Farmhouse Cheddar

[Julie]

Got a cheese press for Christmas, WooHoo!!!1

So we are making Farmhouse Cheddar, this is suppose to be the easiest cheddar to make but boy are there a lot of steps, i'll post up later what we did and lol, Sarah you can let me know if we did this right!

 

[Runningwolf]

Me tinks Sarah created some monsters!

 

[ibglowin]

We want pics!

 

[Runningwolf]

We want pics!

Of julie? I can do that!

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

Hope you enjoy the Cheddar, a lot of steps but well worth the effort, Have you decided on the next batch? The Mozzarella is one of the easist to make and only takes about an hour. Good Luck

 

[Wade E]

Hiw long does say Feta and mozz take. I know cheddar should take lots of time like wine b ut are some of the others somewhat faster?

 

[Julie]

K, here is a pic, it needs to hang for one hour to drain, after this we mix in the salt and then add to a mold.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

Mozzarella takes less than 1 hour, Feta on the other hand takes a while. The beginning cook to curd process takes about 3 hours. then draining pressing and brining add another few days. Kinda like wine in the first week.

 

[Julie]

Hiw long does say Feta and mozz take. I know cheddar should take lots of time like wine b ut are some of the others somewhat faster?

Mozza and riccotta are the easiest, these are ready to eat almost immediately. The cheddar that I am doing is suppose to be easier than other cheddar's, you can eat it in 8 weeks but 6 months is more preferable.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

K, here is a pic, it needs to hang for one hour to drain, after this we mix in the salt and then add to a mold.

Looks good Julie, betcha if you hung it from a ceiling fan on high it would drain faster...:<

 

[Julie]

Looks good Julie, betcha if you hung it from a ceiling fan on high it would drain faster...:<

Gee, I could have done that you know

Do you,also, sell cheese making supplies?

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

Gee, I could have done that you know

Do you,also, sell cheese making supplies?

Yes we do!

 

[grapeman]

Looks good Julie, betcha if you hung it from a ceiling fan on high it would drain faster...:<

ROFLMAO

I set up next to a man at the Farmer's Markets that has been making cheeses and selling them for about 20 years. He uses cow's milk and it is mostly organic. Really good cheese of all types. Don't forget doing goats milk cheese also.

 

[Julie]

Yes we do!

THANK YOU!!!!! I'll be paying you a visit in the future. Wish I would have known earlier, I needed to buy some wax.

 

[Julie]

ROFLMAO

I set up next to a man at the Farmer's Markets that has been making cheeses and selling them for about 20 years. He uses cow's milk and it is mostly organic. Really good cheese of all types. Don't forget doing goats milk cheese also.

Yea, I hear ya on the goats milk cheese, I love feta cheese so I now have to find someone local who sells goats milk.

 

[Runningwolf]

Julie check the Amish in your area. If that doesn't work we'll lend you Bueford in exchange for some house work in the chat room.

 

[grapeman]

Ah, Dan, I will let you milk Bueford! JUlie would do better buying the goat's milk. It will take forever for you to get a gallon out of Bueford!

 

[Julie]

Julie check the Amish in your area. If that doesn't work we'll lend you Bueford in exchange for some house work in the chat room.

LOL, you know it would be a cold day in he11 before I do any cleaning in any house other than my own!

Ah, Dan, I will let you milk Bueford! JUlie would do better buying the goat's milk. It will take forever for you to get a gallon out of Bueford!

Thank you Rich, I"m thinking Bueford is a male anyway and, lol, I would like to see Dan trying to milk him.

 

[Julie]

Ok, here is what I did

2 gallons of milk, I used store bought milk so I need to add calcium chloride
1 tablet rennet
1 packet of mesophilic direct set culture
1 tbls cheese salt

Mike bought me a kit from Ricki's, so everything I needed was there, all I did was follow the recipe.
1. heat milk to 90 degrees
2. add starter culture, let sit for 45 minutes
3. add calcium cholride and rennet
4. cover and let sit for 45 minutes
5. cut the curd
6. place pot in sink with hot water and ring temp up to 100, 2 degrees at a time for 30 minutes
7. let set for 5 minutes
8. pour drained curds into bowl and break up into walnut size pieces and add salt
9. pack curds into mold, add 10 pounds of weight for 15 minutes, turn cheese, add 20 pounds of weight for 12 hours, turn and press for another 12 hours at 20 pounds.
10. remove cheese, carefully remove cheesecloth, then air dry on wooden board, turning the cheese several times a day. dry until you have a nice rind on cheese, this will take 3 to 5 days.
11. wax cheese, age for 2 months but cheese would be better if aged to 6 months.

We will be gone Friday and Saturday, so this is the wooden piece that Mike made. Brew and Wine Supply, we are planning on turning the board over where the groves are on top to dry, will this work since we will not be home for two days to turn the cheese?

Here is a pic of our cheese so far

 

[Runningwolf]

Julie thanks for sharing. Theres more turning there then I do during the night. Really though it sounds like the first week or so and expecially the first several days you need to pay attention to a time table and be available. It sounds like it would be another interesting hobby. I look forward to tasting it!


So how soon before you're cutting the cheese?