Cheese making.

[asaratis]

This picture is of my press that I made. Right now, though you can't see it, there is a 2 pound block of Farmhouse Cheddar in that press under 50 pounds of pressure and will stay that way until morning:

How do you maintain the pressure? Is it supposed to be under a 50 pound weight or pressed at 50 psi?

Apparently the highest I can get my fridge to go is 44 degrees. Unless I can figure something else out, it will take eons for my cheese to cure.

Easiest solution...buy a wine cooler.

Allavino KWT-18SS Thermoelectric 18 Bottle Wine Refrigerator with Stainless Steel Trim Door | BeverageFactory.com

This thermoelectric wine cooler is designed for maximum cooling of 26 degrees Fahrenheit below ambient temperature. When the ambient temperature is around 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius) or less, the unit can maintain a temperature range of 51-64 degrees Fahrenheit (11-18 degrees Celsius).


Hardest solution....design and build a cheese cellar...depth below grade depending on where you are.

Ground Temperatures as a Function of Location, Season, and Depth

I would go with the wine cooler!

Or, if you're handy, this article about hoe to convert a refrigerator is pretty comprehensive.
How to Convert a Refrigerator for Curing Meat or Aging Cheese | Have YOU Ben Starr Struck?

I read that. Good article. Looks simple...to this electrical engineer that grew up doing electrical work. Not so simple to a novice....and I doubt if the completed system comes with a two year warranty.

 

[PredFan]

This picture is of my press that I made. Right now, though you can't see it, there is a 2 pound block of Farmhouse Cheddar in that press under 50 pounds of pressure and will stay that way until morning:

How do you maintain the pressure? Is it supposed to be under a 50 pound weight or pressed at 50 psi?

My cheese "cabinet" stays at around 50-52F. A little low but it just means a longer ripening time for most cheeses. Where temp is really critical is when you start making moldy cheeses, like Brie or bleu.

Apparently the highest I can get my fridge to go is 44 degrees. Unless I can figure something else out, it will take eons for my cheese to cure.

Easiest solution...buy a wine cooler.

Allavino KWT-18SS Thermoelectric 18 Bottle Wine Refrigerator with Stainless Steel Trim Door | BeverageFactory.com

This thermoelectric wine cooler is designed for maximum cooling of 26 degrees Fahrenheit below ambient temperature. When the ambient temperature is around 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius) or less, the unit can maintain a temperature range of 51-64 degrees Fahrenheit (11-18 degrees Celsius).


Hardest solution....design and build a cheese cellar...depth below grade depending on where you are.

Ground Temperatures as a Function of Location, Season, and Depth

I would go with the wine cooler!

I use the weights from a barbell set.

 

[gallantwarrior]

How do you maintain the pressure? Is it supposed to be under a 50 pound weight or pressed at 50 psi?

Easiest solution...buy a wine cooler.

Allavino KWT-18SS Thermoelectric 18 Bottle Wine Refrigerator with Stainless Steel Trim Door | BeverageFactory.com

This thermoelectric wine cooler is designed for maximum cooling of 26 degrees Fahrenheit below ambient temperature. When the ambient temperature is around 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius) or less, the unit can maintain a temperature range of 51-64 degrees Fahrenheit (11-18 degrees Celsius).


Hardest solution....design and build a cheese cellar...depth below grade depending on where you are.

Ground Temperatures as a Function of Location, Season, and Depth

I would go with the wine cooler!

Or, if you're handy, this article about hoe to convert a refrigerator is pretty comprehensive.
How to Convert a Refrigerator for Curing Meat or Aging Cheese | Have YOU Ben Starr Struck?

I read that. Good article. Looks simple...to this electrical engineer that grew up doing electrical work. Not so simple to a novice....and I doubt if the completed system comes with a two year warranty.

I'm not an electrical engineer, not even an electrician, per se. But part of our training and some of the work we do, deals with both AC and DC electric systems. I'm thinking that the project described in that article is not beyond my small skill. But first things, first...I have begun building a wine rack for my growing mead collection. Right now, the bottles are stored in cardboard boxes in which wine is shipped. Once I bottle the three batches of mead I'm making, I'll have another two dozen, or so, bottles to store.

 

[gallantwarrior]

This picture is of my press that I made. Right now, though you can't see it, there is a 2 pound block of Farmhouse Cheddar in that press under 50 pounds of pressure and will stay that way until morning:

How do you maintain the pressure? Is it supposed to be under a 50 pound weight or pressed at 50 psi?

Apparently the highest I can get my fridge to go is 44 degrees. Unless I can figure something else out, it will take eons for my cheese to cure.

Easiest solution...buy a wine cooler.

Allavino KWT-18SS Thermoelectric 18 Bottle Wine Refrigerator with Stainless Steel Trim Door | BeverageFactory.com

This thermoelectric wine cooler is designed for maximum cooling of 26 degrees Fahrenheit below ambient temperature. When the ambient temperature is around 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius) or less, the unit can maintain a temperature range of 51-64 degrees Fahrenheit (11-18 degrees Celsius).


Hardest solution....design and build a cheese cellar...depth below grade depending on where you are.

Ground Temperatures as a Function of Location, Season, and Depth

I would go with the wine cooler!

I use the weights from a barbell set.

That's what I use, too!
I made up a fresh batch of cottage cheese yesterday. I've always had some difficulty with the stuff and am now very pleased because I really do like it.
I also sold $120 worth of feta yesterday and the guy wants to buy all the feta I can put together. I might not be experimenting with any new cheeses for the time being. Maybe after the does freshen and I have 3-4 gallons of milk daily to "play" with.

 

[PredFan]

How do you maintain the pressure? Is it supposed to be under a 50 pound weight or pressed at 50 psi?

Easiest solution...buy a wine cooler.

Allavino KWT-18SS Thermoelectric 18 Bottle Wine Refrigerator with Stainless Steel Trim Door | BeverageFactory.com

This thermoelectric wine cooler is designed for maximum cooling of 26 degrees Fahrenheit below ambient temperature. When the ambient temperature is around 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius) or less, the unit can maintain a temperature range of 51-64 degrees Fahrenheit (11-18 degrees Celsius).


Hardest solution....design and build a cheese cellar...depth below grade depending on where you are.

Ground Temperatures as a Function of Location, Season, and Depth

I would go with the wine cooler!

I use the weights from a barbell set.

That's what I use, too!
I made up a fresh batch of cottage cheese yesterday. I've always had some difficulty with the stuff and am now very pleased because I really do like it.
I also sold $120 worth of feta yesterday and the guy wants to buy all the feta I can put together. I might not be experimenting with any new cheeses for the time being. Maybe after the does freshen and I have 3-4 gallons of milk daily to "play" with.

Grats!

 

[PredFan]

I'm giving up on the italian cheeses for now. Going to make some Blue Cheese. I have always enjoyed making my own blue cheese dressing using store bought blocks of blue. Now I am looking forward to making my own blue cheese dressing with blue cheese that I made.

Had to buy the Penicillium Rogueforti culture today on line. Can't hardly wait!

 

[gallantwarrior]

I'm giving up on the italian cheeses for now. Going to make some Blue Cheese. I have always enjoyed making my own blue cheese dressing using store bought blocks of blue. Now I am looking forward to making my own blue cheese dressing with blue cheese that I made.

Had to buy the Penicillium Rogueforti culture today on line. Can't hardly wait!

Dude, you are starting out on some challenging stuff, for sure. I love blue cheese but like most of the other challenging cheeses, I have little time to tend them. They also require more precise temperature and moisture control. How's it going with a cheese-curing conversion?

 

[PredFan]

I'm giving up on the italian cheeses for now. Going to make some Blue Cheese. I have always enjoyed making my own blue cheese dressing using store bought blocks of blue. Now I am looking forward to making my own blue cheese dressing with blue cheese that I made.

Had to buy the Penicillium Rogueforti culture today on line. Can't hardly wait!

Dude, you are starting out on some challenging stuff, for sure. I love blue cheese but like most of the other challenging cheeses, I have little time to tend them. They also require more precise temperature and moisture control. How's it going with a cheese-curing conversion?

I'm starting the Blue Cheese tomorrow. I am going to buy the goats milk in the morning. I have a fresh batch of mesophilic that will be ripe in the morning too.

My curing refrigerator is perfect for it. It needs 60 degrees for a couple of week and I run it at 50-57 now. Should be no problem. I'll make a blue, then another buttermilk, then a cheddar than another blue and repeat until I'm out of the mesophilic. I'm going to fill that curing fridge baby!

 

[gallantwarrior]

I'm giving up on the italian cheeses for now. Going to make some Blue Cheese. I have always enjoyed making my own blue cheese dressing using store bought blocks of blue. Now I am looking forward to making my own blue cheese dressing with blue cheese that I made.

Had to buy the Penicillium Rogueforti culture today on line. Can't hardly wait!

Dude, you are starting out on some challenging stuff, for sure. I love blue cheese but like most of the other challenging cheeses, I have little time to tend them. They also require more precise temperature and moisture control. How's it going with a cheese-curing conversion?

I'm starting the Blue Cheese tomorrow. I am going to buy the goats milk in the morning. I have a fresh batch of mesophilic that will be ripe in the morning too.

My curing refrigerator is perfect for it. It needs 60 degrees for a couple of week and I run it at 50-57 now. Should be no problem. I'll make a blue, then another buttermilk, then a cheddar than another blue and repeat until I'm out of the mesophilic. I'm going to fill that curing fridge baby!

You go, baby! I expect full updates, maybe even a sample?!! I'm running low on milk now, trying to keep up with my milk customers. Not to mention that new feta contract that also uses any extra milk I have. I am most interested in how your bleu comes out. I love bleu cheese.

 

[PredFan]

Ok, update on the blue cheese.

After 3 days of drying, poked 40 holes in the block of cheese and placed it in the wooden cradle. For the next 90 days, I will give it 1/4 turn every 3 days. After 10 days I should see blue mold growing on it.

The next photo I post will have the blue mold.

 

[gallantwarrior]

Ok, update on the blue cheese.

After 3 days of drying, poked 40 holes in the block of cheese and placed it in the wooden cradle. For the next 90 days, I will give it 1/4 turn every 3 days. After 10 days I should see blue mold growing on it.

The next photo I post will have the blue mold.

That's a nice looking setup, Pred. I'll be looking for updates.
Have I mentioned that I have a guy who will buy all the feta I can produce. I'm selling it for $10/lb, which is modest. But I am just starting out and need to build a word-of-mouth clientele. Feta is pretty easy to make, though, and I have now gotten the procedure down to the point where my product is pretty consistent.
Good luck with that blue, I love blue cheese.

 

[PredFan]

The blue mold showed up this morning! I took a few photos but you really can't see it very well.

 

[PredFan]

My first blue cheese after 16 days!

 

[Mr. H.]

Dandy.

So what's the diff between blue cheese and Roquefort?

And is it "blue cheese" or "bleu cheese"?

 

[Jughead]

I like blue cheese, however I'm hesitant to eat it. With regular cheese, I know it's gone bad when there's mold on it. How can you tell when blue cheese has gone bad?

 

[gallantwarrior]

I like blue cheese, however I'm hesitant to eat it. With regular cheese, I know it's gone bad when there's mold on it. How can you tell when blue cheese has gone bad?

Around my place, bleu cheese is never around long enough to go bad.

 

[gallantwarrior]

Dandy.

So what's the diff between blue cheese and Roquefort?

And is it "blue cheese" or "bleu cheese"?

Roquefort is a type of blues cheese, which refers to the color of the mold generated by Penecillium bacteria used to make it. The biggest difference between Roquefort and "generic" blue cheese is roquefort is a French-style cheese made with sheep's milk instead of cow milk.

 

[PredFan]

Dandy.

So what's the diff between blue cheese and Roquefort?

And is it "blue cheese" or "bleu cheese"?

It depends on what side if the Atlantic you are on.

 

[PredFan]

I had to use cow's milk because I can't find goat's milk that isn't ultra pasteurized. Cow's milk gives the cheese a slight yellow tinge, while goat's milk leaves the cheese pure white. That is why if you look closely at the picture, it has a green tinge in some spots, blue mold plus yellow cheese equals green. One can eat Pennicillium Rogforte mold all by itself with no effect.

How do you tell if it's bad? Good question but I don't expect it to be around long enough to go bad.

 

[Mr. H.]