Patrick Oconnell
Cheese is a beloved dairy product made from milk. The process of making cheese involves transforming milk into a solid by removing water and acidifying the milk. The first step in making cheese is separating milk into two parts: curds (milk solids) and whey (the liquid left behind). This can be done by using a starter culture of bacteria, adding rennet to the milk, or using acid. The curds are then cut into smaller pieces, and the size of these pieces will determine the moisture content of the final product. The curds are then cooked and stirred, and the whey is removed and replaced with water. The curds are then pressed and moulded, and the cheese is brined or salted before being taken to a cool, humid store to mature.
How Cheese is Made in 8 Steps
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Milk, microorganisms, rennet, salt |
| Milk Source | Cow's milk, or milk from other animals |
| Milk Quality | Fresh, high-quality milk |
| Milk Pasteurization | Heat milk to between 72° and 75° for 10-15 seconds |
| Acidification | Add bacteria, rennet, or acid to milk to change its acidity |
| Coagulation | Add enzyme (rennet) to milk to encourage solidification |
| Curd Formation | Cut curds into small pieces to encourage whey expulsion |
| Stirring and Heating | Stir curds gently, then increase heat slowly to prevent moisture pockets |
| Draining and Salting | Drain curds, then add salt to paste or surface of cheese |
| Shaping | Place curds in perforated moulds to shape cheese |
| Ripening | Place cheese in a controlled environment to age and develop flavour |
| Packaging | Place ripened cheese in boxes and chill before sending to stores |
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What You'll Learn
Milk quality and preparation
Milk is the primary ingredient in cheese, and the quality of the milk is of utmost importance. The fresher the milk, the more delicious your cheese will be. It is ideal to use milk the same day it is collected from the cows. The milk is stored in a cooled storage tank on the farm and transported to the dairy every two days. At the dairy, the milk is checked for quality, and samples are analysed. If the milk meets the quality standards, it is unloaded into a cooled tank. If the milk quality is unacceptable, it is isolated and will not be used.
Good farm sanitation practices are essential to the cheese-making process. Milk often contains undesirable microorganisms called psychrophiles, which can be removed through pasteurisation or partial heat treatment. Pasteurisation is the process of heating the milk to between 72° and 75° for 10 to 15 seconds to eliminate spoilage and defects induced by bacteria. However, pasteurisation also destroys the natural enzymes in milk, which can affect the ripening process. Therefore, some cheesemakers may opt for partial heat treatment or use raw milk, which will result in more rapid and extensive ripening.
Before beginning the cheese-making process, it is crucial to ensure that all equipment and surfaces are clean and sterilised. This can be achieved by filling a cheese pot with water, placing any heat-safe, submersible equipment inside, boiling the water for at least 15 minutes, and then removing the equipment with tongs or emptying the pot into a sterilised colander.
Additionally, the milk must be free of substances that may inhibit the growth of acid-forming bacteria, such as antibiotics and sanitising agents. These substances can interfere with the cheese-making process, particularly the acidification step, where the milk's acidity is carefully adjusted.
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Curdling and coagulation
The process of making cheese involves several steps, and "curdling and coagulation" is a critical stage in this transformation. Curdling refers to the separation of milk into two distinct parts: curds (the milk solids) and whey (the liquid). This separation can be achieved through different methods, including the use of a starter culture of bacteria, the addition of rennet, or direct acidification by adding vinegar or citric acid.
Let's delve into the process of curdling and coagulation in cheese-making:
Curdling Milk:
Curdling is the process of transforming milk from a liquid state into a solid or semi-solid form. To initiate curdling, a starter culture of specifically selected bacteria, known as lactic ferments, is added to the milk. These bacteria convert lactose (milk sugar) into lactic acid, increasing the acidity level of the milk. As the milk becomes more acidic, its proteins (casein) begin to coagulate and form curds. The curds are the solid milk solids that will eventually become cheese.
Coagulation:
Coagulation is the process of transforming the liquid milk into a semisolid state. This step builds upon the curdling process. An enzyme called rennet is added to the curdled milk, either in liquid or paste form, to further encourage the milk to solidify. The rennet plays a crucial role in coagulation, causing the milk proteins to clump together and separate from the whey.
Cutting the Curds:
Once the milk has coagulated, the curds need to be cut down from a giant blob into smaller cubes or chunks. This step can be done with a "cheese harp," a knife, or even a whisk. The size to which the curds are cut will impact the moisture content and texture of the final cheese. Smaller curds will result in a drier and more ageable cheese, while larger curds will retain more moisture, resulting in a softer cheese.
Stirring and Cooking the Curds:
After cutting, the curds are stirred in the vat for several minutes or even an hour, depending on the recipe. Heat may be applied during this phase, and the combination of stirring and cooking helps to remove moisture from the curds, influencing the texture of the final cheese. The curds are delicate at first, so gentle stirring is necessary, gradually increasing in intensity as they firm up.
Draining and Moulding:
Once the curds are cooked, they are ready for draining. The whey, which is the liquid part, is drained away, leaving behind the curds that will become the cheese. The curds are then placed into perforated moulds, depending on the desired shape of the cheese. The moulds are turned several times to ensure proper drainage, and the cheese is allowed to continue dripping. The amount of dripping affects the water content and, consequently, the shelf life of the cheese.
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Cutting and cooking curds
The next step in the cheese-making process is cutting the curds. Using a 'cheese harp', a knife, or even a whisk, cut the curds into smaller cubes or chunks. The size to which you cut the curds will affect the amount of moisture retained in your final cheese; the smaller the initial pieces, the drier (and more ageable) the cheese will be.
For the next several minutes or even an hour (depending on the recipe), you'll stir the curds in the vat. You may turn on the heat and cook the curds while you stir. During this phase, the most important thing that is happening is that acid is continuing to develop inside the curd, and the curds are drying out from the motion of your stirring. The more you cook and the more you stir, the drier your cheese will be.
When cooking curds, they will need to be stirred to prevent them from settling at the bottom of the pot and clumping together. In the beginning, the curds will be delicate, so you will want to stir gently. As the curds firm up, they will be able to withstand more agitation. Some recipes will call for the curds to be pitched; this term refers to curds being allowed to rest at the bottom of the pot after cooking and before draining.
Once the curds are cooked, they will be ready to drain. You will want to follow the steps for the particular type of cheese you are making. The curds are then placed delicately into various perforated moulds (depending on what shape of cheese is required). The curd must then be left so that the remainder of the whey continues to drip off and the grains amalgamate to form the cheese. To ensure that the cheese is well drained, the moulds are turned several times. The more the cheese is dripped at this stage, the less water it will contain, and the longer it will keep.
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Salting and shaping
After the curds have been cut and cooked, they are placed into perforated moulds, which determine the shape of the final cheese. The moulds are turned several times to ensure that the cheese is well-drained, and the more the cheese is allowed to drip, the less water it will contain, increasing its longevity. Once the cheese has been well-drained, it is then ready for the salt to be added, either directly to the curd or to the surface of the cheese, before the moulding process is complete.
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Ripening and maturation
The ripening and maturation process is where bacteria play a starring role in the development of cheese. The process will provide an ideal environment for friendly bacteria to ripen the milk, and the amount of time a cheese is left to ripen depends on the type of cheese and the cheesemaker's desired outcome.
During the ripening stage, cheeses are placed on racks and turned by hand. They are then placed in cold rooms or ripening caves where the humidity, temperature, and aeration are controlled. The cheesemaker must ensure that the environment is clean so that the cultures stay strong, happy, and healthy without competing against unwanted bacteria.
To improve the ripening of the cheeses, fermenting may be carried out by placing specially selected moulds onto the surface of the cheese. During this stage, these moulds develop to form a fine crust on the surface of the cheese, which may be white, yellow, brown, or bluish in colour. The longer the maturation period, the harder and drier the cheese will be, and the more pronounced its taste.
The ripening period during cheese-making can vary, even for one type of cheese. Some cheeses must be turned, some must be brushed with oil, and some must be washed with brine or alcohol. Some cheeses are rubbed with salt during the ripening stage.
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