Hi folks,

I want to share with you my recipe of Cabra al Vino (aka Murcia al Vino) which I adapted from the recipe in Tim Smith’s book (The Dutch and unfortunately not everywhere correctly translated version).

I used the following:
10 liters of raw goat milk (about 2.7 US gallon)
6 spoons of mesofile culture (Ice cubes which I took from the freezer the evening before)
1/4 teaspoon calciumchloride, disolved in some cold water. I used it always because I have the experience that it gives more curd and a fermer curd.
1 1/2 teaspoon liquid rennet disolved in some water.
2 bottles of cheap but nevertheless nice Rioja wine.
3 spoons of salt.
about 0.5 gallon of 175F water.

Warm the milk slowly until 90F and add the starting culture. Stir well through.
Cover the milk and let it ripen for about 10 minutes
At the same temperature add the rennet and stir for 1 minute.
Leave the milk covered for 1 hour.
When the curd gives a clean break, cut the curd in pieces about half an inch.
Let the curd rest for 5 minutes.
Drain 1 third of the whey and add enough water of 17 to reach a temperature of the curd of 91.5F
Stir constantly to prevent the curd to mat until you reach 91.5F
Let the curd rest for about 10 minutes, stir every 2 minutes.
Drain the whey until the level of the curd is reached.
Add enough water of 17 to reach a temperature of the curd of 100F.
Hold the curd for 15 minutes at this temperature and stirr frequently.
Let the curd rest for 30 minutes at a temperature of 100F.
Drain all the whey and with your hands break the curd into pieces of 1/4 inch and work the salt through the curd.
Put the curd in the mold (I used 2 Kadova molds for 1 kilo Gouda) and press in firmly into the mold.
Press 20 minutes with 22 lbs
Turn the cheese and press 12 hours with 22 lbs
Turn the cheese and press again for 12 hours with 22 lbs.
Put the cheese in the wine for 24 hours.
According to the original recipe you have to dry the cheese for 6 hours and then put in back into the wine, but for how long?
After a couple of days, when the bottom of the cheese stayed fairly dry for half a day, I coated the cheese with transparent coating.
Store the cheese in a fridge for 3 months at a temperature of 50F and a humidity of 80-85%.
Turn the cheese every day for the first 2 weeks and clean the cheese once a week with brine.

Well, the first cheese didn’t last 3 months. After 45 days, on the birthday of my wife, I cut the cheese, together with a “middle aged” home made Gouda.
Both were excelent, also according to our guests.
The Cabra al Vino had a recognizable scent of wine, a firm texture and a mild taste.
I hope to be patient enough to let the other one ripen for another 45 days….
Attached a picture of the coated Cabra’s and a picture of my batchroom/cheeslab.