Cheddar cracked while drying

[Bensiff]

Finally got a cheesy press so made a 2 gallon batch of cheddar using non-homogenized low temp Pasteurized milk. I was able to hold the temps solidly through most of the process. However, it may have cooled down a bit while draining and consolidating the curd before beginning the cheddaring process. I think the double boiler was able to keep temp pretty well during the actual cheddaring process though. I stirred pretty constantly during the 30 minute temp rise to cook the curd. I pressed for about 36 hours...something like this, 10 lbs for 15 minutes, flip and hold at a little more pressure for 30, flip with a little more for an hour, flip and hold for 24 hours at 50lbs (max of the press). I did one last flip for another 10 hours at 50lbs.

Anyway, while drying to form the rind I noticed it began to crack. It appeared the cracks were along the lines of the curd even though it looked like it stitched together nicely coming out of the press. So, my little bit of google-fu suggested I let the curds get too cold during cheddaring or the ambient air was too low humidity.

Thoughts on where I buggered the process?

 

[Bigcorona]

Or too cold in the press. Curds knit better when warm. However, my guess is the low humidity.

You can take that with a grain of salt, as I have only made 2 cheddars, one of which I have not opened yet.

 

[Bensiff]

Any thoughts on how to keep it warm in the press?

 

[Bigcorona]

Any thoughts on how to keep it warm in the press?

From a post in a cheese forum by bbracken:
"I used warm water in a double boiler type system on the press (cheese mold inside a container inside a pot with the warm water in the outside layer, so to speak. Usually works pretty well and I don't have the complications that would come with pressing under whey with a cheddared type."

I think I did something like this on my second cheddar for the initial 8 lb press. Turned and pressed again at 8 lbs. Then moved to the real press for higher weight pressing.

 

[Bensiff]

Yeah, I might have to do that, I have the 2lb cheesey press, that might fit in my stock pot

 

[cheezydemon3]

some day!

I am jealous of you guys.

 

[Bensiff]

some day!

I am jealous of you guys.

I decided last summer that I wanted a cheese press and to begin making cheese. Given our newborn, my wife getting a new job, my job going to hell and a handbasket requiring us to move, and all my free time going to my electric brewing build my wife said absolutely no more hobbies...I well understood and couldn't complain since she is so supportive of my brewing. Needless to say, I was rather surprised to get a cheese press for Christmas.

 

[cheezydemon3]

i decided last summer that i wanted a cheese press and to begin making cheese. Given our newborn, my wife getting a new job, my job going to hell and a handbasket requiring us to move, and all my free time going to my electric brewing build my wife said absolutely no more hobbies...i well understood and couldn't complain since she is so supportive of my brewing. Needless to say, i was rather surprised to get a cheese press for christmas.

keeper!

 

[Bigcorona]

some day!

I am jealous of you guys.

Give it a try. It could bring new meaning to your name! :cross:

 

[cheezydemon3]

Sorry for the de-rail!


BUMP

 

[Bensiff]

keeper!

Absolutely

 

[Homercidal]

So let me get this straight, you press the cheese while the cheese (and press) is submerged in warm water?

I built my own press last year and really want to make another pound or two of cheddar. My first batch was crumbly in texture, yet still had some moisture leaking out after sitting for a bit. I think I might have needed to flip it more and sit out to dry a bit more. I wondered why it was so crumbly though.

 

[Bigcorona]

For some types of cheese you do do the initial press under the whey. Not for cheddar.

I use a double boiler set up when I make cheese. For a cheddar, I return the curds to the double boiler during the cheddaring operation. The curds sit in a flat colander that is suspended over an inch or 2 of whey. Think I had the colander setting on some drinking glasses. This colander that I am using has a flat bottom.

After the cheddaring process, I milled the curds, put them in a mold, and put the mold back in the colander in the double boiler. I then put a 1 gallon milk jug on top of the follower for 15 minutes. Then flipped and pressed for another 30 minutes with the gallon jug. All this is done to keep the curds warm.

After that I remove from the double boiler, put in a press and increase the weight to 20 lbs.

 

[Bensiff]

For some types of cheese you do do the initial press under the whey. Not for cheddar.

I use a double boiler set up when I make cheese. For a cheddar, I return the curds to the double boiler during the cheddaring operation. The curds sit in a flat colander that is suspended over an inch or 2 of whey. Think I had the colander setting on some drinking glasses. This colander that I am using has a flat bottom.

After the cheddaring process, I milled the curds, put them in a mold, and put the mold back in the colander in the double boiler. I then put a 1 gallon milk jug on top of the follower for 15 minutes. Then flipped and pressed for another 30 minutes with the gallon jug. All this is done to keep the curds warm.

After that I remove from the double boiler, put in a press and increase the weight to 20 lbs.

I did the cheddaring in the double boiler to keep it warm...just pressed at ambient temps.