Cheese can be made at home from fresh milk, rennet, salt, and a starter culture of pure, lactic acid-producing bacteria. Cultures are obtainable from the Dairy Industry Marketing Authority laboratory at Sydney University or from commercial suppliers. Directions for use are enclosed in the package.
Rennet is used to clot the milk to form a junket. It is available in liquid, powder or tablet (junket tablet) form. Whatever form is used, dilute it with 20 times its volume of cold water.
Ten litres of milk will make about 1 kg of cheese. Keep all the equipment clean and follow the directions carefully.
Equipment:
Very little special equipment is required. You will need a thermometer; glass measure marked in millilitres (mL); spoon; large saucepan or similar container; strainer; carving knife; piece of wire bent into a “U”; cheesecloth; hoops or moulds; wooden disc; and a pressing device such as a hydraulic jack.
Making Colby-type cheese:
- Pour 10 L of fresh clean milk into a large saucepan or container. It is best to pasteurize the milk by heating to 65°C and then cooling quickly to 30°C, but this is not essential.
- Add 200 to 300 mL of starter used according to directions, to 10 L of milk (at 30°C) and stir thoroughly.
- Allow milk to stand for 15 minutes for starter to begin to work.
- Add 2.5 mL of rennet liquid or equivalent volume of powder or tablet diluted in 50 mL of cold water and stir for one minute.
- Cover saucepan or container with clean cloth. Keep milk warm until clotted (usually takes 45 minutes).
- When a firm curd is formed it is ready to cut.
- Use a carving knife to cut the curd into strips about 20 mm wide in one direction, then cut these slices again at right angles to the first cut so the curd is then in square columns. Now draw the “U” wire across the cut curd to form it into cubes.
- The cutting releases the whey. The curd should be left to stand undisturbed for ten minutes.
- Stir gently with a large spoon and slowly raise the temperature to 38°C. This cooking should take 30 to 60 minutes.
- At this stage the curd will shrink and become fairly firm. Drain off all the whey. Replace it with cold water and stir continuously until the curd temperature reaches 28°C.
- Drain off all the watery whey and continue to stir for five to ten minutes to dry the curd and prevent it from matting together.
- Add salt at the rate of 30 g (2 level tablespoons) per kg of curd and mix thoroughly.
- When the salt is dissolved the curd is ready to be placed in a clothlined hoop or tin mould. Pack the curd as tightly as possible into the hoop and fold cloth over the top. A wooden disc small enough to fit into the hoop is placed on top of the mould. A hydraulic jack can be used to apply pressure to the disc perhaps between two solid shelves or between the floor and the underside of a shelf.
- Leave under pressure for 20 hors. Remove the cheese from the mould, still in the cloth, and store in a cool place (temperature around 10°C ideal). Occasionally wipe the outside of the cheese with a cloth dipped in brine to prevent mould. Cheese should be ready to eat within two weeks.
Making farm cheese:
- Pastuerize 10 L of milk in a large saucepan or container. Place container in hot water, stirring the milk gently. When it has reached 65°C cool as quickly as possible to 30°C.
- Add 500 to 1 000 mL of starter to 10 L of milk. Commercial starter or a carton of purchased fresh cultured buttermilk can be used. A curd will form in about five hours. Cut into 20 mm cubes with carving knife and “U” shaped wire.
- Gradually heat the cubed mixture, stirring gently all the time until the temperature reaches 49°C. This should take about half an hour. The heating expels the moisture and the high temperature destroys the lactic-acid producing bacteria, but the acid flavour will remain.
- Hold at 49°C for ten minutes to firm curd.
- Drain off all the whey and replace with cold water. Do this several times until curd and water temperature is about 10°C.
- Tip curd into cloth-lined strainer and let drain for five to ten minutes.
- Add salt at the rate of 30 g per kg of curd, or to taste, and stir in thoroughly.
- Place in suitable storage container and put in refrigerator. The cheese is ready to eat and should keep for several days.
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