I used all the time in the world to make my first cheese.
Wrote everything down, step by step.
Never done it before so I was very insecure.
This is how I made my first (Gouda) cheese.
Had a large pot that I filled with water, put another steel pot on top with 7 liters / 1.8 gallons of milk that I heated slowly on my stove, and that was far too slow !
MAKING THE CHEESE
Saturday 11th January
12:40
I started the process
The time from I took the milk out of the refrigerator and started to heat both the water in the large pot and the milk pot until I had my milk to 30°C / 86°F took 1 hour and 20 min.
The milk had almost expired ...
Should take 30-40 minutes, but it will be better/little bit faster next time.
Will do it in the sink next time.
14:00
The milk finally reached 30°C / 86°F
Added ½ teaspoon of Calcium Chloride because I’m using pasteurized milk.
Stirred slowly.
This will improve the final curd firmness.
14:20
I moved the pot with the milk into the sink that had 30°C / 86°F hot water and mixed one package of C101 culture (Mesophilic DS ), and allow to sit quietly at temp. 30°C / 86°F for 30 min.
In the sink its much easier to control the heat.
The temperature of the milk was from 30.3°C / 86.5°C to 30.5°C / 86.9°F
15:00
Add ½ tablet of rennet diluted in 60 ml / ¼ cup of water to the milk.
Stirred for 30 sec. and then allow the milk to set quietly for 40 min while keeping the temperature at 30°C / 86°F
After 40 min., a firm curd had formed and I could start cut curds to release the whey.
CUTTING THE CURDS
15:40
Made first cut crosswise about 2,5 cm / 1 inc. thick strips and allow the curds to firm for abot 3 - 5 minutes before I continue my final cutting.
15:45
Second cut to 1 cm / 3/8 inc. squares for 5 min.
This will help avoid losing more fat when you cut the curds smaller.
15:50
I stirred slowly and gently the curds for 15 min.
16:05
16:05
Removed about 1/3 of the whey or 2 liters / 0.52 gal. and then added 2 liters / 0.52 gal. of 54°C / 130°F slowly over 15 min.
When the water had been added to the cheese the temperature should be between 36°C - 38°C / 98°F - 102°F.
I managed to heat the milk up to 34.1°C / 93.38°F
This is a very important step since it also removes some of the lactose or milk sugars which can be converted to acid by the lactic bacteria.
16:20 – Continuously stirred gently to keep from matting for 30 min. or until final moisture is reached according to the desired aging requirements (longer stirring = drier curds = longer aging).
FORMING THE CHEESE
16:50 - First pressing. Prepared the mold (size M3) and draining cloth, placed it into a bowl large enough to retain whey.
I then poured free whey into the mold to warm it.
Filled the mold, allowing whey to rise 2.5 – 5 cm / 1 -2 inc. over top of the curds.
First press - With 1.3 kg / 3 pounds for 15 minutes.
Removed mold with curds from the whey
17:05 – Second press – 2 kg / 4.5 lbs. pressed for 30 min
17:45 – Third press – Turn the cheese, rewrap and pressed with 3,5 kg / 8 lbs. for 30 min.
18:15 – Fourth press – Turn the cheese, rewrap and press with 5,5 kg / 12.5 lbs. for 30 min.
18:45 – Fifth press – Turn the cheese, rewrap and press with 5,5 kg / 12.5 lbs. for 6-8 hours.
I made it for 6 hours and 40 min.
01:25 – Remove weight and cloth and allow the cheese to rest overnight* in mold at 10°C / 50°F
* Over night, what is that 8 hours, 10 hours…. :)
My cheese was there until Sunday 12 o'clock.
At this point the cheese weighed 975 gr. / 2.14 pounds
Sunday 12th January
Created brine to put the cheese in.
3.75 ltr / 0.99 Gallons of water
1 kg / 2.20 pounds salt - without iodine
1 mtsk. Calcium chloride (30% resolution)
1 tsp. white vinegar
Concentration in the brine
1000 gr. / 1000 gr. + 3750 literals
1000/4750 = 0.21
0.21 x 100 = 21% salt brine
13:00 - The cheese placed in brine for 6 hours.
3 hours for each 0.5 kg / 1.10 pounds.
19:00 - The cheese taken out from brine, placed on bamboo mat and let dry for 3-6 days.
4 DAYS LATER
Thursday 16th January
My first cheese is now in fridge.
I will turn the cheese once a day first week and after that every second day for next weeks/months.
Now it just depends on how long I can wait, 3-6 months…..
…or until I just have to cut
and taste !!
Check out this Gouda recipe from cheesemaking.com
When the water had been added to the cheese the temperature should be between 36°C - 38°C / 98°F - 102°F.
I managed to heat the milk up to 34.1°C / 93.38°F
This is a very important step since it also removes some of the lactose or milk sugars which can be converted to acid by the lactic bacteria.
16:20 – Continuously stirred gently to keep from matting for 30 min. or until final moisture is reached according to the desired aging requirements (longer stirring = drier curds = longer aging).
FORMING THE CHEESE
16:50 - First pressing. Prepared the mold (size M3) and draining cloth, placed it into a bowl large enough to retain whey.
I then poured free whey into the mold to warm it.
Filled the mold, allowing whey to rise 2.5 – 5 cm / 1 -2 inc. over top of the curds.
Removed mold with curds from the whey
17:05 – Second press – 2 kg / 4.5 lbs. pressed for 30 min
17:45 – Third press – Turn the cheese, rewrap and pressed with 3,5 kg / 8 lbs. for 30 min.
18:15 – Fourth press – Turn the cheese, rewrap and press with 5,5 kg / 12.5 lbs. for 30 min.
18:45 – Fifth press – Turn the cheese, rewrap and press with 5,5 kg / 12.5 lbs. for 6-8 hours.
I made it for 6 hours and 40 min.
01:25 – Remove weight and cloth and allow the cheese to rest overnight* in mold at 10°C / 50°F
* Over night, what is that 8 hours, 10 hours…. :)
My cheese was there until Sunday 12 o'clock.
At this point the cheese weighed 975 gr. / 2.14 pounds
Sunday 12th January
Created brine to put the cheese in.
3.75 ltr / 0.99 Gallons of water
1 kg / 2.20 pounds salt - without iodine
1 mtsk. Calcium chloride (30% resolution)
1 tsp. white vinegar
Concentration in the brine
1000 gr. / 1000 gr. + 3750 literals
1000/4750 = 0.21
0.21 x 100 = 21% salt brine
13:00 - The cheese placed in brine for 6 hours.
3 hours for each 0.5 kg / 1.10 pounds.
19:00 - The cheese taken out from brine, placed on bamboo mat and let dry for 3-6 days.
4 DAYS LATERThursday 16th January
My first cheese is now in fridge.
I will turn the cheese once a day first week and after that every second day for next weeks/months.
Now it just depends on how long I can wait, 3-6 months…..
…or until I just have to cut
and taste !!
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