|
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. Its a good choice for the first
time hard cheese maker since it wont take as much time as a traditional
cheddar, yet allows you to eat it after it is made and will also improve
with age.
Farmhouse Cheddar Recipe
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. |
|
Hard
Cheese Recipes