Post by darbyfamily on Jan 24, 2009 10:49:20 GMT -5
Farmhouse Cheddar
THIS RECIPE AND INGREDIENTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE HARD CHEESE KIT
# Farmhouse Cheddar is a hard cheese made with a few shortcuts to produce a cheese that is a little rustic in appearance but is similar in flavor to cheddar. It’s a good choice for the first time hard cheese maker since it won’t take as much time as a traditional cheddar, yet allows you to eat it after it is made and will also improve with age. 3 gallons whole milk
# 1 pint heavy cream (optional)
# ¼ teaspoon Mesophilic-A starter culture
# 1½ teaspoons of 30% calcium chloride in 2 tablespoons distilled water
# ½ rennet tablet dissolved in ¼ cup distilled water
# 1 teaspoon + 3 Tablespoons flaked salt
Combine milk, cream and diluted calcium chloride in a 16 quart stock pot or double boiler. Slowly heat the mixture to 86 F, stirring to prevent the milk from scorching. Turn off the heat and stir in ¼ teaspoon Mesophilic-A culture. Mix thoroughly, cover the pot and allow it to rest at 86 F for 1½ hours.
Slowly increase the temperature of the milk to 90°F. Stir 1 teaspoon flaked salt into the dissolved rennet solution. Stir this solution gently into the 90°F milk. Turn off the heat and let milk set covered for 1½ hours or until the curd shows a clean break.
Using a long bladed stainless steel knife cut the curd into ½ inch cubes. Indirectly heat the curds to 100°F by increasing the temperature no faster than 2°F every five minutes. It should take 30 minutes to reach 100°F. This is best done in a double boiler or sink full of 100-110 F water. Stir frequently to prevent matting. Adjust the temperature of your sink water as needed.
Line a colander with cheesecloth and place it in a sink. Pour the curds and whey into the colander and allow them to drain. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of cheese salt over the curd and gently mix it in using your hands.
Place the curds into the plastic cheese mold which is lined with cheesecloth. Pull up on the sides of the cloth to avoid any bunching. After pouring all the curds into the mold, lay the excess length of cheesecloth evenly over the top of the curds. Place the follower (smooth side down) on top of the curd and set a four pound weight (half gallon of water) on top of the follower. Press the cheese for 15 minutes.
Remove the cheese from the press and take it out of the cheesecloth. Place the cheesecloth back in the mold and return the cheese to the mold upside down. Fold the excess cheesecloth over the cheese and again put the follower on top of the cheese. Now press the cheese with 8 pounds pressure for 12 hours (1 gallon of water).
Remove the cheese from the press as before and unwrap the cloth. Mix 1 tablespoon of salt with ½ cup of water. Using a corner of the cheese cloth, lightly apply a saltwater wash to the cheese. Place the cheese on a bamboo mat to air dry for 1-3 days turning over twice each day. When it starts to form a yellowish rind and is dry to the touch it is ready to eat or wax for storage.
THIS RECIPE AND INGREDIENTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE HARD CHEESE KIT
# Farmhouse Cheddar is a hard cheese made with a few shortcuts to produce a cheese that is a little rustic in appearance but is similar in flavor to cheddar. It’s a good choice for the first time hard cheese maker since it won’t take as much time as a traditional cheddar, yet allows you to eat it after it is made and will also improve with age. 3 gallons whole milk
# 1 pint heavy cream (optional)
# ¼ teaspoon Mesophilic-A starter culture
# 1½ teaspoons of 30% calcium chloride in 2 tablespoons distilled water
# ½ rennet tablet dissolved in ¼ cup distilled water
# 1 teaspoon + 3 Tablespoons flaked salt
Combine milk, cream and diluted calcium chloride in a 16 quart stock pot or double boiler. Slowly heat the mixture to 86 F, stirring to prevent the milk from scorching. Turn off the heat and stir in ¼ teaspoon Mesophilic-A culture. Mix thoroughly, cover the pot and allow it to rest at 86 F for 1½ hours.
Slowly increase the temperature of the milk to 90°F. Stir 1 teaspoon flaked salt into the dissolved rennet solution. Stir this solution gently into the 90°F milk. Turn off the heat and let milk set covered for 1½ hours or until the curd shows a clean break.
Using a long bladed stainless steel knife cut the curd into ½ inch cubes. Indirectly heat the curds to 100°F by increasing the temperature no faster than 2°F every five minutes. It should take 30 minutes to reach 100°F. This is best done in a double boiler or sink full of 100-110 F water. Stir frequently to prevent matting. Adjust the temperature of your sink water as needed.
Line a colander with cheesecloth and place it in a sink. Pour the curds and whey into the colander and allow them to drain. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of cheese salt over the curd and gently mix it in using your hands.
Place the curds into the plastic cheese mold which is lined with cheesecloth. Pull up on the sides of the cloth to avoid any bunching. After pouring all the curds into the mold, lay the excess length of cheesecloth evenly over the top of the curds. Place the follower (smooth side down) on top of the curd and set a four pound weight (half gallon of water) on top of the follower. Press the cheese for 15 minutes.
Remove the cheese from the press and take it out of the cheesecloth. Place the cheesecloth back in the mold and return the cheese to the mold upside down. Fold the excess cheesecloth over the cheese and again put the follower on top of the cheese. Now press the cheese with 8 pounds pressure for 12 hours (1 gallon of water).
Remove the cheese from the press as before and unwrap the cloth. Mix 1 tablespoon of salt with ½ cup of water. Using a corner of the cheese cloth, lightly apply a saltwater wash to the cheese. Place the cheese on a bamboo mat to air dry for 1-3 days turning over twice each day. When it starts to form a yellowish rind and is dry to the touch it is ready to eat or wax for storage.
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