CHAPTER 14: Hard Cheese
CHAPTER 14: Hard Cheese
The primary difference between soft (or semi-soft) cheese and hard cheese is the amount of moisture that is in the end product. Hard cheese is hard because it is pressed more (to remove moisture) and aged for a longer period of time. The aging produces a drier cheese and one that, typically, is more flavorful.
Chapter 10 of this book covered the basic processes of cheese making. Some of the processes described there have not been used in the recipes for soft and semi-soft cheese, and this chapter will introduce you to a couple of new processes, such as coloring, bandaging, and waxing.
Once you have arrived at this point of your cheese-making experience, you are really beginning to understand how milk reacts to the agents that are introduced to it to coagulate and ripen it. You are becoming more knowledgeable on how to use your home equipment (especially your stove) to properly heat milk and curds. You have probably had several failures at this point, and you have likely learned what works and what does not work in creating a good curd, as well as how to handle a well-made curd.
Now you are ready to take the next step in this cheese-making process. While you are learning how to make hard cheese, you will produce feta, cheddar, Swiss, and several more popular varieties of hard cheese.
The best words of wisdom is advice you have received several times already, but it bears repeating: Be patient. Many of the cheeses you will be making from here on require a good amount of aging time; do not rush it. A good way to pass the time while you await the aging of your own wonderful cheese is to read and learn about other great cheeses of the world.
Steve Jenkins’ book Cheese Primer is a great place to start to learn about the world of cheese. As you read Cheese Primer, visit the cheese section of your local grocer or specialty shop and treat yourself to some real cheddar. Better yet, find a local cheese maker and buy some locally made cheese. Visit that cheese maker and see if you can get a tour. Time will fly as you enjoy touring the world of cheese.
Feta
Start making hard cheese by making feta because it is relatively easy and employs all the cheese-making skills you have already learned.
Feta is a Greek word that came from the Italian word “fetta,” meaning “slice,” which refers to the way that the cheese is generally sold in Greece. The cheese is traditionally made in 30-pound wheels that are then sliced for sale in smaller amounts.
Traditionally, feta has been made with sheep’s milk. However, today you will typically find goat’s milk feta. The recipe below calls for goat’s milk, but if you have a source for sheep’s milk, you might want to experiment with that.
In the United States, feta is most often used in salads and sandwiches. It can be quite salty and goes well with a variety of greens and vegetables.
Ingredients
1 gallon whole goat’s milk
¼ tsp lipase powder diluted in ¼ cup cool, unchlorinated water (This is optional for use if you desire a stronger-flavored cheese. If you use lipase powder, allow it to sit for 30 minutes after you dilute it)
1/8 tsp calcium chloride dissolved in ¼ cup of cool, unchlorinated water (optional ingredient that will aid in the formation of the curd)
½ tsp powdered mesophilic starter (If you are using a prepared starter, use 4 ounces)
½ tablet vegetable rennet dissolved in ¼ cup of cool, unchlorinated water (Remember that if you are using powdered or rennet tablets, allow 20 to 30 minutes for the rennet to fully dissolve)
Salt (to taste)
Directions
1. Pour the milk into a stainless-steel bowl or pot.
2. Add diluted lipase if you choose to.
3. Place the bowl of milk into a hot water bath to bring the temperature of the milk to 85°.
4. Add calcium chloride if you choose to and stir well.
5. Add the mesophilic starter and stir well.
6. Add the diluted rennet mixture and stir gently.
7. Cover mixture and allow it to sit at 85° for an hour.
8. At this point, the curds will be a thick, yogurt-like consistency.
9. Cut the curds into 1-inch cubes.
10. Allow the curds to rest undisturbed for 15 minutes.
11. Gently stir the curds for 15 minutes at 85°.
12. Line a colander with a large, doubled piece of cheesecloth. Make sure the cloth is large enough that you will be able to bring the corners together in a bag for the cheese to drain. Place the colander over a pot to catch the whey.
13. Use a ladle to transfer the curds to the cheesecloth-lined colander.
14. If you have a hard time getting all of the curds with the ladle, you can gently pour the curds and whey into the colander.
15. Allow the curds to drain in the colander for ten minutes.
16. Bring the corners of the cheesecloth together and tie into a bag.
17. Hang the bag of curds over the pot and allow it to drain for six hours or until it reaches your desired consistency. You can do this at room temperature.
18. Untie the bag of cheese and turn the cheese out onto a large cutting board.
19. Cut the curds into 1-inch cubes.
20. Salt the cubes to taste.
21. Transfer the cheese to a bowl and cover the bowl.
22. Place the covered bowl of cheese in the refrigerator for five days.
23. This feta will keep in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to two weeks.
An optional way of making the feta recipe shown above is to use ¼ cup buttermilk as your starter rather than the ½ tsp powdered mesophilic starter. You would follow the recipe as described.
Muenster
Muenster is the next logical step to take after feta in learning to make hard cheese because it is a relatively easy cheese to make in that it has few ingredients and employs processes that you have learned already. It takes some pressing and aging, but your patience will pay off with a great cheese that is versatile and quite tasty.
Muenster is a wonderful cheese to use for recipes that call for a good melting cheese. You can use Muenster for grilled cheese sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, grated over salads, or all by itself to complement fresh fruit.
Ingredients
1 gallon whole milk (You can use cow’s milk or goat’s milk for this recipe)
½ tablet vegetable rennet dissolved in ¼ cup of cool, unchlorinated water (Remember that if you are using powdered or rennet tablets, allow 20 to 30 minutes for the rennet to fully dissolve)
Salt (to taste)
Directions
1. Pour the milk into a stainless-steel bowl or pot.
2. Place the bowl of milk into a hot water bath to bring the temperature of the milk to 85°. Alternatively, you can heat the milk in a double boiler.
3. Remove the pot of milk from the heat and allow it to sit for five minutes.
4. Add the diluted rennet mixture and stir gently.
5. Cover mixture and allow it to sit undisturbed for an hour.
6. At this point, the curds will be a thick, yogurt-like consistency.
7. Cut the curds into 1-inch cubes.
8. You can add a little salt at this point by sprinkling 1 to 2 tsp over the curds.
9. Allow the curds to rest undisturbed for 15 minutes.
10. Return the pot of curds to the warm water in a double boiler and very gently turn the curds. Your goal here is to gently bring the curds from the bottom of the pot to the top. Again, the emphasis is on “gentle.” If you stir the curds too vigorously, it will have a negative effect on the consistency of your cheese. The gentle turning of the curds helps heat them evenly and distribute the added salt.
11. Allow the curds to rest undisturbed for 15 minutes.
12. Line a colander with a large, doubled piece of cheesecloth. Make sure the cloth is large enough that you will be able to bring the corners together in a bag for the cheese to drain. Place the colander over a pot to catch the whey.
13. Use a ladle to transfer the curds to the cheesecloth-lined colander.
14. Allow the curds to drain for 30 minutes.
15. Line a cheese mold with cheesecloth. Ideally, you will want to use a 1-pound mold (a mold large enough to accommodate 1 pound of cheese).
16. You will be pressing this cheese with 40 pounds of weight, so use a mold from a cheese press, one that is made of sturdy, food-grade plastic or stainless steel.
17. Place the cheese mold in a pan to catch the draining whey.
18. When the curd has reached room temperature, transfer the curds from the colander into the cheese mold. You should pack the curds rather tightly into the mold.
19. Fold the cheesecloth over the top to the cheese curd.
20. Place a follower on top of the wrapped curd and press the curd with 40 pounds of pressure for 12 hours.
21. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
22. Turn the cheese over and rewrap it.
23. Place the rewrapped cheese back into the mold and press with 40 pounds for 12 hours.
24. Lightly rub the exterior of the cheese with salt.
25. Place the cheese on a cheese mat and place a saucer on top of the cheese to prevent the top of the cheese from becoming too dry.
26. Flip the cheese once a day for five or six days, lightly salting the exterior of the cheese each time you flip it.
27. The cheese will develop a soft rind after a couple of days.
28. The cheese is ready after it has developed the rind.
29. The longer you allow your cheese to sit, the more intense the flavor will be.
30. You can let your cheese develop for as long as a month.
31. Muenster cheese may be frozen for up to three months.
32. Once you slice into your Muenster cheese, you should use it within a week’s time.
Cheddar Cheese
After Mozzarella, cheddar is the most popular natural cheese in the United States. There are so many recipes for making cheddar and so much to say about it that an entire book could be devoted entirely to this popular cheese. Offered here is a little history and two very good recipes for making your own homemade cheddar cheese.
When you think of cheddar cheese, it is probable that you first think of what is known in cheese circles as “American cheddar.” This is not necessarily American cheese, but cheddar cheese produced in factories for mass consumption by American consumers. This is a cheese than can boast the word “natural,” but because of the way in which it is produced, it lacks the complexity of flavor of its cousin farmhouse cheddar.
Historically, it is thought that the cheese is named after the town of Cheddar, England, which is where the original Cheddar Caves are. These caves have been used as a place for aging cheese. However, “cheddaring” is also a milling process that is specific to this type of cheese, as the curds of cheddar cheese are cooked twice. The first cooking of the curds occurs in much the same manner as a standard cheese recipe; after that, the curds are then cut and cooked a second time.
There are recipes for cheddar cheese that do not include this cheddaring process. One of those recipes is included here as a good place to start to learn to make cheddar cheese.
Chances are, when you think of cheddar cheese, the cheese you see in your mind’s eye is orange. The orange color does not come from a natural part of the cheese-making process, but is color that is added to the cheese. Most recipes that produce an orange-colored cheese call for the ingredient liquid annatto cheese coloring. This is a natural extract from the seeds of a South American shrub called achiote. Uncolored cheddar cheese ranges from a straw-like color to white, and the color is determined by the diet of the cow(s) that gave the milk. Cheddar is traditionally colored to do away with the seasonal color variations that are a result of the cow’s diet.
Both of the recipes offered here can be considered “farmhouse” cheddar recipes. The farmhouse label comes from the fact that these are cheeses that have traditionally been made in people’s houses. The first recipe is what is known as a “stirred curd” recipe, and the second involves the milling process of cheddaring.
Ingredients
2 gallons whole milk (cow’s milk or goat’s milk)
½ tsp powdered mesophilic starter (If you are using a prepared starter, use 4 ounces)
2 drops of liquid annatto cheese coloring diluted in ¼ cup of unchlorinated water (optional ingredient that can be found in cheese supply stores or online retailers)
½ tablet vegetable rennet dissolved in ¼ cup of cool, unchlorinated water (Remember that if you are using powdered or rennet tablets, allow 20 to 30 minutes for the rennet to fully dissolve)
2 tbsp cheese salt
Cheese wax
Directions
1. Pour the milk into a stainless-steel pot of a double boiler.
2. Bring the temperature of the milk to 90°.
3. Add the mesophilic starter and stir well.
4. Cover the mixture and allow 45 minutes to ripen at 90°.
5. If you are using the liquid annatto cheese coloring, add it now. Stir the mixture well to evenly distribute the coloring.
6. Add the diluted rennet mixture and stir gently for one minute.
7. Cover mixture and allow it to sit at 90° for 45 minutes to an hour.
8. At this point, the curds will be a thick, yogurt-like consistency.
9. Use a clean finger or a curd knife to check that the curds break cleanly when you cut then or insert your finger.
10. Cut the curds into ¼-inch cubes.
11. Allow the curds to sit for 20 minutes.
12. Slowly heat curds to 100°. Do this by increasing the temperature of the curds by 2° every five minutes. It should take you about 30 minutes to bring the curds to 100°.
13. Very gently stir as you heat the curds, allowing the curds to be evenly heated as it prevents them from sticking together.
14. When the temperature of the curds reaches 100°, hold that temperature for 30 minutes. Continue to gently stir the curds during this 30-minute time period.
15. After 30 minutes, turn the heat off and allow the curds to set for five minutes.
16. Line a colander with a large, doubled piece of cheesecloth. Place the colander over a pot to catch the whey.
17. Drain the curds by pouring them into the cheesecloth-
lined colander.
18. Allow the curds to drain for about 15 minutes. If you allow the curds to drain too long, they will start to stick together.
19. As soon as the curds have stopped dripping whey, put them back into the pot you cooked them in.
20. Place the pot of curds back into the 100° water of the double boiler.
21. Use your clean hands to gently stir the curds and break up any pieces that have stuck together.
22. Add cheese salt and gently mix with your hands.
23. Let the curds sit at 100° for an hour, stirring every five minutes.
24. Line a cheese mold with cheesecloth. Ideally, you will want to use a 2-pound mold (a mold large enough to accommodate 2 pounds of cheese).
25. Transfer the curds to the cheesecloth-lined cheese mold.
26. You should pack the curds rather tightly into the mold.
27. Fold the cheesecloth over the top of the curd.
28. You will be pressing this cheese with up to 50 pounds of weight, so use a mold from a cheese press, one that is made of sturdy, food-grade plastic or stainless steel.
29. Place the cheese mold in a pan to catch the draining whey.
30. Place a follower on top of the wrapped curd and press the curd with 15 pounds of pressure for ten minutes.
31. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
32. Turn the cheese over and rewrap it.
33. Place the rewrapped cheese back into the mold and press with 30 pounds for ten minutes.
34. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
35. Turn the cheese over and rewrap it.
36. Place the rewrapped cheese back into the mold and press with 40 pounds for two hours.
37. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
38. Turn the cheese over and rewrap it.
39. Place the rewrapped cheese back into the mold and press with 50 pounds for 24 hours.
40. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
41. Place the cheese on a cheese mat and allow it to sit at room temperature until it is dry to the touch.
42. Flip the cheese daily to help it dry evenly. This will take up to five days.
43. Wax the cheese. See notes on waxing cheese in Chapter 10.
44. Allow the cheese to age at 45° to 55° for two to six months.
Cheddared Cheddar Cheese
This recipe is considered to be a traditional one in that it includes the cheddaring technique that gave the cheese its name.
Ingredients
2 gallons whole milk (cow’s milk or goat’s milk)
½ tsp powdered mesophilic starter (if you are using a prepared starter, use 4 ounces)
2 drops of liquid annatto cheese coloring diluted in ¼ cup of unchlorinated water (optional)
½ tablet vegetable rennet dissolved in ¼ cup of cool, unchlorinated water (Remember that if you are using powdered or rennet tablets, allow 20 to 30 minutes for the rennet to fully dissolve)
2 tbsp cheese salt
Cheese wax
Directions
1. Pour the milk into a stainless-steel pot of a double boiler.
2. Bring the temperature of the milk to 85°.
3. Add the mesophilic starter and stir well.
4. Cover the mixture and allow one hour for mixture to ripen at 85°.
5. If you are using the liquid annatto cheese coloring, add it now. Stir the mixture well to evenly distribute the coloring.
6. Add the diluted rennet mixture and stir gently for one minute.
7. Cover mixture and allow it to sit at 85° for 45 minutes to
an hour.
8. At this point, the curds will be a thick, yogurt-like consistency.
9. Use a clean finger or a curd knife to check that the curds break cleanly when you cut them or insert your finger.
10. Cut the curds into ¼-inch cubes.
11. Allow the curds to sit for 20 minutes.
12. Slowly heat curds to 100°. Do this by increasing the temperature of the curds by 2° every five minutes. It should take you about 30 to 45 minutes to bring the curds to 100°.
13. Very gently stir as you heat the curds, allowing the curds to be evenly heated to prevent them from sticking together.
14. When the temperature of the curds reaches 100°, hold that temperature for 30 minutes. Continue to gently stir the curds during this 30-minute time period.
15. After 30 minutes, turn the heat off and allow the curds to set for five minutes.
16. Line a colander with a large, doubled piece of cheesecloth. Place the colander over a pot to catch the whey.
17. Drain the curds by pouring them into the cheesecloth-lined colander.
18. Allow the curds to drain for about 15 to 20 minutes. The curds will become a single mass of curd, which is what you are aiming for. Note the difference between the curds at this point in the recipe as opposed to the curds in the previous recipe in which you were aiming to have them not stick together.
19. Transfer the drained curds to a sterilized cutting board.
20. At this point, the curds should be a singular mass. This mass should be sliced in ½-inch slices in the same manner that you slice a loaf of bread.
21. Transfer the sliced curd back to the pot of double boiler. The pot of curds will be surrounded by 100° water.
22. Allow the curds to ripen at 100° for two hours.
23. During the two-hour ripening period, turn the curds over every 30 minutes.
24. After two hours, the curds will be somewhat rubbery to the touch.
25. Remove the pot of curds from the double boiler.
26. Use a curd knife to cut the curds into ¾-inch cubes.
27. Return the pot of curds to the double boiler.
28. Allow the pot of curds to sit surrounded by the warm water of the double boiler for about 45 minutes.
29. Gently turn the curds every five to ten minutes to expel a little more whey. Do not stir vigorously.
30. Remove the pot of curds from the double boiler.
31. Add the salt and gently stir.
32. Line a cheese mold with cheesecloth. Ideally, you will want to use a 2-pound mold (a mold large enough to accommodate 2 pounds of cheese).
33. Transfer the curds to the cheesecloth-lined cheese mold.
34. You should pack the curds rather tightly into the mold.
35. Fold the cheesecloth over the top of the curd.
36. You will be pressing this cheese with up to 40 pounds of weight, so use a mold from a cheese press, made of sturdy, food-grade plastic or stainless steel.
37. Place the cheese mold in a pan to catch the draining whey.
38. Place a follower on top of the wrapped curd and press the curd with 40 pounds of pressure for 12 hours.
39. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
40. Turn the cheese over and rewrap it.
41. Place the rewrapped cheese back into the mold and press with 40 pounds for 12 hours.
42. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
43. Turn the cheese over and rewrap it.
44. Place the rewrapped cheese back into the mold and press with 40 pounds for 12 hours.
45. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
46. Place the cheese on a cheese mat and allow it to sit at room temperature until it is dry to the touch.
47. Flip the cheese daily to help it dry evenly. This will take up to
five days.
48. Wax the cheese. See notes on waxing cheese in Chapter 10.
49. Allow the cheese to age at 45° to 55° for two to 12 months.
Additions to Cheddar Cheese
If you have shopped for cheddar cheese, you know that there are not only a variety of cheddar cheese types (farmhouse, white, and stirred curd to name a few), but you also know that you can get cheddar that has been flavored with various herbs and seasonings, such as caraway, chives, sage, and pepper. There are numerous ways to go about adding these flavors. Here are basic directions for spicing up your cheddar.
1. Simmer about ½ cup of unchlorinated water in a small saucepan.
2. Add 2 to 4 tbsp of your chosen herb or spice. You can choose to use fresh or dried ingredients. Experiment with quantities; start on the lower end of the scale and increase or decrease to taste. Often, the taste will not be determined by quantity as much as it will be by quality and freshness of ingredients.
3. Boil the herbs/spices/seasonings in the water for ten to 15 minutes.
4. Strain the water into a small bowl and allow it to cool.
5. Save the boiled herbs/spices/seasonings.
6. Add the strained water to the milk when you initially heat the milk in the first step of your cheese making.
7. Add the reserved herbs/spices/seasonings when you add salt during the cheese making.
8. Continue the cheese-making process as directed.
Jack
Monterey Jack is a type of cheese that is part of a larger family of cheeses known as Jack cheese. There are a number of myths as to how this cheese got its name. One such story refers to the kind of press that was first employed to create the cheese, which was called a housejack. This derivation claims that the cheese is of Spanish origin and was brought to California by Franciscan monks. Another claim is that a fellow named David Jacks developed the cheese in Monterey, California, in the late 1800s.
The family of Jack cheeses are all fairly similar and vary only due to aging, additions to the cheese, and type of milk used to make the cheese. The varieties of Jack cheese include Monterey Jack, Dry Jack, and Pepper Jack.
The recipe offered below is for a straight Jack cheese. If you use milk from the Monterey area of California, you might claim that it is Monterey Jack. If you would like a Pepper Jack, you can follow the directions offered above for adding ingredients to cheddar cheese. You may add chopped jalapenos to Jack cheese using the same method.
Ingredients
2 gallons whole milk (cow’s milk or goat’s milk)
½ tsp powdered mesophilic starter (If you are using a prepared starter, use 4 ounces)
1/8 tsp calcium chloride dissolved in ¼ cup cool, unchlorinated water (Allow the calcium chloride to dissolve for 20 minutes prior to using it. Adding calcium chloride is optional for this recipe, but you will find that it helps the curd structure)
½ tablet vegetable rennet dissolved in ¼ cup of cool, unchlorinated water (Remember that if you are using powdered or rennet tablets, allow 20 to 30 minutes for the rennet to fully dissolve)
1 tbsp cheese salt
Cheese wax
Directions
1. Pour the milk into a stainless-steel pot of a double boiler.
2. Bring the temperature of the milk to 88°.
3. Add the mesophilic starter and stir well.
4. Cover the mixture and allow 30 minutes to ripen at 88°.
5. If you are using the calcium chloride, add it now. Stir the mixture well to evenly distribute.
6. Add the diluted rennet mixture and stir gently for one minute.
7. Cover mixture and allow it to sit at 90° for 45 minutes to an hour.
8. At this point, the curds will be a thick, yogurt-like consistency.
9. Use a clean finger or a curd knife to check that the curds break cleanly when you cut them or insert your finger.
10. Cut the curds into ¼-inch cubes.
11. Hold the temperature for 40 minutes while occasionally stirring the curds.
12. Slowly heat curds to 100°. Do this by increasing the temperature of the curds by 2° every five minutes. It should take you about 30 minutes to bring the curds to 100°.
13. Very gently stir as you heat the curds, allowing the curds to be evenly heated to prevent them from sticking together.
14. When the temperature of the curds reaches 100°, hold that temperature for 30 minutes. Continue to gently stir the curds during this 30-minute time period.
15. After 30 minutes, turn the heat off and allow the curds to sit for five minutes.
16. Very carefully pour off the whey from the curds.
17. Allow the curds to sit for 30 minutes, stirring gently frequently to keep them from sticking together. The target temperature of 100° should be maintained at this time.
18. Line a colander with a large, doubled piece of cheesecloth. Place the colander over a pot to catch the whey.
19. Drain the curds by ladling them into the cheesecloth-lined colander.
20. Allow the curds to drain for about five minutes. If you allow the curds to drain too long, they will start to stick together.
21. Add cheese salt and gently mix.
22. Line a cheese mold with cheesecloth. Ideally, you will want to use a 2-pound mold (a mold large enough to accommodate 2 pounds of cheese).
23. Transfer the curds to the cheesecloth-lined cheese mold.
24. You should pack the curds rather tightly into the mold.
25. Fold the cheesecloth over the top of the curd.
26. You will be pressing this cheese with up to 40 pounds of weight, so use a mold from a cheese press, one that is made of sturdy, food-grade plastic or stainless steel.
27. Place the cheese mold in a pan to catch the draining whey.
28. Place a follower on top of the wrapped curd and press the curd with 10 pounds of pressure for 15 minutes.
29. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
30. Turn the cheese over and rewrap it.
31. Place the rewrapped cheese back into the mold and press with 30 pounds for 30 minutes.
32. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
33. Turn the cheese over and rewrap it.
34. Place the rewrapped cheese back into the mold and press with 40 pounds for 12 hours.
35. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
36. Place the cheese on a cheese mat and allow it to sit at room temperature until it is dry to the touch.
37. Flip the cheese daily to help it dry evenly. This will take up to five days.
38. Wax the cheese. See notes on waxing cheese in Chapter 10.
39. Allow the cheese to age at 45° to 55° for one to three months.
Colby
Colby cheese is a relative newcomer to the world of cheese. Colby was created in Colby, Wisconsin, near the turn of the 20th century. It is very much like cheddar cheese, but to make it you need to learn a cheese-making process that will be new to you. Colby is what is known as a “washed curd” cheese. Another washed curd cheese that you will learn to make is Gouda (a recipe for Gouda follows this Colby recipe). Washing the curd is exactly what it sounds like: You replace the whey that separated from the curd in the cooking process with hot water.
Colby is a mild cheese that is great for grilled cheese sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, and a plate of nachos. Colby is an all-purpose cheese and is, in many ways, a true American cheese, as it was first developed in America.
Ingredients
2 gallons whole milk (cow’s milk or goat’s milk)
½ tsp powdered mesophilic starter (If you are using a prepared starter, use 4 ounces)
2 drops of liquid annatto cheese coloring diluted in ¼ cup of unchlorinated water (optional)
½ tablet vegetable rennet dissolved in ¼ cup of cool, unchlorinated water (Remember that if you are using powdered or rennet tablets, allow 20 to 30 minutes for the rennet to fully dissolve)
2 tbsp cheese salt
Cheese wax
Directions
1. Pour the milk into a stainless-steel pot of a double boiler.
2. Bring the temperature of the milk to 85°.
3. Add the mesophilic starter and stir well.
4. Cover the mixture and allow one hour to ripen at 85°.
5. If you are using the liquid annatto cheese coloring, add it now. Stir the mixture well to evenly distribute the coloring.
6. Add the diluted rennet mixture and stir gently for one minute.
7. Cover mixture and allow it to sit at 85° for 45 minutes to an hour.
8. At this point, the curds will be a thick, yogurt-like consistency.
9. Use a clean finger or a curd knife to check that the curds break cleanly when you cut them or insert your finger.
10. Cut the curds into ½-inch cubes.
11. Allow the curds to sit for 15 minutes.
12. Slowly heat curds to 100°. Do this by increasing the temperature of the curds by 2° every five minutes. It should take you about 30 to 45 minutes to bring the curds to 100°.
13. Very gently stir as you heat the curds, allowing the curds to be evenly heated to prevent them from sticking together.
14. When the temperature of the curds reaches 100°, hold that temperature for 30 minutes. Continue to gently stir the curds during this 30-minute time period.
15. Remove the pot of curds from the double boiler and allow it to sit undisturbed for five minutes.
16. The curds should be at the bottom of the pot, covered by the liquid whey.
17. Fill a separate bowl or pot with 60° water. You will need the same amount of water as whey that you will remove from the pot of curds.
18. Use a measuring cup to remove the whey that covers the curds. Keep track of the amount of whey you remove from the pot.
19. As the curds sit at the bottom of the pot, there is a reserve of whey in the pot above the curds. Remove all the whey that sits above the level of the curds. Keep track of the amount of whey that you remove from the pot.
20. Add the same amount of 60° water as whey removed to the curds. Or, add 60° water until the temperature of the curds reaches 80°.
21. Gently stir the curds as you add the water.
22. After the curds reach 80°, maintain that temperature for 20 minutes.
23. Stir the curds frequently over the 20-minute hold period.
24. Line a colander with a large, doubled piece of cheesecloth.
25. Drain the curds by pouring them into the cheesecloth-
lined colander.
26. Allow the curds to drain for about 20 minutes. If you allow the curds to drain too long, they will start to stick together.
27. As soon as the curds have stopped dripping, put them back into the pot you cooked them in.
28. Use your clean hands to gently stir the curds and break up (mill) any pieces that have stuck together.
29. Mill the cheese curd into pieces that are about ¼-inch big.
30. Add cheese salt and gently mix with your hands.
31. Line a cheese mold with cheesecloth. Ideally, you will want to use a 2-pound mold (a mold large enough to accommodate 2 pounds of cheese).
32. Transfer the curds to the cheesecloth-lined cheese mold.
33. Pack the curds rather tightly into the mold.
34. Fold the cheesecloth over the top of the curd.
35. You will be pressing this cheese with up to 50 pounds of weight, so use a mold from a cheese press made of sturdy, food-grade plastic or stainless steel.
36. Place the cheese mold in a pan to catch the draining whey.
37. Place a follower on top of the wrapped curd and press the curd with 20 pounds of pressure for 30 minutes.
38. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
39. Turn the cheese over and rewrap it.
40. Place the rewrapped cheese back into the mold and press with 20 pounds of pressure for 30 minutes.
41. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
42. Turn the cheese over and rewrap it.
43. Place the rewrapped cheese back into the mold and press with 40 pounds for one hour.
44. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
45. Turn the cheese over and rewrap it.
46. Place the rewrapped cheese back into the mold and press with 50 pounds for 12 hours.
47. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
48. Place the cheese on a cheese mat and allow it to sit at room temperature until it is dry to the touch.
49. Flip the cheese four to six times a day to help it dry evenly. This will take up to five days.
50. Wax the cheese. See notes on waxing cheese in Chapter 10.
51. Allow the cheese to age at 45° to 55° for two to three months.
Gouda
Gouda (pronounced “how-da”) is another washed-curd cheese. It originated in the Danish town of Gouda and is a smooth-textured cheese with a sharp flavor.
Ingredients
2 gallons whole milk (cow’s milk or goat’s milk)
½ tsp powdered mesophilic starter (If you are using a prepared starter, use 4 ounces)
½ tablet vegetable rennet dissolved in ¼ cup of cool, unchlorinated water (Remember, if you are using powdered or rennet tablets, allow 20 to 30 minutes for the rennet to fully dissolve)
2 quarts unchlorinated water heated to 175°
2 pounds of cheese salt for brine solution
1 gallon cold water
Cheese wax
Directions
1. Pour the milk into a stainless-steel pot of a double boiler.
2. Bring the temperature of the milk to 90°.
3. Add the mesophilic starter and stir well.
4. Cover the mixture and allow 15 minutes to ripen at 90°.
5. Add the diluted rennet mixture and stir gently for one minute.
6. Cover mixture and allow it to sit at 90° for two hours.
7. At this point, the curds will be a thick, yogurt-like consistency.
8. Use a clean finger or a curd knife to check that the curds break cleanly when you cut them or insert your finger.
9. If the curds do not produce a clean break, allow them to sit for another 30 minutes.
10. Cut the curds into ½-inch cubes.
11. Allow the curds to sit for five minutes at 90°.
12. The curds should be at the bottom of the pot, covered by the liquid whey.
13. Use a measuring cup to remove the whey that covers the curds.
14. Slowly add some of the 175° water until the temperature of the curds reaches 92°. It should take about 2 cups of the hot water to accomplish this.
15. Continue to gently stir as you add the hot water.
16. After the curds reach 92°, allow them to sit for ten minutes, giving them an occasional gentle stir.
17. Use a measuring cup to remove the whey that covers the curds.
18. Slowly add some of the 175° water until the temperature of the curds reaches 92°. It should take about 2 cups of the hot water to accomplish this.
19. Continue to gently stir as you add the hot water.
20. After the curds reach 92°, allow them to sit for ten minutes, giving them an occasional gentle stir.
21. Use a measuring cup to remove the whey that covers the curds.
22. Slowly add some of the 175° water until the temperature of the curds reaches 100°. It should take about 3 cups of the hot water to accomplish this.
23. Continue to gently stir as you add the hot water.
24. After the curds reach 100°, allow them to sit for 30 minutes at this temperature, giving them an occasional gentle stir.
25. Line a colander with a large, doubled piece of cheesecloth.
26. Drain the curds by pouring them into the cheesecloth-lined colander.
27. Allow the curds to drain for just a couple of minutes.
28. Transfer the warm curds to a 2-pound cheese mold lined with cheesecloth.
29. Be gentle with the curds as you transfer them, trying not to break them up.
30. Fold the cheesecloth over the top of the curds.
31. You will be pressing this cheese with up to 50 pounds of weight, so use a mold from a cheese press made of sturdy, food-grade plastic or stainless steel.
32. Place the cheese mold in a pan to catch the draining whey.
33. Place a follower on top of the wrapped curd and press the curd with 20 pounds of pressure for 20 minutes.
34. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
35. Turn the cheese over and rewrap it.
36. Place the rewrapped cheese back into the mold and press with 40 pounds of pressure for 20 minutes.
37. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
38. Turn the cheese over and rewrap it.
39. Place the rewrapped cheese back into the mold and press with 40 pounds for 30 minutes.
40. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
41. Turn the cheese over and rewrap it.
42. Place the rewrapped cheese back into the mold and press with 50 pounds for 12 hours.
43. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
44. Prepare a saturated brine solution with 2 pounds of cheese salt and 1 gallon of cold water.
45. Soak the cheese in the brine solution for six hours. Flip the cheese twice during this period.
46. Remove the cheese from the brine solution and pat dry with a paper towel.
47. Place the cheese on a drying mat and allow to dry at 50° for three weeks.
48. Flip the cheese daily as it dries.
49. Wax the cheese. See notes on waxing cheese in Chapter 10.
50. Allow the cheese to age at 45° to 55° for three to six months.
51. Aging the cheese longer will allow it to develop a more pronounced flavor. You can age this cheese for as long as nine months.
Swiss Cheese
This is another cheese type that entire books can be written about. When you think of Swiss cheese, you probably think about the white cheese with holes that you find in the grocer’s dairy case or at the deli, but there is so much more to Swiss cheese. You buy it as a brick, sliced, or thinly deli-sliced for sandwiches. Like cheddar, the name “Swiss” is generic and describes not a kind of cheese, but more of a type of cheese. There are many varieties of cheese that are Swiss.
Even if you recognize Swiss cheese by its color and holes, you still have to sort out the variety of Swiss cheeses that are white with holes. You might have a “traditional” Swiss, a Baby Swiss, or an Emmenthal. The differences in the various kinds of Swiss cheese, like the differences in cheddars, come from the variety of ways that the basic cheese is produced.
Emmenthal
The most traditional of the Swiss cheeses is Emmenthal, which is named for the valley in Switzerland where the cheese originated. Like all Swiss cheeses, Emmenthal has a somewhat nutty flavor and, of course, holes.
Ingredients
2 gallons whole milk (cow’s milk or goat’s milk)
½ tsp powdered thermophilic starter (If you are using a prepared starter, use 4 ounces)
1 tsp Propionic shermanii powder dissolved in ¼ cup of warm milk (These are a bacteria that make carbon dioxide as they react with milk. The carbon dioxide production is what makes the distinctive holes in Swiss cheese)
½ tablet vegetable rennet dissolved in ¼ cup of cool, unchlorinated water (Remember that if you are using powdered or rennet tablets, allow 20 to 30 minutes for the rennet to fully dissolve)
2 pounds of cheese salt for brine solution
1 gallon cold water
Directions
1. Pour the milk into a stainless-steel pot of a double boiler.
2. Bring the temperature of the milk to 90°.
3. Add the thermophilic starter and stir well.
4. Remove ¼ cup of the warm milk from the pot and place it in a small cup or bowl.
5. Add the Propionic shermanii to the ¼ cup of warm milk that was removed from the pot. Mix the Propionic shermanii to make sure that it is dissolved.
6. Pour the Propionic shermanii mixture back into the pot with the 90° milk.
7. Cover the mixture and allow 15 minutes to ripen at 90°.
8. Add the diluted rennet mixture and stir gently for one minute.
9. Cover mixture and allow it to sit at 90° for 30 minutes.
10. At this point, the curds will be a thick, yogurt-like consistency.
11. Use a clean finger or a curd knife to check that the curds break cleanly when you cut them or insert your finger.
12. If the curds do not produce a clean break, allow them to sit for another 15 minutes.
13. Cut the curds into ¼-inch cubes.
14. Holding the curds at a temperature of 90° for 45 to 60 minutes, gently stir them with a whisk. Your goal, as you stir the curds, is to get the curds into a fairly uniform shape and to ensure that no whey is on the surface or sides of the pot. This method of working the curds is called foreworking.
15. Slowly increase the temperature of the curds to 120°. You should take about 30 to 45 minutes to do this.
16. As you increase the curd temperature, stir frequently with a whisk.
17. When you reach the targeted 120°, hold that temperature for 30 minutes.
18. Continue to stir the curds with a whisk.
19. At this point, your curds will be quite small.
20. You can test to see if your curds are ready to proceed by removing 1 tbsp of curds from the pot and rubbing them together with your fingers in the palm of your hand. If they curds easily break apart, they are ready. If the curds do not easily break, cook them for another 15 to 20 minutes and test them again.
21. When the curds are ready and you move on to the next step, it is important to know that you need to keep things moving at this point. The curds need to be molded and pressed while they are still hot.
22. Prepare a 2-pound cheese mold by lining it with cheesecloth. Place the cheese mold in a pan to catch the draining whey.
23. Use a slotted ladle to transfer the warm curds to a 2-pound cheese mold lined with cheesecloth.
24. Fold the cheesecloth over the top of the curd.
25. Place a follower on top of the wrapped curd and press the curd with 10 pounds of pressure for 15 minutes. The pressing should be done at room temperature.
26. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
27. Turn the cheese over and rewrap it.
28. Place the rewrapped cheese back into the mold and press with 15 pounds of pressure for 30 minutes.
29. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
30. Turn the cheese over and rewrap it.
31. Place the rewrapped cheese back into the mold and press with 15 pounds for two hours.
32. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
33. Turn the cheese over and rewrap it.
34. Place the rewrapped cheese back into the mold and press with 15 pounds for 12 hours.
35. Remove the cheese from the mold and unwrap it.
36. Prepare a saturated brine solution with 2 pounds of cheese salt and 1 gallon of cold water.
37. Soak the cheese in the brine solution for 12 hours. Flip the cheese three or four times over this period.
38. Remove the cheese from the brine solution and pat dry with a paper towel.
39. Place the cheese on a cheese board and allow it to dry at 55° with 85 percent humidity for one week.
40. During this week, flip the cheese over every day and wipe it with a clean cloth dampened with brine solution.
41. Remove the cheese from the cooler and allow it to sit at room temperature for three weeks.
42. During this period, again, flip the cheese over every day and wipe it with a clean cloth dampened with brine solution.
43. After three weeks, the cheese should be aged at a temperature of 45° and 85 percent humidity for three months.
44. As the cheese ages, you should flip it over and wipe off any surface mold with a brine-dampened cloth several times a week.
Compared to other cheese making, Swiss cheese is a difficult cheese to create. The process is lengthy, and you employ various techniques in heating, handling, and shaping the curd. You press and age the cheese over an extended period of time, and the cheese needs to be managed and watched carefully throughout the entire production process.
If you are comfortable and confident in your ability to make Swiss cheese, you are probably prepared to move on to the final step in learning to make cheese, which is making bacteria- and mold-ripened cheese. Before you move on to making these cheeses, go back over your notes and familiarize yourself with the successes and failures you have experienced. Your notes will serve you well as you move on to the most challenging cheese-making recipes.
Troubleshooting Hard Cheeses
If your cheese is very dry:
• You may have cooked your curd at too high a temperature. Next time, watch the temperature more closely as you cook and keep it at the level recommended by the recipe.
• You may have over-stirred the curds. Next time, treat the curds gentler.
You may not have added enough rennet. Try adding a little more rennet the next time you make the recipe.
If your cheese develops an excessive amount of surface mold as you are air drying it:
• You may be drying the cheese in a place that is excessively humid. Move the cheese to a less humid place or lower the humidity in the area the cheese is being dried.
• The board or mat you are drying your cheese on may not be clean. Be sure to start with a clean surface. Remove the cheese from the drying board or mat and wipe the cheese with a brine or vinegar solution to remove the mold. Sterilize the board or mat with hot water and soap, and be sure you rinse the soap thoroughly.
Case Study: Dena King-Nossokoff
Oakvale Farmstead Cheese
www.oakvalecheese.com
“We are fifth-generation dairy farmers who decided six years ago to use our knowledge and experience to produce a premium, wholesome cheese that we are proud of and distribute throughout the United States. Our family makes Farmstead Gouda, a cheese that originated in Holland. Holland’s milk source is mainly Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle that produce higher fat and protein content than average U.S. Holsteins and less volume of milk.
“What I enjoy most about making cheese is the reaction from people when they bite into our Gouda. My favorite recipe for making cheese is the authentic Dutch recipe we use for our Farmstead Gouda. The most difficult thing about making cheese is matching the temperature of the milk to the culture being used during production.”