Adapted from Ricki Carroll’s recipe.

4 Gallons raw milk heated to 90 F.
Add rounded 1/8 tsp. MA11 starter.  Let float 1 min, stir 1 min.  Ripen for 30 min.
Add 1 tsp. animal rennet disolved in 1/4 c. cool water, stir 1 min.  Let set until clean break - about 35 min.
Cut curd in 1/4” chunks, let set for 40 min.
Heat curd to 100F, stirring often to prevent matting.  Hold curd at 100F and continue stirring until pH reaches 6.2.
Drain whey to curd level, continue stirring until pH reaches 5.9 - 6.0.
Drain in colander several minutes.
Return to pot and add 2 Tblsp salt, 1 Tblsp diced dehydrated Jalepeno peppers, and 1 Tblsp diced dried red pepper.  Can substitue fresh if desired.  Mix thoroughly.  Omit peppers for Monterey Jack.
Place curd into a cloth lined 6” mold and press at 14 lb. pressure for 20 min.
Remove from mold flip over and rewrap.  Press at 33 lb. pressure for 2 hours.
Remove from mold, flip over and return to press (I use no cloth here).  Press at 33 lb. for another 10 hours.
Remove from mold and air dry until rind is uniformly dried.
Bandage, wax or vacuum seal and age for 2 months.

So how was the cheese? Was it hot or just spicy? My recipe for pepper jack is for 2 gallons of milk, and it only has 1 tsp pepper flakes in it. You boil the pepper flakes in 1/2 cup of water for 15 minutes and drain the flakes out. You add the water to the milk at the beginning, and then you add the pepper flakes when you add the salt. Mine came from Making Artisan Cheese by Tim Smith. I made a recipe yesterday, it is air drying today.

I am anxious to try it, but it will be a few months.

I think that the addition of some jalepeno sounds good, and I have dehydrated ones from my yard. Maybe I will make this one the next time.

I’m going to try this tomorrow and let you guys know what I thought of it. Sounds delicious.