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Author Topic: Cheese and Cheese making  (Read 28306 times)

Offline tubercle

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Re: Cheese and Cheese making
« Reply #75 on: October 23, 2010, 04:24:03 pm »
  I have a press similar to boulderbrewer's that uses a 50psi spring. The problem is the pressure decreases as the cheese is compressed and the screw has to constantly adjusted.

  Most recipes call for a certain amount of weight to be applied but it should be calculated in psi. If a recipe calls for 50 lbs of weight its probably referring to a 4" diameter mould which would apply ~ 4 psi. Change that to a 6" mould and its only ~1.75psi. To get the same 4psi on a 6" mould you would need to apply 115lbs :o I'm building a dutch press which uses a lever arm that constant pressure can be applied and hopefully this will improve my cheese.



Something like this...



Or this...



Or for even more mechanical advantage add a few pulleys...

 BTW...I lifted all of these pics from the cheeseforum.org. I hope they ain't copyrighted :-\

 Dear mods, if there is a problem with this I'll remove them.

  
« Last Edit: October 23, 2010, 04:37:14 pm by tubercle »
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Cheese and Cheese making
« Reply #76 on: October 24, 2010, 12:11:43 am »
Ok, that's pretty cool.  Very clever, and easy to figure out the math to get the right pressure.  So what is the right pressure? :)
Tom Schmidlin

Offline MrNate

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Re: Cheese and Cheese making
« Reply #77 on: October 24, 2010, 12:29:06 am »
Or just build a ramp and park the car on it.
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Offline tubercle

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Re: Cheese and Cheese making
« Reply #78 on: October 24, 2010, 06:36:08 am »
Ok, that's pretty cool.  Very clever, and easy to figure out the math to get the right pressure.  So what is the right pressure? :)

 Here is a good discussion on whats required on the cheeseforum.org
http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,2417.0/topicseen.html

  Every recipe has its own pressing requirements. Some none, some a lot, like 25 psi. Pressing time is different too from a few hours to 24 hours depending on type and other variables. Most recipes are listed as pound of weight instead of psi but they seem to be aimed at 4 inch moulds. From there the psi can be figured and applied to whatever mould is in use.

  The first several cheeses I made were attempts at cheddar and monterrey jack styles and were very acidic and crumbly. Nasty actually. :-X  After a lot of research I decided I wasn't pressing enough so just started stacking weights on the mould without using the spring/screw thing. They came out much better, well knitted and sharp but not sour. I learned that the moisture content which the culture lives on can be too high and they continue to acidify. Higher pressing pressure expels more moisture and controls the rate at which the cheese matures. I wasn't adding enough salt also which also controls the cultures. I threw the first 4 or 5 away but since then they have gotten pretty good ;D
I made the mistake of giving family samples and just like beer, they want more ;D

Free of course :D
« Last Edit: October 24, 2010, 07:09:36 am by tubercle »
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Offline capozzoli

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Re: Cheese and Cheese making
« Reply #79 on: October 24, 2010, 07:26:59 am »
Oh man, I just thought of something. I have the parts from an old arbor press. It is actually some kind of old broaching press. Bet that would make a great cheese press.

I wonder if some kind of all propose press could be devised?  Cheese, cider, grapes. Guess it would be a problem that it is made of steel?

Does the cheese have to stay in the press for long periods of time?

On another subject. My raw milk got the cream line but I expected much more. I lived in farm land Ohio for a few years when I was a kid and we would get milk right from the dairy farm. The cream would rise to the top by the next day and sometimes would be 2" or more thick. It would be very dense thick cream too, It could hold on an overturned spoon. This gallon of raw milk I have now has maybe 1/8" cream line. I don't know, maybe the Ohio cows were to bred produce more cream.

What do you guys do with your whey? Ever tried to make home made yoohoo? Its good.

Supposed to be some way to get ricotta cheese out of whey too.
« Last Edit: October 24, 2010, 07:35:20 am by capozzoli »
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Offline beerocd

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Re: Cheese and Cheese making
« Reply #80 on: October 24, 2010, 07:35:14 am »
use a narrower container if it really bugs you. you'll get your 2".

and different cows DO produce various levels of fat. Guernsey cows I believe are the highest fat content, the milk is yellow.
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Offline capozzoli

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Re: Cheese and Cheese making
« Reply #81 on: October 24, 2010, 07:40:52 am »
This milk was pretty yellowish. It was yellow against the white background of their fridge but white against my upholstery.

Now that I think more about it the store had milk  as well as light cream, heavy cream and butter. So to some degree they must be removing some cream right? These are grass fed Jersey cows.
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Offline tubercle

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Re: Cheese and Cheese making
« Reply #82 on: October 24, 2010, 07:51:49 am »
What do you guys do with your whey?


  Substitute whey for water when making bread. ;)
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boulderbrewer

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Re: Cheese and Cheese making
« Reply #83 on: October 24, 2010, 07:53:29 am »
Jersey cows usually have the most butter fat for dairy cows, bet they were skiming your milk.

The only cheese recipes I have used are from that book. Each recipe has a differernt pressing directions, usually you start off at like 15 to 30 minutes and flip the cheese over and press for 2 hr then 24 hr. I have never had cheese in a press longer than 24hrs.

boulderbrewer

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Re: Cheese and Cheese making
« Reply #84 on: October 24, 2010, 07:55:05 am »
What do you guys do with your whey?


  Substitute whey for water when making bread. ;)

I make ricotta when I make hard cheeses, makes a good drink by itself too.

Offline beerocd

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Re: Cheese and Cheese making
« Reply #85 on: October 24, 2010, 08:11:24 am »
makes a good drink by itself too.

NO Whey! Seriously? Do you mix anything into it to make it taste good?
The moral majority, is neither.

boulderbrewer

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Re: Cheese and Cheese making
« Reply #86 on: October 24, 2010, 08:13:02 am »
Yellow is the beta carotene in the milk thats why, goats convert it to vitamin A thats why their milk is white. Cows on pasture give yellower milk.

boulderbrewer

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Re: Cheese and Cheese making
« Reply #87 on: October 24, 2010, 08:14:41 am »
It tastes whey good, I like it warm. I don't usually drink all 2 gallons though. The chickens like it too.

Offline beerocd

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Re: Cheese and Cheese making
« Reply #88 on: October 24, 2010, 08:17:21 am »
Jersey cows usually have the most butter fat for dairy cows, bet they were skiming your milk.

My bad, Jersey = 6 percent Guernsey = 5 percent.
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Offline capozzoli

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Re: Cheese and Cheese making
« Reply #89 on: October 24, 2010, 08:29:48 am »
When we make paneer we use a gallon of milk. With the whey I ether mix in lemon juice (which is what I use to separate) and a little sugar or I put in some some cocoa to make homemade yoohoo.

I have used it in soup too.
Beer, its whats for dinner.

http://theholyravioli.blogspot.com/

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