Acidifying and heating the milk:
Begin by heating the milk to 100F (38C). You do
this by placing the milk in a pot or sink of very
warm water. If you do this in a pot on the stove
make sure you heat the milk slowly and stir it
well as it heats
Once the milk is at this target temperature, the
culture can be added (from list above). To prevent
the powder from caking and sinking in clumps,
sprinkle the powder over the surface of the milk
and then allow about 2 minutes for the powder to
re-hydrate before stirring it in. The milk will
need to ripen for 60 minutes before adding the
rennet.
Coagulation with rennet:
Then add the rennet indicated in the list above
and stir slowly top to bottom for about 30
The milk now needs to set undisturbed for 45
minutes while the culture works and the rennet
helps form the curd. Keep the milk at the 100F
during this period, preferably using a sink or
water bath of warm water. It can not be heated on
a stove top because of the curd formation.
Cutting curds and releasing the whey:
During the next 20 minutes cut the curd at 2 inch
intervals and then make the same cut spacing at
right angles to the first cut. Allow this to rest
5 minutes then break the rest of the curd into
walnut or hazelnut sized pieces (1" - 1/2" ). The
smaller the pieces the more whey will be released
and the drier the cheese. This is your first
control point in determining the final result.
Cooking the curds :
After cutting and a brief stir, allow the curds to
settle to the bottom of the pot for 1 hour. A
brief stir every 5-10 minutes just to keep the
curds separate will retain the most moisture. For
a drier cheese, a more frequent-constant stir will
cause more whey to be released. The temperature
may even be increased to 106-108F for more
moisture removal.
Removing the whey:
The dry curds and whey can now be transferred to a
colander or cheese mold to form into a
consolidated curd mass. The whey is allowed to run
off and may be collected for other uses. This whey
is sweet enough to make into Ricotta since the
acid has not been fully produced yet.
Ripening the curds:
At this point it is essential to keep the curds
warm because the bacteria is now producing the
acid that is so important for a good stretching
Mozzarella. The easiest way is to place both curd
and the colander or form back into the empty pot
and keep this in a sink of warm water to keep the
curd at 96-100F.
Once the curd is resting quietly, fill the extra
pot with water (about a gallon or so) and bring it
to a simmer to be used for the hot water stretch.
Traditionally this was done with the whey already
heated from the Ricotta making process but water
works fine.
Allow the curds to ripen in the warmth for about
another 2 hours then begin testing for the
stretch. Cut a small piece of curd from the large
curd mass and place it in a cup of the hot water
tempered to about 180F. Allow this to sit for a
few minutes and remove from the hot water. If it
stretches, then you are ready for the final hot
water stretching phase. If not, continue the warm
rest for another 15-20 minutes and repeat the test
until you see a good stretch. The stretch should
be about 2-3 times the original length of the
sample without breaking.
The stretch:
Once the curds show that they are stretching,
the curd mass is placed on a cutting board and
chopped into 1/2-1" cubes and placed in the bowl
or pot for heating and stretching.
The hot water is then added. Initially, about
2-3 cups are added by pouring at the edge of the
curds (not directly on them) and the wooden
spoon is used to gently move them around for
heating. Gradually they will begin losing their
shape and melding (not melting) into a smooth
mass. If this is not happening after 3-5 minutes
add another 2 -3 cups of hot water until you see
the curd mass forming into a stretching mass.
With the wooden spoon you can begin the stretch
by lifting this curd mass and allowing it to
stretch from its own weight. If the curd mass
begins to cool and the stretch becomes less, add
more hot water. After doing this a few times and
the curd begins to look like taffy, you can lift
the curds while turning the spoon and winding
into a smooth mass.
At this point you can dump the water and give
the stretching curd a few of long pulls, folding
it back on itself and the finally rolling it all
into a ball. Be careful to not get too carried
away with this because it is a lot of fun but
you could dry out the cheese excessively if
overdone.
During this stretch is a good time to add the
salt as per your preferences or any other
additions to your Mozzarella.
For the final form I find it easiest to break
the mass into 2 smaller balls (about 1 lb. each)
because they are easier to handle. Now, hold the
warm Mozzarella with thumb and forefinger of one
hand using the other hand from underneath to
push the curd up inside itself. Continue working
the curd in this manner until the ball of cheese
becomes smooth and shiny.
Chilling and finishing:
Now it is just about finished. Drop the curd into
a small draining mold to hold the shape and place
the form and cheese into a very cold pot of water
to chill and hold its shape.
An hour or so of this
and it is ready to be eaten or wrapped and kept in
the fridge for a day or so.
Storing
There is not much to say on this because it should
not be kept that long unless you are making a
drier style Mozzarella. I simply wrap mine in a
breathable Saran Wrap and keep it in the fridge
for a day or so.
Now, this might just be the best tip on this page.
For those who really love Mozzarella, you can make
a huge batch of the curd mass, cut it into single
use (1 lb) portions and freeze it. When ready for
more fresh Mozzarella, just place the frozen
portion in the fridge to thaw overnight and the
next day heat up the water for stretching and
Voila .. Fresh Mozzarella.
You should know that most of those shops that sell
the fresh Mozzarella do exactly that. They buy the
frozen curds in bulk then thaw and heat for the
finished fresh Mozzarella every day.
Changes for varying Mozzarella styles
I have included this guide below to help you in
changing the process to get just the right type of
Mozzarella for you.
Very Soft as in Deli Style MozzarellaTemperature
can be reduced to 86-90F and a mixed meso/thermo
culture such as MA4002 can be used , curds cut
larger to 1-1.5 inches
*Medium for slicing etcAs per recipe above
Firm for pizza .. a great cooking/melting cheese
Curds can be cut smaller to 1/2 inch and the
temperature can be increased to 104-106F.
Stirring can be extended to increase whey
removal
I have included a
little trick to speed up your cheesemaking.
Before setting up and heating the milk, take about 2
cups of the milk and heat to 108F (optimum for the
thermophilic) then add your culture to this and stir it
in well. Note the time you do this and allow this to set
at this ripening temp for the indicated time.
Then carry on with your set up and milk heating which
should take the better part of the hour and when the
full milk is heated to your working temp and the
ripening time for the mini starter has elapsed, just add
it to the full batch and you have saved about an hour in
time. **You can move right into the rennet addition.
You can do this with any cheese, just make sure the
culture and milk stay proportionate.
45 minutes to 1 hour after the rennet is added the curd
is tested for a good curd formation and the cut is made
to break the curd mass into smaller pieces to encourage
the whey release. Smaller pieces make for a drier cheese
in the end.
The curd is stirred just enough to keep the pieces from
consolidating while being kept warm, providing a good
home for the bacteria culture to do its work.
The curd is allowed to settle to the bottom of the pot
and whey is removed down to just above the curd level.
The curd is kept warm in a sink of warm water a few
degrees above the 100F target temperature for the
cheese.
After about 1 hour for the curd resting in the whey, the
whey is drained from the curd in a colander or cheese
form and this will then be kept warm (100F) for another
2 or more hours while the final acid is produced to
guarantee a good stretching Mozzarella.
During the final rest, a pot of water is heated for the
stretch. After the 2 hours of acid development a small
piece of curd is cut and tested for stretching in the
hot water. Once this test is satisfactory the bowl and
curd mass are prepared for the final stretch.
The curd mass is cut into smaller pieces to prepare for
an even heating with the hot water
Hot water is carefully poured around the curds to begin
the heating. The water taken right from the simmering
pot quickly drops to 175-180F and then as the cooler
curds heat up the water and curds stabilize at about
135F.
It is important to give the curd mass the time to heat
up and for the curd structure to change as seen in the
consolidation of the curd mass.
More hot water is added as the curds continue to change
and the stretch begins to develop.
The curds now come together in a consolidated mass and
the beginning of the stretch is seen. I first lift the
curds using the wooden spoon and allow them to stretch
under their own weight. I do this several times and then
allow the curds to stretch around the wooden spoon as I
turn it.
Finally as the stretching curds smooth out, I dump the
hot water and do the final stretch by hand to get the
smooth shiny texture of Mozzarella. It is simply a long
stretch and the folding back on itself several times.
This stretch is also what gives the Mozzarella that nice
texture when you bite into it. Here is where I add the
salt as well, just before the final stretch.
For the final form, the curd is then rolled into a ball
and then working from underneath, the curd is pushed
inside itself and the top surface stretches smoothly
forming a nice smooth ball of cheese. If you have ever
seen a good pizza dough prep, this is much the same way,
the curd is pushed in from below and at the same time
the top surface is stretched over this. Finally the
opening at the bottom is pinched off with the resulting
perfect shiny globe of Mozzarella.
Once I have the form I am happy with, I drop it into a
small bowl or a cheese draining mold (this helps keep
the nice shape while cooling) and drop this into a pan
of very cold water
.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
THE BLUE IS REALLY BLUE NEW PICTURE
Have about 3 weeks left b4 I can eat the blue but how blue it is...............
We may have Swiss Cheese ( with illlegal holes )
Well I finally got my stuff that the post office lost ( imagine that ) Time to make Swiss Cheese with illegal holes....YA !!!!!!!! First off here is the recipe I used and as always I changed it to fit what I know will work. That is the major problem when you first try making cheese. There are like umpteen recipes for the same cheese so you wonder which one is right. For me seeing is believing so usually I go to youtube ( good old youtube) and watch to see that it does indeed turn out. Then a little trial and error to get it to work better and walla use it and take notes.....pleaze....Save yourself such heart ache on hours of hope and work and then FLOP.....What a let down, could ruin your whole night....Oh am I being petty ? Well hope dashed is hope dashed you know what I mean, right ?
Instructions
things you'll need:
2 gallons of whole milk, 1/8 teas of direct-set thermophilic
starter or 2 ounces of prepared thermophilic starter, 1 teaspoon calcium chloride, 1/8 teaspoon
of propionic shermanii powder, 1/2 teaspoon of liquid rennet or a
1/4 renbet tablet, 2 pounds of cheese salt, for brine, plus a pinch
of cheese salt, 1 gallon of cold water, for brine. curd knife,
stainless steel whisk, cheesecloth. ladle
Swiss Cheese
1
Heat the milk to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the starter and
mix well.
2
Remove 1/4 cup of milk from the pot and add the propionic
shermanii to it. Mix thoroughly to dissolve the powder. Add
the mixture to the milk and stir. Cover and allow the milk
to ripen for approximately 10 minutes.
3
Make sure that the milk's temperature ALWAYS remains at 90
degrees. Add the diluted rennet and stir gently with an
up-and-down motion for approximately 1 minute. If you are
wanting to use farm fresh <#> cow's milk, top stir for
several minutes longer. Cover and let the milk set at 90
degrees for approximately 30 miutes.
4
Using a curd knife and a stainless-steel whisk, cut the curd
into 1/4 inch cubes.
5
Keeping the curd temperatures at 90 degrees, gently stir the
curds for approximately 40 minutes. This is called
fore-working and helps expel whey from the curds before they
are heated.
6
Heat the curds by one degree every minute until the
temperature is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This will take
approximately 30 minutes. If you put your burner on the lowest setting it will work just fine. Maintain the temperature at 120
degrees Fahrenheit for another 30 minutes, stirring often.
The curds must be cooked until they reach a stage called the
"proper break." To test for this, wad together a handful of
curds and rub it gently between your palms. It the ball
readily breaks apart into individual particles, the curds
are sufficiently cooked. If they are not sufficiently
cooked, they will be too soft to hold the cheese together.
Let the curds set for approximately 5 minutes.
7
Pour off the whey and reserve it for other recipes
.
8
Line a 2 pound mold with cheesecloth and place it in the
sink or over a large pot. Quickly ladle the curds into the
mold. You do not want the curds to cool. Press at 8-10
pounds of pressure for approximately 15 minutes.
9
Remove the cheese from the mold and gently peel away the
cheesecloth. Turn over the cheese, re-dress it, and press at
14 pounds of pressure for 30 minutes. DON'T BOTHER REDRESSING JUST FLIP IT WILL BE FINE
10
Repeat the process but press at the same pressure of 14
pounds for 2 hours.
11
Repeat the process but press at 15 pounds of pressure for 12
hours.
12
Make a saturated brine bath by combining the salt and water
in a noncorrosive pot; stir well. Remove the cheese from the
mold, peel away the cheesecloth, and soak the cheese in the
brine. Sprinkle the remaining pinch of salt on the surface
of the floating cheese. Refrigerate the brine and let the
cheese soak for 12 hours.
13
Remove the cheese from the brine and pat dry. You can
reserve the brine for other recipe uses if you so desire.
Place the cheese on a clean cheese board and store between
50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit and at 85 percent humidity. Turn
the cheese daily for one week, wiping it with a clean
cheesecloth dampened in salt water. Do not wet the cheese.
14
Place the cheese in a warm, humid room, such as the kitchen,
with the temperature between 68 and 74 degrees fahrenheit.
Turn it daily and wipe it with a cheesecloth dampened in
salt water. Do not wet the surface of the cheese. Let the
cheese set for 2-3 weeks, until eye formation is noticeable.
The cheese will swell somewhat and become slightly rounded.
15
Age the cheese at 45 degrees Fahrenheit. and at 80 percent
humidity for at least 3 months. Turn the cheese several
times a week. Remove any surface mold with cheesecloth
dampened in salt water. A reddish coloration on the surface
of the cheese is normal and should not be removed.This
recipe will make about 1 pound of cheese. If you an
additional pound, just double the recipe.
Here are some pics
Instructions
things you'll need:
2 gallons of whole milk, 1/8 teas of direct-set thermophilic
starter or 2 ounces of prepared thermophilic starter, 1 teaspoon calcium chloride, 1/8 teaspoon
of propionic shermanii powder, 1/2 teaspoon of liquid rennet or a
1/4 renbet tablet, 2 pounds of cheese salt, for brine, plus a pinch
of cheese salt, 1 gallon of cold water, for brine. curd knife,
stainless steel whisk, cheesecloth. ladle
Swiss Cheese
1
Heat the milk to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the starter and
mix well.
2
Remove 1/4 cup of milk from the pot and add the propionic
shermanii to it. Mix thoroughly to dissolve the powder. Add
the mixture to the milk and stir. Cover and allow the milk
to ripen for approximately 10 minutes.
3
Make sure that the milk's temperature ALWAYS remains at 90
degrees. Add the diluted rennet and stir gently with an
up-and-down motion for approximately 1 minute. If you are
wanting to use farm fresh <#> cow's milk, top stir for
several minutes longer. Cover and let the milk set at 90
degrees for approximately 30 miutes.
4
Using a curd knife and a stainless-steel whisk, cut the curd
into 1/4 inch cubes.
5
Keeping the curd temperatures at 90 degrees, gently stir the
curds for approximately 40 minutes. This is called
fore-working and helps expel whey from the curds before they
are heated.
6
Heat the curds by one degree every minute until the
temperature is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This will take
approximately 30 minutes. If you put your burner on the lowest setting it will work just fine. Maintain the temperature at 120
degrees Fahrenheit for another 30 minutes, stirring often.
The curds must be cooked until they reach a stage called the
"proper break." To test for this, wad together a handful of
curds and rub it gently between your palms. It the ball
readily breaks apart into individual particles, the curds
are sufficiently cooked. If they are not sufficiently
cooked, they will be too soft to hold the cheese together.
Let the curds set for approximately 5 minutes.
7
Pour off the whey and reserve it for other recipes
.
8
Line a 2 pound mold with cheesecloth and place it in the
sink or over a large pot. Quickly ladle the curds into the
mold. You do not want the curds to cool. Press at 8-10
pounds of pressure for approximately 15 minutes.
9
Remove the cheese from the mold and gently peel away the
cheesecloth. Turn over the cheese, re-dress it, and press at
14 pounds of pressure for 30 minutes. DON'T BOTHER REDRESSING JUST FLIP IT WILL BE FINE
10
Repeat the process but press at the same pressure of 14
pounds for 2 hours.
11
Repeat the process but press at 15 pounds of pressure for 12
hours.
12
Make a saturated brine bath by combining the salt and water
in a noncorrosive pot; stir well. Remove the cheese from the
mold, peel away the cheesecloth, and soak the cheese in the
brine. Sprinkle the remaining pinch of salt on the surface
of the floating cheese. Refrigerate the brine and let the
cheese soak for 12 hours.
13
Remove the cheese from the brine and pat dry. You can
reserve the brine for other recipe uses if you so desire.
Place the cheese on a clean cheese board and store between
50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit and at 85 percent humidity. Turn
the cheese daily for one week, wiping it with a clean
cheesecloth dampened in salt water. Do not wet the cheese.
14
Place the cheese in a warm, humid room, such as the kitchen,
with the temperature between 68 and 74 degrees fahrenheit.
Turn it daily and wipe it with a cheesecloth dampened in
salt water. Do not wet the surface of the cheese. Let the
cheese set for 2-3 weeks, until eye formation is noticeable.
The cheese will swell somewhat and become slightly rounded.
15
Age the cheese at 45 degrees Fahrenheit. and at 80 percent
humidity for at least 3 months. Turn the cheese several
times a week. Remove any surface mold with cheesecloth
dampened in salt water. A reddish coloration on the surface
of the cheese is normal and should not be removed.This
recipe will make about 1 pound of cheese. If you an
additional pound, just double the recipe.
Here are some pics
 |
| This is when the curds are totally cooked |
 |
| After the 3rd press |
 |
| Now we soak it 12 hours in a heavy brine in the fridge. |
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Flipping the world of Feta
O.K. I have seen the world of feta ( many recipes ) and alot of them a joke... Ok I did my own thing and guess what ? Maybe it will be AWESOME....Look at the recipes available and u will be confused as I was... Let it drain or press it that is the question....I pressed it....Salt....be careful.......Age at room temp or fridge.....another ? room temp seems to be the key.....I added half and half like the added butterfat.....pics to follow........One of the things I have noticed is the sour smell on my hands. not sure but I think that is from the culture that I used.....or I messed up somewhere in the process..... Another thing I noticed , since I am getting used to making hard cheese is how soft the curd for the feta was, almost mushy and I for sure did not think that it would mat at all. It is amazing what a few degrees in temp lowered does to the texture, the smell and yes the taste. I tasted it after I sliced it and wow sooo good. I can amagine how it will be in a few days..we will see..I intended on making swiss today but it seems that my order was delivered to some one else...Gonna figure it out tomorrow.
 |
| This is after a night in the press at 10lbs |
 |
| here it is after I sliced it. Sliced very nicely just like soft cheese < grin > |
 |
| Here it is after I light salted it with kosher salt |
 |
| Now in the pan cover and wait 5 or 7 days turning every day YA !!!!!!!!! |
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
A curious fact about swiss cheese
I thought I would share this amazing fact I just learned when I was researching stuff about swiss cheese. Did you know that the cheese industry lobbied the lawmakers to pass a law to restrict the size of the holes in swiss cheese ? Yes it is a fact that the holes in swiss cheese in the U.S. can not be over 3/4 inch....
No need to police it, for the reason is simple. Large holes make it hard for the cheese to be commercially sliced and it takes a longer time to age the cheese. So they can age the cheese for consumtion in 3 months instead of 6-9 months.
Tomorrow is the big day. I will be trying my hand at making swiss. And can assure you that my holes will be against the law....< grin >
Check back tomorrow for the rest of the story......
No need to police it, for the reason is simple. Large holes make it hard for the cheese to be commercially sliced and it takes a longer time to age the cheese. So they can age the cheese for consumtion in 3 months instead of 6-9 months.
Tomorrow is the big day. I will be trying my hand at making swiss. And can assure you that my holes will be against the law....< grin >
Check back tomorrow for the rest of the story......
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
A new kind of Cheddar
I have already made farm cheddar so now I decided to make this cheddar. A bit better than farm cheddar but a bit more work also. Takes about 3 hours to prep for the press but hey looks like it worked here are the pics. I'll let u know in 6 months. Next Cheese Swiss.......
How to make Stirred-Curd Cheddar:
2 gallons whole milk (cow or goat milk)
1 packet direct-set mesophilic starter
2 drops cheese coloring per gallon, diluted in 1/4 cup water (optional)
1/2 teaspoon liquid rennet (or 1/2 rennet tablet) diluted in 1/4 cup cool, unchlorinated water
1/2 teaspoon calcium chloride
2 tablespoons cheese salt
Step 1. Heat the milk to 90-F. Add the starter and stir well. Cover and allow the milk to ripen for 45 minutes.
Step 2. For cheese coloring, use 4 drops per gallon of milk–8 drops total–diluted in 1/4 cup of cool water.
Add the coloring to the milk and stir well to distribute evenly.
Cheese coloring must be added before the rennet, and stirred in
well as it can destroy the coagulating ability of the rennet. If you
find later that you forgot to add the coloring, forget it. You can’t
add it later. Make white cheddar.
Also, be careful with how much coloring you add! Don’t get carried
away. When you put the coloring in, it will look like it didn’t even
make a difference. There’s still a lot of water in the milk. You’ll
really only see the result of the coloring after the cheese is
pressed. The color comes out more and deepens as the cheese air dries
in the first few days following pressing. Follow recipe guidelines for
adding cheese coloring. If you make cheese while you’re drinking and
forget you put the coloring in then add more, you’ll end up with clown
cheese! Don’t make cheese while you’re drinking!!
When diluting the rennet, don’t use the same container you used to dilute the coloring.
Step 3. Make sure the milk’s temperature is 90. Add the diluted rennet
and stir gently with an up-and-down motion for 1 minute. If using
farm-fresh milk, top-stir for several minutes longer. Cover and allow
to set at 90 for 45 minutes, or until the curd is firm and gives a clean
break.
Step 4. Cut the curd into 1/4-inch cubes. Allow the curds to set for 15 minutes.
Step 5. Heat the curds to 100 degrees, increasing the temperature no
more than two degrees every 5 minutes. This should take about 30
minutes. Stir gently to keep the curds from matting.
Step 6. Once the curds reach 100, maintain the temperature and continue stirring for 30 minutes. Let set for 5 minutes.
Step 7. Drain off the whey. Pour the curds into a large colander
and drain for several minutes. Do not drain too long, or the curds will
mat. Pour the curds back into the pot and stir them briskly with your
fingers, separating any curd particles that have matted.
Step 8. Add the salt and blend well. Do not squeeze the curds; simply mix the salt into them.
Step 9. Keep the curds at 100 for 1 hour, stirring every 5 minutes
to avoid matting. The curds can be kept at 100 by resting the cheese
pot in a sink or bowl full of 100-degree water.
Step 10. Line a 2-pound cheese mold with cheesecloth. Place the
curds in the mold. Press the cheese at 15 pounds of pressure for 10
minutes.
I’ve taken to using disposable cheesecloth. It’s so much easier.
Step 11. Remove the cheese from the mold and gently peel away the
cheesecloth. Turn over the cheese, re-dress it, and press at 30 pounds
of pressure for 10 minutes.
Step 12. Repeat the process but press at 40 pounds of pressure for 2 hours.
Step 13. Repeat the process but press at 50 pounds of pressure for 24 hours.
Step 14. Remove the cheese from the mold and peel away the
cheesecloth. Air-dry at room temperature for 2-5 days, or until the
cheese is dry to the touch.
Step 15. Wax the cheese (if desired).
Sometimes I wax, sometimes I don’t.
In some ways, it’s easier to “wax it and forget it” but I do prefer the
looks of the unwaxed cheeses. They take some extra tending, though.
Step 16. Age it at 45-55 degrees for 2-6 months.
Yield: 2 pounds.
How to make Stirred-Curd Cheddar:
2 gallons whole milk (cow or goat milk)
1 packet direct-set mesophilic starter
2 drops cheese coloring per gallon, diluted in 1/4 cup water (optional)
1/2 teaspoon liquid rennet (or 1/2 rennet tablet) diluted in 1/4 cup cool, unchlorinated water
1/2 teaspoon calcium chloride
2 tablespoons cheese salt
Step 1. Heat the milk to 90-F. Add the starter and stir well. Cover and allow the milk to ripen for 45 minutes.
Step 2. For cheese coloring, use 4 drops per gallon of milk–8 drops total–diluted in 1/4 cup of cool water.
Add the coloring to the milk and stir well to distribute evenly.
Cheese coloring must be added before the rennet, and stirred in
well as it can destroy the coagulating ability of the rennet. If you
find later that you forgot to add the coloring, forget it. You can’t
add it later. Make white cheddar.
Also, be careful with how much coloring you add! Don’t get carried
away. When you put the coloring in, it will look like it didn’t even
make a difference. There’s still a lot of water in the milk. You’ll
really only see the result of the coloring after the cheese is
pressed. The color comes out more and deepens as the cheese air dries
in the first few days following pressing. Follow recipe guidelines for
adding cheese coloring. If you make cheese while you’re drinking and
forget you put the coloring in then add more, you’ll end up with clown
cheese! Don’t make cheese while you’re drinking!!
When diluting the rennet, don’t use the same container you used to dilute the coloring.
Step 3. Make sure the milk’s temperature is 90. Add the diluted rennet
and stir gently with an up-and-down motion for 1 minute. If using
farm-fresh milk, top-stir for several minutes longer. Cover and allow
to set at 90 for 45 minutes, or until the curd is firm and gives a clean
break.
Step 4. Cut the curd into 1/4-inch cubes. Allow the curds to set for 15 minutes.
Step 5. Heat the curds to 100 degrees, increasing the temperature no
more than two degrees every 5 minutes. This should take about 30
minutes. Stir gently to keep the curds from matting.
Step 6. Once the curds reach 100, maintain the temperature and continue stirring for 30 minutes. Let set for 5 minutes.
Step 7. Drain off the whey. Pour the curds into a large colander
and drain for several minutes. Do not drain too long, or the curds will
mat. Pour the curds back into the pot and stir them briskly with your
fingers, separating any curd particles that have matted.
Step 8. Add the salt and blend well. Do not squeeze the curds; simply mix the salt into them.
Step 9. Keep the curds at 100 for 1 hour, stirring every 5 minutes
to avoid matting. The curds can be kept at 100 by resting the cheese
pot in a sink or bowl full of 100-degree water.
Step 10. Line a 2-pound cheese mold with cheesecloth. Place the
curds in the mold. Press the cheese at 15 pounds of pressure for 10
minutes.
I’ve taken to using disposable cheesecloth. It’s so much easier.
Step 11. Remove the cheese from the mold and gently peel away the
cheesecloth. Turn over the cheese, re-dress it, and press at 30 pounds
of pressure for 10 minutes.
Step 12. Repeat the process but press at 40 pounds of pressure for 2 hours.
Step 13. Repeat the process but press at 50 pounds of pressure for 24 hours.
Step 14. Remove the cheese from the mold and peel away the
cheesecloth. Air-dry at room temperature for 2-5 days, or until the
cheese is dry to the touch.
Step 15. Wax the cheese (if desired).
Sometimes I wax, sometimes I don’t.
In some ways, it’s easier to “wax it and forget it” but I do prefer the
looks of the unwaxed cheeses. They take some extra tending, though.
Step 16. Age it at 45-55 degrees for 2-6 months.
Yield: 2 pounds.
.
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| unpeeling the cloth |
 |
| disposable cheese cloth |
 |
| holding at 100 |
 |
| the Purrfect cheese |
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