EL NOOR GARDENS · HOME CHEESEMAKING

CHEDDAR CHEESE

A traditional farmhouse-style cheddar recipe using 10 litres of milk. Expect roughly 1–1.2 kg of finished cheese, depending on the milk and moisture level.

Ingredients

• 10 L full-cream, non-UHT milk
• Mesophilic starter culture, according to packet dose for 10 L
• Calcium chloride, about 2.5 mL diluted in cool non-chlorinated water (recommended for pasteurised milk)
• Single-strength liquid rennet, about 2.5 mL diluted in cool non-chlorinated water
• Non-iodised cheese salt, approximately 2% of the drained curd weight

Method

1. Warm the milk slowly to 31°C. Add the starter and allow it to hydrate, then stir gently. Ripen for about 45 minutes.
2. Add diluted calcium chloride, then diluted rennet. Stir gently for about 1 minute. Leave undisturbed until a clean break forms, usually 35–45 minutes.
3. Cut the curd into roughly 1 cm cubes. Rest 5 minutes.
4. Slowly raise the temperature to 38–39°C over about 30–40 minutes, stirring gently so the curds do not mat. Hold for another 30–45 minutes until the curds are firm and springy.
5. Drain the whey to the curd level. Transfer the curd mass to a warm draining surface. Cut into slabs and stack, turning and restacking every 15 minutes for about 1½–2 hours. This is the cheddaring stage.
6. Mill or tear the slabs into small pieces. Weigh the curd and mix in cheese salt at about 2% of curd weight in 2–3 additions.
7. Pack into a cloth-lined mould and press lightly for 30 minutes. Turn, redress and increase pressure. Continue pressing, progressively increasing the weight, for 12–24 hours.
8. Remove from the mould and air-dry until the surface is completely dry, turning regularly.
9. Wax, vacuum-seal, or develop a natural rind. Mature at about 10–13°C and 80–85% humidity for at least 3 months; 6–12 months gives a deeper cheddar flavour.