How to Make Cheddar Cheese at HomeHow to Make Cheese with a Cheese Press
Courtesy of grongar It is not difficult to learn how to make cheddar cheese, which is a hard cheese unrivaled popularity among adults and children alike. You can use cows milk or goat milk. You will need to get just a few cheese making supplies. Cheese rennet for a starter, and a firm conviction that you can indeed learn how to make cheese in no time flat. Have courage, it will work!
Courtesy of grongar Cheese making Equipment:
Courtesy of grongar Pasturize it! Heat the milk to no more that 90 degrees and add the buttermilk. Let sit for one hour, no longer. Set the pot in a sink of warm water to maintain it's temperature during this time. Start It! Stir the rennet into the cold water and dissolve. Rennet is made from both animal and vegetarian sources. Rennet is (for vegetarians anyway) from a proteolytic enzyme that will coagulate milk and cause it to separate into the firm stuff, the curds, and the liquid stuff, the whey. Set It! Add this rennet mixture to the milk, and maintaining the warm temperature, let sit for 45 minutes. Cut It! The curd should now be separated into a slightly firm curd and whey. Cut the curd into it all the way down every 1/2", left to right and back again at a right angle to form squares.
Courtesy of grongar Scald'Em! Okay, maybe not quite that hot. This is where we stand and stir for 45 minutes while gradually increasing the temperature to 98 degrees. Use the thermometer and be careful not to increase the temp to fast or over 98 so we don't kill the cheese rennet. Pitch It! This is a fun little term meaning to give the whey a final circular stir so that it whirls round with flair. Not kidding! The curds will then settle to the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat now and do not disturb. Run the Whey! No, I did not say Run Away! At this point it gets a bit foggy unless someone is showing you in person. Put the cheese cloth in a colander. Ladle out most of the whey, and then pour the curds through the cheese cloth and colander. Grab a long wooden spoon handle and gathering up the curds in the cloth, make a Stilton Knot around the spoon handle. Place in a deep pot and allow to drain, 20 minutes. Stack and Cheddar! Ok, now we are really learning how to make cheddar cheese! Untie the ball and cut into 4 even slices, stack on top of each other and rotate their order in the stack every 15 minutes, for a total of 45 minutes. Mill'em! You don't need a traditional curd mill as you can cut into pea sized pieces with any knife. Salt It! Sprinkle all the salt evenly over the curds. Mould It! Boil the cheesecloth, then place in a cheese press. If you don't have one just get a large coffee can and cut the ends off. Add the curds and wrap the cloth. Press It! Pressing Cheese means to compact it while squeezing out the liquid. For an hour, apply pressure using a wooden follower on the top of the cheese press. Add a covered brick or two and you are good until morning. Flip It! In the morning, replace the cheesecloth with a new one, flip the coffee can over press again at 30-40 pounds for another 2 days. Dry It! Take the cheese out of the press and dip it in scalding water for one minute to smooth the surface and allow a rind to form, this will take 1-2 days. Seal It! Using a water bath, heat a commercial cheese wax in a pan and melt. Dip the cheese in the wax, rotate and try not to burn yourself. I wear good heavy rubber gloves at this stage. Age it! Cheese has to be ripened and aged or it is tasteless and bland. Give your cheese to mature in a cool dry place. You will need to turn it daily for three weeks, then on every other day for three months. If you ripen longer than 3 months you are on your way to being a master mature cheese maker! Age smaller cheese wheels for less time, usually one month.
Courtesy of grongar Congratulations on learning how to make cheddar cheese! Now let's learn How to Make Feta Cheese Want to learn more about How to Save on Food? Return to Frugal Living from How to Make Cheddar Cheese Return to Frugal Recipes from How to Make Cheddar Cheese |
