Patrick Oconnell
Cheddar cheese is the most widely purchased and consumed cheese variety globally, and it is always made from cow's milk. It is a hard, natural cheese with a crumbly texture and a sharp taste as it matures. The process of making cheddar cheese involves heating the curds, and the additional step of cooking the curds helps expel whey, resulting in a firmer cheese. The curds are then salted and pressed, and the cheese is aged for several months to develop its flavour. The final product is shaped like a drum and bound in cloth, with a colour ranging from white to pale yellow.
How to Produce Cheddar Cheese
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Milk Type | Cow's milk |
| Milk Quality | Good quality, full-fat milk straight from the farm |
| Milk Temperature | 85°F to 88°F |
| Additives | Calcium chloride, culture, diluted rennet |
| Fermentation Time | 1 hour |
| Curd Formation | Cut into small cubes using stainless steel knives |
| Curd Size | 6-16mm cubes for lower to higher moisture content |
| Curd Texture | Semi-solid mass with a jelly-like consistency |
| Salt Content | 2% of cheese salt by weight of fresh curds |
| Preservation | Waxing, cloth binding, or vacuum sealing |
| Aging Time | Minimum of a few months to 9-24 months for sharper taste |
| Aging Temperature | 10-12ºC |
| Aging Humidity | 80-85% |
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What You'll Learn
Preparing the ingredients
The next step is to heat the milk. In a large pot, heat the milk to 85°F (or 31°C/88°F), stirring frequently to prevent scorching. This is an important step in preparing the milk for the cheese-making process. As the milk is heating, you can add calcium chloride if desired.
Once the milk reaches the target temperature, it's time to add the cheese culture. Turn off the heat and sprinkle the culture over the surface of the milk. Allow the culture to rehydrate for about 5 minutes, then stir thoroughly in an up-and-down motion without breaking the surface of the milk. Cover the pot and let the mixture rest for 40 minutes to 1 hour, maintaining the target temperature. This fermentation step is crucial for developing the right texture and flavour in the final cheese.
After the mixture has rested, stir it again to homogenize the milk. Now, slowly fold in the diluted rennet using an up-and-down motion to ensure that it incorporates evenly throughout the milk. The rennet serves to coagulate the milk protein and form curds, which will eventually become the cheese. It is important to use pure water when diluting the rennet, as any deviation from a pH of 7 will decrease its effectiveness.
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Heating the milk
Once the milk reaches the desired temperature, add the culture. Stir the culture in with an up-and-down motion, being careful not to break the surface of the milk. Cover the pot and let the mixture ferment for about an hour. This is a crucial step in the cheese-making process.
Next, stir the mixture again to homogenize the milk, and slowly fold in the diluted rennet. The diluted rennet should be spread evenly throughout the mixture, and an up-and-down motion with your spoon will ensure the rennet works its way through all the milk.
After adding the rennet, cover the pot again and let the mixture rest for 40 minutes at the target temperature. This step is part of the cheddaring phase, during which the cheese will need to be kept warm (between 85-90°F) and turned at 15-30 minute intervals for the next 2-3 hours. The curds will begin to change shape during this time due to changes in the protein structure.
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Adding culture and rennet
To make cheddar cheese, you'll need to add culture and rennet to your milk. This is a crucial step in the process, as it will determine the texture and taste of your final product. Here's a detailed guide on how to do it:
Firstly, heat your milk to 85°F (or 31°C/88°F), stirring gently to ensure the milk is heated evenly. This is an important first step as you prepare to add the culture and rennet. Once your milk reaches the desired temperature, turn off the heat.
Next, add the culture. Sprinkle the culture over the surface of the milk and allow it to rehydrate for about 5 minutes. Then, stir the culture into the milk thoroughly, using an up-and-down motion without breaking the surface of the milk. Cover the mixture and let it rest for 40 minutes to an hour, maintaining the target temperature. This is a key part of the process, as it allows the culture to ferment and work its magic.
Now, it's time to add the rennet. Make sure you have high-quality rennet, as this will impact the flavour and aroma of your cheese during the ageing process. Slowly fold the diluted rennet into the milk, using the same up-and-down motion as before. Ensure that the rennet is well-distributed throughout the milk. This step is crucial, as the rennet serves to coagulate the milk protein and form curds, which are essential for cheddar cheese.
After adding the rennet, continue to keep the mixture at the desired temperature. In the case of making cheddar, the mixture should be kept warm (85-90°F) and turned at 15-30 minute intervals for the next 2-3 hours. This process helps to develop the right texture within the cheese and ensures even distribution of fats and flavour.
Finally, you will need to cut the curds. This is typically done in a cheddar-manufacturing facility with stainless steel wire knives, but you can also use a flat blade at a 45-degree angle. Insert the blade into the curd and raise it slowly. If the curd breaks cleanly, leaving a glassy fracture, it is ready for cutting. The curd should then be cut into small cubes, typically ranging from 6 to 16 millimetres (1⁄4 to 5⁄8 inch) in size.
By following these steps for adding culture and rennet, you'll be well on your way to producing delicious, high-quality cheddar cheese.
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Draining the curds and whey
At this stage, the curds will be a semi-solid mass with a jelly-like consistency. The curd mass is then cut into two slabs, which are placed back into the pot for cheddaring. The slabs are then covered and allowed to stand for 10 minutes, after which they are turned over and allowed to stand for another 10 minutes. This process is repeated twice, resulting in a total cheddaring time of 45 minutes.
During the cheddaring phase, the cheese must be kept warm at a temperature of 85-90°F and turned at 15-30 minute intervals for 2-3 hours. This will help drain more whey and develop the desired acidity in the cheese. After about an hour, the curd slabs can be cut and stacked with a drain cloth separating them. A weight can be placed on top of the draining curds to emulate the process used by larger producers.
The curds will begin to change shape during this phase due to changes in the protein structure. This process is similar to what happens during the mozzarella stretching phase. It is important to monitor the dryness and acidity of the curds, as allowing them to continue beyond the desired levels will result in a very wet and acidic cheese.
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Pressing and salting the curds
Next, salt is added to the curds. The general rule is to add salt at a rate of 2% of cheese salt to the weight of the fresh curds. For example, if your curd weighs 3 lbs (48 oz), you would add 0.96 oz of salt. It's important to note that about 0.5% of the salt will be lost as it draws moisture out of the curd, resulting in approximately 1.5% salt remaining in the final cheese.
After salting, the curds are ready for pressing. However, it's important to monitor the dryness and acidity levels at this stage. Allowing the curds to become too dry or acidic will result in an overly wet, acidic, and chalky cheese. Therefore, it's crucial to press the curds at the right time to prevent further acid development.
During the pressing process, the curds are placed into a mould lined with cheesecloth. This step helps to shape the cheese and remove excess whey. The mould is then placed in a pressing device, which applies pressure to the curds, removing more whey and consolidating the curds into a solid mass.
Overall, pressing and salting the curds are essential steps in the cheddaring process, as they help develop the desired texture, moisture content, and flavour of the final cheese product.
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Frequently asked questions
The key ingredients required to make cheddar cheese are full-fat cow's milk, cheese starter culture, cheesecloth, and cheese salt. You will also need calcium chloride, and rennet.
You will need a large pot, a colander, a cheese mould, a milling machine, and a vacuum sealer if you intend to use this method.
The process of making cheddar cheese takes several months. The cheese must be aged for at least a few months to develop its flavour. The longer it is aged, the sharper the flavour will be.
