I made yesterday 15-02 my first swiss type cheese, with 15kg (around 15L/4 gallons)... i guess this type of cheese needs to be in 8 gallons batch at least, so it deserved to age and form good eyes…  i used JUST raw milk + thermo culture , NO “Propioni bacterium shermanii” —- why ? see my next post

I have many things to tell u guys, but it is really so so nice experience, i will tell u more tomorrow about it

In Alps, when they made this cheeses , they only used raw milk “of course” , they had to start making cheese from very fresh milk, so the natural acid bacteria did not start producing Acid, the milk should be sweet, they then add just thermo culture “yogurt” which on does not work on setting temp “32C” , and they don’t ripe the milk, they add rennet, and as soon the milk set “with clean break.
they cut it very small 0.5 cm = 1/4 inch.

then they start cooking it slowly with continuous stirring up to 49C to 52C… and until they get what they call “proper break” .... then the rice sized curds are ready to be dipped in its whey… until this stage the curds still sweet (pH 6.3) ... which make it high in calcium and gives the cheese the elastic texture ....

and they press it in very big large wheels “up to 150 pounds” or so ..... then brine, then dry with salt washes, then to eye formation stage “2-3 weeks in room temp”

the eye formation is totally depends on “Propioni bacterium shermanii” which is “thanks god” naturally found in raw milk .... ....

Now my wheel (4pounds” is in brine bath for 24 hours in the fridge .... in few hours i will pat dry and start forming good rind .... i will keep you updated

I like to make cheeses which naturally depends on itself as very old people did before ...

cheers

Sounds very interesting, thanks, will try that when I get the chance (with processed milk and culture). I like the idea of adding the rennet right away.

Thanks Nabil, I’ll be interested in hearing about how this cheese turns out. I’m in the process of looking for a 20l. double boiler at this time in order to do larger batches of cheese. How much weight are you using in your press for this batch?

swiss like cheeses does not need a lot of pressing force ....
in this batch , i used 35 pounds at the end

I use the large canning pots now, 16-20L

Two days now in kitchen temp, the cheese is small fantastic , not real rind has been formed yet.
you know, if i managed to make good eye formation without adding any “Propioni bacterium shermanii” as i am depending on the nature, as i said it is found naturally in raw milk.

so if i made it, i will go to 16 gallons batch size ,,, yummy from now on,

swiss cheese a very easy cheese to made, far away easier than traditional cheddar

Hmmm…..sounds great so far. I thought it would of been one of the harder cheeses to make in terms of having it turn out good.

so far , it is easy , but the main problem is the cave for me, maintaining humidity for unwaxed cheese is a a pain

Well my first swiss didnt turn out so see how it goes the second time around.

the cheese smells so good, and it started to swell ............. i am rubbing it every day with brine and flip it

Thingk going to do swiss next, do love that cheese.

just make sure to control the acidity before pressing , swiss cheese should not be develop any acid before pressing, otherwise u will end up with not elastic cheese, which can expand with eye formation

“just make sure to control the acidity”
Okay, and again, this is accomplished how? The final ph you’re looking for before pressing is what?

Thanks Nabil

Doing swiss this morning, set up the starter last night, no way for me to know the ph except ph paper and thats crap.

Neil, u can control pH without pH papers, i am not saying anything crap, i am trying to just suggest…

do not ripe ur milk, just add Thermo and ten min add rennet (CaCL if u r using homo)
then cut as soon as u got clean break (do not over doit) , and cook, then u will end up with very low pH at pressing

cheers