Yesterday was 3 months since I waxed the Monterey Jack wheel si it was time to try it. It tased very good but for some reason tastes more like a medium cheddar then a Jack. Never had a homemade jack before so maybe that’s normal. The other thing I did’nt like was the color of the red wax stained the surface of the cheese. Is that normal ? If it is I think I will look for a non-colored wax. Here is a pic of the cheese. Nice texture.
I agree - the texture looks great. I think you’ll find the red is normal along the rind. That’s not a problem unless you want to eat the rind also. I usually trimmed it off. I vacuum seal now, so there is no rind. My Jacks have mostly been rather dry and crumbly, and I’m wondering if yours is as well. I have apparently not yet “mastered” the Jack cheese. The sharpness is not normal for a Jack, which should be a rather mild cheese.
My red wax stains the cheese slightly. I think they sell a light yellow wax, or you could research the plastic thing that Herman was discussing the other day.
No not sharp as I continue to eat it, ( won’t last long ) So good. Yes it is a bit crumbly but not to much because I can get good slices from it. Here is a pic of the slices soon to be eaten. 3 months is not bad to get such a great cheese. Does’t really have a rind per say you can eat it all so the color is strictly from the wax. My coating was about 1/4 inch fairly thick and it came off easily. For my first jack I think I did good. More jacks to follow maybe jalapeno jack…...
Looking nice! About the plastic coating: I use to get the cheese out of the cave for half a day and in most cases I can peel of the coating easily. With some older cheeses it will be harder, but then I will cut of some of the rind anyway.
Next weekend I will make my last batch before the holiday. It will be about 3.5 lbs of Gouda with stinging nettle (yes it will be dried…). Is this something that is used anywhere else than in the Netherlands (urtica dioica is the latin name)?
Herman, I don’t know what stinging nettles are, but I don’t know about anybody else.
As for the Monterey Jack, it looks great. I don’t think it would last long at my house either. I have made pepper jack a few times and we like it. For 4 gallons of milk I put 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped jalopeno’s and 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes in it. I have some friends who want some with habenero’s but I won’t be eating that.
U dont know what Stinging nettles are TB ? If I had of know that I would have taken a picture during my walk. Very common painful irritant if walking in the bash/grasses. Finer then thistles, are commonly used in salads like spinach after quick blanching, very nutritious.
Pepper Jack is another on my wish list. I’m still looking for the red pepper flakes. You can read on Wiki about Stinging nettle, I don’t get the link to work somehow..
It’s used here sometimes by cheese making farmers for the Gouda cheeses, like mustard seed and curmin.
Stinging nettles
Very high calcium, magnesium; high iron, potassium, zinc, Vitamin B’s and A; supply niacin, protein, vitamin C, D and K. Excellent for the liver, low back, and anemia.
