Patrick Oconnell
Colby is a semi-hard cheese with a mild and milky flavour, and a moister and softer texture than cheddar. It is one of the few few Original American cheeses, having been developed in the USA in 1885. The process of making Colby cheese is simple and requires a short aging period of 4-6 weeks. The manufacturing process for Colby is similar to that of cheddar cheese, except that the mixture does not go through the cheddaring process. Instead, Colby is a washed-curd cheese, which means that once the curds are cooked, some whey is removed and cold water is added to cool and wash the curds. This washing process reduces the acidity and makes the cheese sweeter.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Difficulty Level | Intermediate |
| Aging Period | 4-6 weeks |
| Flavor | Gentle and mild |
| Texture | Slightly firm |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk |
| Milk Temperature | 86°F (30°C) |
| Additives | Calcium Chloride, Annatto, Rennet |
| Mold Shape | Cylindrical or rectangular |
| Mold Size | 13 in (33 cm) long, 3.9-5.9 in (10-15 cm) diameter |
| Pressing Pressure | 10-20 psi (69-138 kPa) |
| Pressing Time | 16-18 hours |
| Ripening Temperature | 37-39°F (3-4°C) |
| Ripening Time | 2-3 months |
| Yield | 22-24 lb (10-11 kg) per 220 lb (100 kg) of milk |
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What You'll Learn
- Colby is a semi-hard, orange cheese made from cow's milk
- It is named after the city of Colby, Wisconsin, USA, where it was developed in 1885
- It is a washed-curd cheese, which makes it moister than traditional cheddars
- It has a simple recipe and only needs a short aging period of 4-6 weeks
- The cheese is traditionally pressed into a cylindrical form called a longhorn
Colby is a semi-hard, orange cheese made from cow's milk
Colby is considered one of the first truly American cheeses as it was developed in the United States and was not based on European cheese. It is a washed-curd cheese, which means that once the curds are cooked, some whey is removed and cold water is added to cool and wash the curds. This process reduces the acidity of the cheese, giving it a sweeter, milder, and milky flavour. The addition of annatto also gives Colby its distinctive orange colour.
To make Colby, milk is heated to 86°F (30°C) and a culture/starter is added. After rehydrating, the mixture is stirred and covered to set for an hour. If using colouring, it is added at this stage. Rennet is then added and stirred, after which the mixture is covered again to set for half an hour. The curd is then cut into cubes and left to set for another 5 minutes.
After this, the whey is drained and cold water is added to reduce the temperature of the mixture. The mixture is then fully drained and salt is added to the curd. The curd is then placed into moulds and pressed for 16 to 18 hours. It is then packaged and ripened for 2 to 3 months at 37 to 39°F (3 to 4°C). This process produces 22 to 24 pounds of cheese per 100 pounds of milk.
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It is named after the city of Colby, Wisconsin, USA, where it was developed in 1885
Colby cheese is named after the city of Colby, Wisconsin, USA, where it was first developed in 1885. It is one of the few "Original" American cheeses, having been developed in the United States and not based on European cheese. In fact, Colby is considered one of the first truly American cheeses.
In 1882, Ambrose and Susan Steinwand established a cheese factory near Colby, Wisconsin, on a 160-acre site they had purchased five years prior. The Steinwands' son, Joseph, developed Colby cheese at the factory in 1885 while handling a batch of cheddar cheese. Accounts differ on whether the creation was intentional. Some sources claim that Joseph had attended a cheesemaking course and was specifically interested in developing a new type of cheese. Others suggest that he accidentally discovered the cheese by neglecting to drain the excess moisture after adding cold water to a batch of cheddar.
The resulting cheese was moister than cheddar, as it did not involve the complicated cheddaring process. Instead, Joseph eliminated the cheddaring process and washed the curd with cold water, creating a softer and moister cheese. This washing process also reduced the acidity of the cheese, giving it a sweeter, milder, and milky flavor. The cheese quickly became popular due to its ease of production and short aging period of 4-6 weeks.
Today, Colby is considered an important part of Colby, Wisconsin's history, and the city organizes an annual festival to promote the cheese. Several proposals have been made in the Wisconsin state legislature to designate Colby as the official state cheese.
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It is a washed-curd cheese, which makes it moister than traditional cheddars
Colby is a washed-curd cheese, which is a process that involves removing some whey and adding cold water to cool and wash the curds. This washing process reduces the acidity of the curd, making the cheese sweeter and moister than traditional cheddars. The curds are cooked, and then only about two-thirds of the whey is drained until the curds break the surface. Cold water is then added to decrease the temperature of the mixture. This results in a moister and softer cheese than traditional cheddars.
The process of making Colby cheese is simple and does not involve the complicated cheddaring process. It is a semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk and is named after the city of Colby, Wisconsin, USA, where it was first developed in 1885. The cheese has a gentle and mild flavour with a slightly firm texture. It is usually pressed into a cylindrical form called a longhorn and cures into an open texture with irregular holes.
To make Colby cheese, the milk is heated to 86°F (30°C). The culture/starter is then added by sprinkling it on top of the milk, and it is allowed to rehydrate for a few minutes before being stirred in. The milk is then covered and allowed to set, undisturbed, for 1 hour. If colouring is used, it is stirred into the milk at this point. The diluted rennet is then added and stirred well. The mixture is then covered again and allowed to set for another 30 minutes. If a clean break has been achieved, the curd is cut into 3/8-inch cubes. The curds are then gently stirred and allowed to set for another 5 minutes.
The whey is then poured off, and the curds are transferred to a cheesecloth-lined mold. The cheese is then pressed at low pressure (10-15 pounds) for 1 hour. The cheese is then flipped and pressed at 20 pounds for another hour. This process of flipping and increasing the pressure is repeated until the cheese is pressed at 50 pounds for the final 8 hours. In total, the cheese is pressed for about 12 hours. After pressing, the cheese is removed from the press and placed in a saturated brine for 10-12 hours. The exposed surface of the cheese is salted, and the cheese is flipped halfway through, with more salt being added to the exposed surface. The cheese is then removed from the brine and air-dried at room temperature for 1-3 days, or until the outside is dry to the touch. It is then aged at around 55°F for at least 1 month, or up to 2 to 3 months.
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It has a simple recipe and only needs a short aging period of 4-6 weeks
Colby cheese is one of the few few "Original" American cheeses, and its recipe is simple and only needs a short aging period of 4-6 weeks. It is a semi-hard, orange cheese made from cow's milk. The cheese was first developed in 1885 in Colby, Wisconsin, USA, and was named after the city. It was created when Joseph Steinwand, who was handling a batch of cheddar cheese, washed the curd with cold water. The resulting cheese was moister than cheddar and quickly became popular as it did not involve the complicated cheddaring process.
Colby is a washed-curd cheese, which means that once the curds are cooked, some whey is removed, and cold water is added to cool and wash the curds. This washing process reduces the acidity and makes the cheese sweeter. The curds are then transferred to a cheesecloth-lined mold. The cheese is pressed at low pressure (10-15 pounds) for 1 hour, then flipped and pressed at 20 pounds for another hour. This process continues with increasing pressure and time until the cheese is pressed at 50 pounds for 8 hours. The cheese is then removed from the press and placed in a saturated brine for 10-12 hours. It is then removed from the brine and air-dried at room temperature for 1-3 days or until the outside is dry to the touch.
The aging process for Colby cheese is relatively short compared to other cheeses. The cheese is aged at around 55°F for at least 1 month, and it is flipped a couple of times a week. The finished cheese has a gentle and mild flavour with a slightly firm texture.
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The cheese is traditionally pressed into a cylindrical form called a longhorn
Colby is a semi-hard orange cheese made from cow's milk. It is named after the city of Colby, Wisconsin, USA, where it was first developed in 1885 and quickly became popular. The cheese is traditionally pressed into a cylindrical form called a longhorn. This distinctive shape is a defining feature of the cheese, and it is created through a specific pressing process.
The longhorn shape is achieved by pressing the cheese at various pressures for different durations. After the cheese is removed from the mould, it is important to remove the cheesecloth and allow it to air dry. This drying process usually takes place in a cool, dark location for a few days, or until the outside of the cheese feels dry to the touch. Once the cheese has reached this stage, it is ready to be waxed and aged.
The pressing process for Colby cheese involves multiple steps of flipping the cheese and adjusting the pressure. First, the cheese is pressed at low pressure, around 10-15 pounds, for approximately one hour. Then, the cheese is flipped, and the pressure is increased to 20 pounds for another hour. Following this, the cheese is flipped again, and the pressure is further adjusted to a medium setting of 30-40 pounds for a couple of hours.
For the final stage of pressing, the cheese is flipped once more, and the pressure is increased to 50 pounds for the longest duration of 8 hours. In total, the cheese is pressed for around 12 hours. After pressing, the cheese is immersed in a saturated brine solution for 10-12 hours, with the exposed surface salted. During this brine step, the cheese is flipped halfway through, and the exposed surface is salted again.
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Frequently asked questions
Colby is a semi-hard, orange cheese made from cow's milk. It is named after the city of Colby, Wisconsin, USA, where it was first developed in 1885 and quickly became popular.
Colby is a washed-curd cheese, which means that once the curds are cooked, some whey is removed and cold water is added to cool and
Colby is considered ideal for new cheese makers since it is fairly quick and easy to make, and only requires 4-6 weeks of aging.
