Okay guys, as promised here’s a couple of pics of the new swiss fresh out of the brine.
I’m really happy with this wheel.
I can’t say that it looks any better than any of the other swiss cheeses I’ve made (except the one that I underpressed) but I do have high hopes for this once simply because of the curd I got.
It is 7-1/2” diameter and right at 4” thick. I really think this one should sweat out really well and hopefully will make some nice eyes.
I’ve decided that swiss is my favorite cheese to make. It’s a challenge but man, the rewards are worth it.
Dave
Damn, This one of the sexiest home cheese wheel ....
Guys…
Thanks for the comments. I really am happy with this one. It seems that each time I make this recipe it turns out a little bit better. For instance this wheel is so nice and elastic that it will actually “bow” a little if held in the center.
I’m now forming the rind and then will begin sweating.
I also plan on sweating this for at least a month since Cartierusm has indicated that the small eyes will eventually consolidate and make larger eyes. I figure it’s worth a try because I would really like to see some major eye formation, at some point in my swiss making.
I’ve always figured that it is difficult for the home cheese maker to make the large eyes, simply because we are limited in the size of wheel we can make. Most swiss cheeses are made in VERY large wheels, sometimes even in the 100 lb. - 200 lb. range.
As I posted on the other forum, even if you buy a 5 lb. wheel of baby swiss it was more than likely cut from a much larger wheel. That’s the reason there is no rind on the cheese and also probably the reason for such large eyes on such a small wheel.
Now having said this, I will say that one poster on the other board has a photo of a very small swiss ( I think it was a one gallon wheel) that is actually round. It swelled so much it looks un-natural, yet the rind held the swelling very well.
I can’t wait until he cuts this cheese open to see what type of eyes have formed.
Anyway, I’m not going to give up on this cheese until either I form some good sized eyes or find out it’s impossible in a small wheel.
After the last one I cut open, I’ve found that this can be a fantastic cheese even if it doesn’t look like everyone expects it to look.
Oh, and as for Carter’s last post about putting a smiley face on the cheese…..
Carter, you should post some photos of your custom followers.
That way I won’t be the only one consumed by envy over your manufacturing skills.
Guys, you’ve gotta see what this guy can do with a CNC machine (btw, he MADE his own CNC machine….yeah, overachiever, no doubt), and a piece of HDPE material. It truly is impressive.
Guys….
Here’s an update on this cheese.
It’s a little bit over two weeks old and is really looking good.
If you look at the pics I posted of this wheel, right out of the press, you will see that it now looks completely different.
I’m getting the best swelling ,with this swiss, that I’ve seen yet.
I am getting a bit of surface splitting due to the excessive swelling.
I don’t forsee this being a problem since once the sweating phase is over I will wax this wheel.
Of course I would rather this wheel, NOT crack but as long as it forms some good eyes I can deal with it.
Btw, the bottom of the wheel has nearly as much swelling as the top and the sides are really starting to bulge out.
Keeping my fingers crossed on this one.
Dave, that’s what I was thinking a Swiss OUGHT to be looking like. Congratulations! You can now go to your eternal rest a happy man.
My Emmantal was taken out of the cave last night and put in the kitchen. Its a wee bit cooler than recommended (only 66 instead of 68 - 74), so I may have to be a bit more patient than the 2 to 3 weeks the recipe calls for. But if its looks like yours, it will be well worth it. Mine is not an 8”, like yours, only a 6”. I suppose its too much to hope that it will resemble a volleyball, but yours looks like its well on the way in that direction. Jolly good show!
Thanks Neil and Rich. I’m pretty happy with how this one is looking.
Only time will tell if I really am forming some real eyes in the cheese, but I do have hope, now.
Dave, I’m checking up on your Swiss progress - how’s it going? Did you get any further swelling before you put it in the cave? I’m asking because my Emmental has been sitting on the kitchen counter for 11 days and is still as flat as when I put it out, even though the sides have bulged quite a bit. I may be jumping the gun on this one; but I was hoping for a LITTLE activity by now. On the other hand, it has a fantastic aroma.
That does look good. I mentioned we should have a cheese calander, Im realy serious about that, we should start taking portraits of our best cheeses or am I going nuts ?
Swiss is the next one Im doing, maybe with the PH meter now I can get it right, mind u the gassing up seams to have a mind of its own.
