How To Make Cheddar Cheese
Introduction
Cheddar Cheese is one of the most popular types of Cheese on the market. It's a hard cheese and usually made of cow's milk, but often also made from goat's milk. For those who like a softer type cheese it's best to go with goat's milk. This process will take 3 months so if you're looking for quick results you might want to try your hand at Homemade Cottage Cheese!
Ingredients (for 1 pound of cheddar)
This makes approximately 0.5kg (1lb) of Cheddar. The final weight will vary depending on the type of milk. For a larger quantity, adjust the ingredients accordingly. It should be pointed out that it is far more economical to make a larger quantity than the one stated here because it takes just as long to make a small cheese as a larger one.
Recipe
- Heat milk to 66C and keep at that temperature for 30 minutes. Afterwards, cool down to 21C. This is pasteurise the milk and destroy harmful bacteria.
- Stir in the starter and then cover it and keep in warm for 1 hour. This allows the mixture to acidify.
- Heat up mixture to 28C (if using goat milk) or 30C if you are using cow's milk.
- Mix the 1/2 teaspoon of Rennet with 2 teaspoons of freshly boiled, but now cooled water and stir. Then add the water/Rennet mixture to the milk. Cover the pot and leave warm.
- Touch the curd with your finger. It should be firm and not leave any milk stain on your finger when it is ready to be cut.
- Cut the curd from the top to the bottom and then at right angles to form squares. Loosen the curd from the walls of the pot or pan. Stir gently for a few minutes
- For the next 30 to 40 minutes, slowly increase the temperature of the curd to 38C.
- Give the whey a circular stir so that it whirls around. This will cause the curds to sink to the bottom and collect at one point. Turn the heat off and leave the pot or pan until all movement has stopped in the liquid
- Using a ladle, remove as much of the liquid whey as possible. Then place a cloth over a stainless steel pot or bucket and tip in the curds. Make the cloth into a bundle by taking one corner around to the three others. Place cloth bundle on a tray at an angle so the whey will drain out. Leave for 15 minutes as it drains.
- Untie the cloth and the curds will have formed into a mass. Cut the curds into four slice and place one over the other and then cover again with the cloth. After 15 minutes place the outer slices on the inside of the stack and vice versa. Repeat several times.
- Cut the curds into small marble-sized pieces. You can use your hands to do this
- Add 10g of salt on the curds and roll the curds gently over the salt without breaking them.
- Line up some cheesecloth around the mould and add the curds into full. Then fold the corner of the cloth over
- Add a wooden "follower" on top of the full mould and apply even pressure. This compacts the curds and extracts any remaining liquid whey. For the first hour just use a little pressure so that the fats aren't drained away with the whey. After that, apply more pressure and leave for at least 24 hours.
- Remove the cheese from the mould, replace the cheesecloth with a fresh one and put it back in the mould upside down and press again for another 24 hours.
- Remove the cheese from the press and dip into hot water for one minute. This will smooth and consolidate the surface. Place somewhere were they temperature is around 19-22C and leave for 24-48 hours until you see the rind form.
- Now the cheese must be sealed while it matures. You can do this with bandages but it's usually easier to buy some cheese wax and use that. To use the wax you first melt it into a pan and then coat it cheese thoroughly or you can use a brush.
- Put cheese in a dry and cool place and turn daily for the first 3 weeks. Then ever other day for the next 2 months.
- After around 3 months the cheese is ready to eat! Actually, you can eat it the first day but you will find that it tastes very bland and aging is what gives it the unique taste we so desire!
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