This is a great recipe for making ready to eat Cheddar curds. To the fresh curds you can mix Garlic and Dill, Powdered Ranch Dressing, Creole Seasoning, or any fresh herbs to add to the flavor. If you have more curds than you can eat in two weeks, the recipe also works well as an aged cheddar. Curds can be pressed into any size wheel. Cheese can be left in wax or other covering for more than a year.
Ingredients:
Milk: 2-3.5 Gallons whole milk
Culture: 1/4 tsp MA4000 Meso/Thermo blends (I prefer MM100)
Color: Annatto can be added for color 4-20 drops per gallon diluted in 1/4 cup distilled water
Rennet: 1/2-3/4 tsp single strength diluted in 1/4 cup distilled water
Salt: Non-iodized salt (can go up to 2 tsp per gallon) 1-2 tsp per gallon
Steps:
- Warm Milk to 80°
- Sprinkle culture on top of milk and let set for 2 mins. Then stir milk in up and down motion for 2-3 mins.
- Increase temp to 86° or 87° and hold for 40-60 mins. Stir as little as possible
- Stir in Calcium Chloride (max 1/8 tsp per gallon – If raw milk don’t use CaCl2)
- Annatto mixed in 1/4 cup distilled water – Mix slowly in an up and down motion
(10-15 drops per gal gives a traditional Cheddar color) - Stir in Rennet in up and down motion for 1 minute. Hold at 86° or 87°.
- Wait till clean break. Ideal time is 40-50 mins.
- Cut the curd into 1cm or 3/8in cubes
- Let rest for 5 minutes
- Stir for 15 minutes without additional heat
- Begin to heat curds to 95° over a period of 40-50 minutes
- Cooking ends when a PH of 6.1 to 6.2 is reached (if no PH meter cook 60-75 mins total time)
The curd should feel firm and shouldn’t break apart when squeezed. - Let curds settle for 5 mins
- Drain whey and push curd to one side of the pot and form into a mass and tilt to one side
- Place a plate against the curd begin pressing in the pot. A little weight can be added to plate 3-6lbs.
- Important to keep the curds warm in pot while they settle
- Every 15-20 mins cut curd into large chunks and pile and flip pieces. Goal PH is 5.4 to stop flipping
- Mill curds or break into fine pieces 1/4-1/2 inch x 1 inch pieces (sort of like French fries)
- Place curds back into the pot to stay warm and toss in 1/3 of the salt and mix
- Wait 10-15 minutes toss in 1/3 of the salt and mix
- Wait 10-15 minutes toss in last 1/3 of the salt and mix
- Eat or mix in additional flavorings….
- If pressing place curd into mold for 20 mins. Under own weight
- Continue to flip for the first couple hours 10lbs, 25lbs, 45lbs.
- We want to get the rind to close in the first 2-3 hours and that may require you to push up the weight to 75+ lbs.
- Once the rind is closed press for 8-12 hours.
- You may leave in mold for up to 12 hours with just a few pounds
- Air dry 2-4 days then age at 55°.
