I tried my first swiss this weekend and while managed it, it will be interesting to see how it comes out. I used 2 1/2 gallons of whole milk grade a pasteurized and a quart of heavy whipping cream. I forgot the CaCl2 so it took extra long to curd, but I did end up with a good curd. Cooked it at 120 degrees per Ricki’s recipe, tested for proper curd cook and pressed it. It is in the brine now, put in this morning and my wife will flip it about 1:00 this afternoon for the final 6 hours brining time. I used the whey to create my brine solution and hopefully that will keep the calcium leaching to a minimum.
I will upload some pictures as soon as I get a chance.
i just made one too…it is in the second week of curing at room temp. Looks good, not much swelling yet though ( a little though). I made a two pounder.
I took mine out of the whey brine last night and dried it and put it into the fridge at about 53 degrees. It is holding up very well. I will wipe it down with the whey brine every day for a week and then take it out and put it on the counter for about three weeks. Hopefully all will go well.
I read this at Dr. Franks web site that if you are having problems with your cheese holding together or crumbling, after brining it is because the brine solution is a different ph than the cheese, which leaches something out of the cheese, and that you can alleviate this problem by using the whey which is the same ph as the cheese for the brine solution with no adverse effect. I think that I read it in his feta recipe. Just like the cheese curd the whey continues to create the lactic acid at the same rate as the cheese as long as the two temps are kept relative.
Here is a quote:
11. Prepare pickling whey brine (12.5% salt): 20 oz of whey (from step 8) plus 5 Tbl salt. Stir to dissolve. The brine must be acidic or else the cheese will melt on the surface (speaking from experience…)
Here are the pix of my April Swiss. It will come out of the fridge on Sunday and onto the counter in the kitchen for 3 weeks. I will take some photo’s of it as it begins to swell, hopefully.
I read this at Dr. Franks web site that if you are having problems with your cheese holding together or crumbling, after brining it is because the brine solution is a different ph than the cheese, which leaches something out of the cheese, and that you can alleviate this problem by using the whey which is the same ph as the cheese for the brine solution with no adverse effect. I think that I read it in his feta recipe. Just like the cheese curd the whey continues to create the lactic acid at the same rate as the cheese as long as the two temps are kept relative.
Here is a quote:
11. Prepare pickling whey brine (12.5% salt): 20 oz of whey (from step 8) plus 5 Tbl salt. Stir to dissolve. The brine must be acidic or else the cheese will melt on the surface (speaking from experience…)
cheers.
when brine has no calcium and higher pH (as in water), the brine will leach out the ions and calcium, and make the surface slimy and surface dissolved, so either u add to water acid to match exactly the cheese pH and add Calcium chloride , or just simply use the whey, whey contains both acid and calcium needed.
make a test and put feta in water brine for two days, and other feta in its whey with salt, and see the huge difference on the cheese surface, if u were going to save the feta in brine (without whey) the cheese will completely dissolve in few weeks
Swiss has been on the kitchen counter for three days now and has started taking on that translucent pale yellow and developing that wonderful swiss smell. Not much significant swelling yet, but I have high hopes. I will try to post another picture as it develops.
Congrats. I am a couple weeks ahead of you and I will tell you this…I have just a little bit of swelling. But the other thing I noticed is I had a significantly smaller size cheese with 2 gallons of milk…wonder why? Any theories?
Mine has not started the swelling yet, so you could tell anyway, but I don’t know why you would have a smaller cheese than is normal for two gallons. How much do you think that your cheese weights?
I used two and a half gallons of milk and a quart of heavy cream for my batch. I did forget to put in the Calcium Chloride and so it took about 10 hours to curd. But I got a good wheel, close to 3 lbs. I did not use a whole tsp of priopronic shermani as Rickie’s recipe called for but follow the Leener’s recommendation of 1/8th tsp, so it may take longer to swell. I guess that time will tell.
I remembered the CaCl2 for the derby that I made this past weekend and had curd in 50 minutes or so. Makes all the difference in the world. I won’t forget it again.
Mine has not started the swelling yet, so you could tell anyway, but I don’t know why you would have a smaller cheese than is normal for two gallons. How much do you think that your cheese weights?
I used two and a half gallons of milk and a quart of heavy cream for my batch. I did forget to put in the Calcium Chloride and so it took about 10 hours to curd. But I got a good wheel, close to 3 lbs. I did not use a whole tsp of priopronic shermani as Rickie’s recipe called for but follow the Leener’s recommendation of 1/8th tsp, so it may take longer to swell. I guess that time will tell.
I remembered the CaCl2 for the derby that I made this past weekend and had curd in 50 minutes or so. Makes all the difference in the world. I won’t forget it again.
I actually contacted ricki on that….the book is from the “old way” of selling the bacteria…and 1/8 tsp is correct….
