Cheesemaking - Farmhouse Cheddar

[classicrockgriller]

Whooaaa!

Just some beautiful looking cheese!

What did you think of the taste and texture?

[deb415611]

It's good but like the cheddar a tiny bit chalky. Tastes like cheese though!  I bought a ph meter so I can test the ph as I'm going in the future.  I'm hoping that will help. 

The pepperjack needed more heat ;D.  The red is just bell pepper and the green is poblano & jalapeno. 

[classicrockgriller]

They are both beautiful looking cheese.

I have to try it.

[seemore]

Way to go Deb!  An amazing job!
Mrs

[classicrockgriller]

Dang you Deb, now I have to be nice to the teacher in the smack talk.

I just keep coming back looking at that cheese.

I almost want to make that before I make sausage.

[Quarlow]

Maybe you could put some smoke homemade cheese in your sausage!

[deb415611]

Get that book out CRG!  Did you order supplies?

[classicrockgriller]

Get that book out CRG!  Did you order supplies?

I have been reading my book teach.

Have not ordered supplies yet. Been ordering grinders and stuffers, and mixers and casings and spices and etc.

But I will soon.

I want to make a press or buy one.

Life is keeping me busy.

Deer hunting, casinos, girlfriends (Dear Hunting), looking for a work trailer, and on, and on.

[seemore]

CRG, just think how great it will be to eat your own homemade sausage AND homemade cheese. 
Next you will have to bake bread and crackers on which to serve them!
Mrs

[classicrockgriller]

CRG, just think how great it will be to eat your own homemade sausage AND homemade cheese. 
Next you will have to bake bread and crackers on which to serve them!
Mrs

I use to bake bread (have sour dough starter in fridge) prior to getting my Bradley.

I'm not a good multi-tasker IE: walking and chewing gum, talking and listening to my wife, etc.

[seemore]

Ba-da-bum:  another rim shot!
Mrs

[Northern_Smoke]

Get that book out CRG!  Did you order supplies?

I want to make a press or buy one.

If you are looking to make one, i got the spring for my press off eBay. It was a stainless steel 50lb spring. I see them on there quite often. The only other option i found was a large quantity order from a company through the internet and i wasn't really looking to order 50 or them. Then the materials i used were all stainless steel and 2 3/8ths in non-stick-ish cutting boards. And i learned some interesting facts about these cutting boards and how to "glue" pieces of them together.

The toughest part to building it for me was finding the spring. So good luck and you should be able to build one for under 50 dollars. My next one is going to be at least a 6 in round instead of the 4 and then i can start doing 2 gallon batches very easily.

Anyways, good luck and you will find it a fun and challenging hobby.

[deb415611]

I'll try to take a picture this weekend, life is a little crazy right now :o

I got my press last weekend  - it is similiar to the one here .  My dad made it for me.  We  used 3/4 inch 12x12 cutting boards and wood dowels.  One addition he added was in the center of the top board he used some of the circle cuts & bolted them in the middle so they will hold the weights in place.  

It's big enough to hold two 4inch molds which will hold a 4 gallon batch of cheese or one 6-7 inch mold.  I haven't tried but it might even hold three of the small molds.

I went with this instead of the spring loaded because I have read that once the curds compress the spring is loosened and not at the weight that you started with, you have to keep adjusting the weight and it's hard to really gauge the true weight you are pressing with.  

I think this cost somewhere between $50 - $60.  The most expensive part was the 3/4 inch cutting boards - they were $45 with shipping.  It's possible that you could use the 1/2 inch ones that you can get cheaper in the store but I was worried about them not holding up to the weight.

[Northern_Smoke]

I agree with the spring problem which is why i usually try and make my cheese so that i am around while it is pressing. Then every hour i walk by and crank the handle to make sure it is tight. What i am trying to do is design one that will do a 6 or 8 inch round so i can do 2 or more gallons at a time. I like using stainless though cause i can boil the whole thing to sterilize it. Plus i am a metal fabricator ;) So yours might be next on my list of things to build.

[classicrockgriller]

N_S, I see cheese press fabricating in your future. ;D