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 |
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| holding at 100 |
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| the Purrfect cheese |
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