Hi, again

on 6.7.2007 i made a cheddar batch out of 15Kg from fresh cow milk, i cooked as usual at 38C, cheddar the curds in strips for 1hours, then milling them in peices for 30mins, salting in three phases in 30 mins, putting in the press, light with 5kg then redress, more whight with redress for 24hours with maximum press with few redressing in between. the wheel was so smooth and yellowish, with very nice smell.

when i removed it from the press to air dry it, the wheel start to cracks (same milled cruds chuncks) , the milled chuncks did not mat, i redress it and placed again in press for 8 hours with full power, the cheese again smooth, but then started to unmate again when i removed it from the press.

taking into concidration:
1- The curds were warm when i pressed it arround (38C).
2- The wheel interface was so soft and smooth everytime i remove from the press
3- the cheese is not dry, it is rubbery to the touch and firm, it is like the milled curds did not stick together after pressing

A- what do u think ? what i did wrong? 
B- what shall i do with this cheese? can i wax it and age it ?

see the photos here
cheese1 : when i removed from press (smooth)
cheese2 : after removing from press top view (few hours)
cheese 3:  side view

this is the correct thread, sorry sorry for any inconvenience i might caused  

wondering if u cooked it too long, just remembering when I did the the parm cheese, didnt like to stick, was sure I over cooked it.
Is that paraffin wax u put on it, thats cracking.
Too much salt can dry it out as well.

Probably I over cooked it.

No it is not paraffin, it is the cheese itself    

I am always have problem adding the correct amount of cheese !!

Few hours ago, i checked the wheel which it is warpped in the fridge, the carcks got again very thin and shallow, STRANGE !!  the cheese return to it’s shape (80% looks back like when i removed it from the press). it’s smell is fantastic, really nice, now i waxed it, and thrown in the fridge.i do not know how long i will bare to wait

Was just reading, the lack of calcium can also cause the structure of the cheese to fail.
“Calcium is the bonding agent for the curd protein, once it is removed the curd loses it’s structure and becomes soft…” from New England Cheesemaking.

Neil, this wheel of cheese is hard, not soft, i think you are talking about thread 252 = “Curds suddenly turned loosely during cooking - batch lost !!”  but why lack of calcuim? i used raw milk !! and no need for CaCl.

the above whell as i said above, returned (by itself) to small tight craks on surface only.. with firm look , i do not know why and how… anyway the cheese smell is fantastic

Yes but I did not want to post it twice, and u never know how balanced the milk is as to what they eat and so forth. Just a note to thingk about

do you recommend to always add CaCl to raw milk to get firmer curds, and to make sure that no loose of calcium if anything goes wrong ?

No, I suggest know how your milk reacts and if their is a problem then maybe add a little to see if it helps, trial and error till u know your ingredients reactions.

am sure now that it was over whey removal (over cooking, extra salt or so)

I have bad news

I took a sample out of this above wheel, it has also bitter taste with not normal smell

Now i am getting crazy, i opened all my last wheels (three) and all the same… i am going to get crazy WHY ??

it is not related to over moisture as we all agreed above that it was over whey removed…. but when i take the sample out, it was moiste…..

Is the young cheeses smell and taste bitter ??  i am going to give up

try a diff source of milk and see if its a milk problem. One step at a time to resolve the problem.

- I noticed that the cheese smell still fantastic until i wax it, it’s like suffocate….

- i broke the wax, and i salt it, and the smell is better.

- some of my friends said that this is normal in young cheese, and i had to wait more one month, and bitter taste will go, (protein breakdown)!! which is normal

# flavour and texture development in Cheddar are mainly dependent on protein breakdown and much less dependent on fat breakdown.
# Protein breakdown involves three general types of processes:

  * Proteases break proteins into smaller peptides, some of which are flavour compounds. For example, bitter and brothy flavoured peptides are well known to occur in cheese.
  * Peptidases further break down peptides to amino acids.
  * Further catabolism of amino acids by cheese microorganisms produces aldehydes, alchohols, carboxlic acids and sulfur compounds, many of which are flavourful.

- and i read that when u use raw whole milk, the recipe will be different..

- shall i try to pateruzie the milk ? or it is shame to downgrade ?

Neil - 18 July 2007 02:22 PM

try a diff source of milk and see if its a milk problem. One step at a time to resolve the problem.

Neil i did many times and changed my raw milk source.  have u tried to make cheese from raw milkbefore?

No is Illegal here, but I have incorporated some raw goats milk that someone slipped me (no I did not pasteurize it), and had no problem. If its not the milk then its the rennet or some other contamination.

hey, i just want to keep you updated…

today i took sample of this wheel, and i found out that the bitter taste is GONE ... and the taste is getting very nice.. this is related to the protein break down as i said above.  i guess i am facing this because i am using raw milk, and this never happened to you..

Regarding the carking in shape, one of my freinds told me that the problem was due to very fast drying, and i had to cover the wheel with led, in order to make it dry slowly, again, i faced this alone because i have very very dry hot weather (30-35C) humidity 20% or so..

cheers