I receiced a pH meter Thursday, and, decided to make a Cheddar.  Started with 4 gal milk and 1/4 tsp dry meso starter. 

I used Linuxboy’s markers posted the other day (hope I got this right):
  Milk ripened at 86 degreed for 1hr 10min until pH was 6.49.
  Added rennet and waited until the plastic bowl wouldn’t move - 11.5 minutes.  Waited until 35 minutes had passed since rennet was added.
  Curds cut to 1/4” and rested 5 min.
  Began cooking pH was 6.47.
  Took 51 min to get to 100 degrees - pH was 6.34.
  Waited 35 min to get to pH 6.20 and drained for 15 min.
  Cut the mass of curds into .05” slabs and began cheddaring.

pH dropped quickly during cheddaring:
  Turned at 15 min at pH 5.90
  Turned at 30 min at pH 5.82
  Turned at 45 min at pH 5.71
  Turned at 1 hr at pH 5.68
  Turned at 1 hr 15 min at pH 5.59
  Turned at 1 hr 30 min at pH 5.51

My recipe said to cheddar for 2 hours.  I stopped at 1 hr 30 min.  Curds really rubbery.
  Curds were cut into .05” cubes and returned to the pot. 
  Curds were salted and began pressing with 10 lbs for 15 min with pH 5.22.
  Wheel was turned and redressed.  Wheel began pressing with 40 lbs for 12 hours with beginning pH of 5.18.  Still have 24 hours at 50 lbs to go.

From what I’ve read, the pH after pressing should be around 4.9 to 5.1.  Should the salting slow the decline in pH to reach this goal?

How do I check the final pH - what do I test?

Sorry for such a lengthy post.

John

Looks pretty good to me; but just a couple of questions:

First, did you really cut your slabs to .05”?  Surely that’s a misprint!
Second, what diameter is your mold?  40 lbs does not sound like nearly enough weight for a cheddar.  For a 4 gal batch, I’m assuming you must be using at least a 6” mold, in which case you should be using 120 lbs.  I hate to start the pressing weight controversy all over again after its been silent for nearly a year; but pressure should be calculated by pouns per sqare surface inch, not simply by weight. 
Now, having said all that, if your wheel knits solidly, you have succeeded.

Yes - .05” is a misprint!  The mould is around 6.5”.  I will add more weight for the next 24 hours.  Hope that does it.

Thanks for your help.

John

Glad to be able to help.  Are you planning on waxing, or vacuum seal?  And how long will you age it - or should I say, how long do you think you can hold off before you try it???

It will get waxed.  Does vacuum sealing work as well as wax?  Might try that next time.

Not sure how long it will last!  Might make another next weekend - watching baseball and making cheese seems to work well together.

John

Are those pH readings from whey? If so, which whey? The whey from the curds, or reserved whey? Overall, looks good. I would have probably drained and milled another .05 less to get a faster aging cheddar, but your make was well within the style. It will age in 6-9 months and be at peak for a long time (1-2 years) if you drain at 6.2.

Measurements were taken from the whey in the cheese pot while cheddaring.  So, a lower pH at draining will make a faster aging cheese?

John

Waxing will do a good job if you keep an eye on it regularly and don’t “forget” it.  I have had several waxed cheeses that have developed cracks in the wax along the edge.  They are quite small at first and difficult to see, but will have negative effects on the cheese within.  Some, like Nabil, prefer bandaging.  This too takes a lot of monitoring, and periodic reapplication of lard/shortening.  I have taken to sealing of late, and have had good result from it.  What it comes down to is your personal preference.  you might experiment with each and see what feels best for you.

jawdog - 26 July 2010 02:20 AM

Measurements were taken from the whey in the cheese pot while cheddaring.  So, a lower pH at draining will make a faster aging cheese?

John

Kind of, I am talking about extended maturation and period at peak, not time to initial palatability. A lower drain pH will result in less calcium in the final cheese. Cheeses with lower calcium, in general, do not keep as long as cheeses with higher calcium. It’s more complex than that and involves degree of protein degradation (which correlates to amount of colloidal calcium), but in general a cheese with more calcium, once you get to the 6-9 month age, will continue to age well.