Fresh raw cheddar

Hey Graham,

I'm posting this for you... and for all the other readers who are interested in making cheese at home.  Now it takes some special cultures and equipment that most people don't have just laying around, so you might need to do a little shopping before you can get started.

Before trying to make a hard cheese, you need to think about how you're going to press it.  I recommend a tome basket and lid, sized accordingly to the amount of cheese you intend to produce at one time.  Sometimes they are called cheese press baskets or molds.  IIRC, Caprine Supply has all three sizes, less than 2 pounds, 2-4 pounds, and 4-10 pounds.

Next you need to find some mesophilic culture and rennet.  It's likely you can get these through Caprine Supply at the same time, and save yourself some shipping.  But I often get mine through New England Cheesemaking Supply or from the Dairy Connection.

Oh, the other thing that comes in handy is the plyban cheesecloth, which comes from Hoegger Supply.  You can totally use cheesecloth in lieu of it, but the plyban works out better over the long haul in my experience.

Okay, now let's get started.  Everything that's going to be directly or indirectly used the cheesemaking process must be sterilized.  It's crucial to the safety and quality of your end product.

Now get out a double boiler that is big enough to accomodate however much milk you're going to use.  For the purposes of this lesson, let's assume that number is two gallons, which will yield approximately two pounds of cheddar.

Next heat the milk to 86 degrees.  You always want to be gentle when heating and stirring your milk.  Sprinkle a 1/2 teaspoon of mesophilic starter over the surface of the milk.  Wait a minute or two for the powder to rehydrate and then carefully stir it into the milk.  Cover, and let sit at 86 degrees for an hour.

Dilute 1 teaspoon of rennet in a 1/4 cup of water.  Gently stir it into the milk.  Cover, and let sit at 86 degrees for 45 minutes.

Slowly raise the temperature to 100 degrees while occasionally stirring the curds.  When they reach 100 degrees, hold them at that temperature for 30 minutes.  Stir the curds every once in awhile so they don't congeal at the bottom.

Drain the curds in a colander.   Wait 15 minutes for the whey to mostly stop dripping.  Reserve the whey for making ricotta, or feed it to the chickens, or use it for breadmaking, etc.  

Now you can slice the curds into 3/4 inch slabs.  Replace them into the cheesepot in layers, and maintain the temperature at 100 degrees.  After 20 minutes, flip the slabs one by one.  Hold at 100 degrees for another 20 minutes.  

Put slabs onto a cutting board and gently chop them into 3/4 inch cubes.  Return cubes to the cheesepot, keeping the temperature at 100 degrees for 20 minutes.  Stir the curds with a fork every few minutes.  At the end, drain off the whey and add 2 TB non-iodized salt.  Mix well.

Line the cheese press mold with your plyban or cheesecloth.  Pour in the curds and even them out with your fingers.  Wrap the cheesecloth over the top and put in place the tome lid.  Press at 40 pounds for 2 hours.  Pull the cheese out of the mold, flip it over and gently redress it.  Press again for 36 hours at 40 pounds.

Finally, you can airdry the surfaces of your cheese, then wrap it tightly in plastic and put it in the fridge for your family to enjoy at their leisure.  Yum!  And don't forget, fresh cheeses should always be kept in the coldest part of the fridge and used quickly, as they are highly perishable.