Patrick Oconnell
Blue cheese is a pungent, rich, and creamy cheese with a distinct blue-green veining. It is made from cow's, goat's, or sheep's milk, or a combination of these, and its flavour is developed through a carefully controlled process of piercing, inoculation, and fermentation. The piercing of the cheese wheels allows oxygen to interact with the cultures in the cheese, encouraging the growth of blue veins and the development of the characteristic blue cheese flavour. The process of making blue cheese at home can be time-consuming, requiring patience and attention to detail, but the result is a delicious, earthy cheese.
Characteristics and Values of Blue Cheese
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Cow's milk, goat's milk, sheep's milk, or a combination |
| Additional ingredients | Salt, sugar, Brevibacterium linens, Penicillium roqueforti |
| Temperature | 21–25 °C (70–77 °F) |
| Time | 3-4 days |
| Texture | Open |
| Flavor | Rich, spicy, pungent, tangy, creamy, sweet, sharp |
| Process | Piercing method |
| Ripening temperature | 8 to 10 degrees Celsius |
| Relative humidity | 85–95% |
| Aging time | 2 months |
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What You'll Learn
Use a combination of cow's, goat's, or sheep's milk
Blue cheese is typically made from cow's milk, but it can also be made from goat's or sheep's milk, or a combination of these. The type of milk used will influence the characteristics of the cheese. For example, blue cheese made from goat's milk may have a more subtle flavour, as well as a different texture and taste, than that made from cow's milk.
If you want to make blue cheese with cow's milk, you can use raw or pasteurized milk, but not ultra-pasteurized milk. You will also need an aeromic mesophilic cheese culture, although common mesophilic cultures will also work. You will also need to add calcium chloride and rennet, but use less than you would for goat's or sheep's milk. The amount of calcium chloride you use will depend on the room temperature. You can also add cultured buttermilk or yoghurt as a natural mesophilic culture source.
To make blue cheese with goat's milk, you can follow a similar process to that for cow's milk. However, you will need to adjust the amount of calcium chloride and rennet you use, as goat's milk requires more of these ingredients. You can also try to emulate the ladling technique of Gorgonzola makers to achieve the right texture and flavour.
When making blue cheese with sheep's milk, it is important to note that this type of milk will result in a cheese with intense sharpness and tangy notes. This is due to the flavour of the sheep's milk and the unique mould that develops during the cheesemaking process.
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Add mould spores before milk is soured
To recreate the flavour of blue cheese, one must understand the process of making it. The process of making blue cheese consists of six standard steps, but additional ingredients and processes are required to give this blue-veined cheese its characteristic properties.
The first phase of production involves the culturing of suitable spore-rich inocula and fermentation for maximum, typical flavour. This is achieved by preparing a Penicillium roqueforti inoculum before the actual production of blue cheese. Nowadays, cheese producers use commercially manufactured Penicillium roqueforti, which is first washed from a pure culture agar plate and then frozen. This mould is then added to the milk at the beginning of the cheese-making process, allowing it to inoculate the milk and develop the desired flavour profile.
When adding mould spores before milk is soured, it is important to follow specific steps to ensure the safety and quality of the final product. Firstly, salt, sugar, or a combination of both, is added to autoclaved, homogenized milk through a sterile solution. This mixture is then inoculated with Penicillium roqueforti, the specific mould responsible for the unique characteristics of blue cheese. The solution is then incubated for three to four days at a temperature range of 21-25°C (70-77°F).
After the initial incubation period, more salt and/or sugar is added, and the aerobic incubation is continued for an additional one to two days. This extended incubation period allows the mould spores to grow and develop, creating the desired flavour compounds. The mould spores react with oxygen during this time, initiating the formation of the signature blue-green veins and the development of rich, spicy, and pungent flavours that are characteristic of blue cheese.
Following this, modified milk fat is introduced, which consists of milk fat treated with calf pre-gastric esterase. This step is crucial as it stimulates the release of free fatty acids through lipase action, contributing to the rapid flavour development in blue cheese. The addition of modified milk fat ensures that the cheese attains the desired flavour profile in a shorter time.
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Inoculate with Penicillium roqueforti
To inoculate with Penicillium roqueforti, you can either purchase a pre-made culture or create your own. Commercially manufactured Penicillium roqueforti is available in direct-set freeze-dried packets, which come in 10 doses or 2D packets for home usage. The PV GF (Gluten Free) strain is known for its creamy consistency, strong salt tolerance, and piquant aroma. It can be used to make blue cheese, including Roquefort, strong Gorgonzola, and Danablu.
If you want to create your own culture, you will need a piece of sourdough bread and a pea-sized piece of ripened blue cheese. Place the cheese on the bread and seal it in an airtight container for two weeks. During this time, monitor the spread of the mould, flipping the bread every few days, and wiping away excess moisture. Once the bread is consumed by blueish-green mould, it is ready to be dried. Leave the container open for a few days, ensuring the bread is fully dried, then store it in an airtight jar. The spores will last for years. To use, mix a pea-sized piece of the mouldy bread with 3.7L or a gallon of milk, along with a quarter cup of water to release the spores.
Once you have your inoculum, you can begin the process of making blue cheese. First, add salt, sugar, or both to autoclaved, homogenized milk via a sterile solution. Inoculate this mixture with the Penicillium roqueforti and incubate it for three to four days at 21–25 °C (70–77 °F). Add more salt and/or sugar, then continue aerobic incubation for another one to two days. Alternatively, you can mix sterilized, homogenized milk and reconstituted non-fat solids or whey solids with sterile salt to create a fermentation medium, then add the inoculum.
After incubation, the curds are ladled into containers to drain and form into cheese wheels. The inoculum is then sprinkled on top of the curds, along with Brevibacterium linens. The curds are then knit into moulds to form cheese loaves, and whey drainage continues for 10–48 hours without applying pressure. Instead, the moulds are inverted frequently to promote drainage. Salt is then added for flavour and preservation, and the cheese is left for 24–48 hours.
The final step is ripening the cheese. Freshly made cheese will have little to no blue cheese flavour, so a fermentation period of 60–90 days is usually needed. During this time, the temperature and humidity of the room are carefully monitored to ensure the cheese does not spoil or lose its optimal flavour and texture. The ripening temperature is generally around eight to ten degrees Celsius, with a relative humidity of 85–95%. At the beginning of ripening, the cheese loaves are punctured to create small openings for air to penetrate and support the growth of the aerobic Penicillium roqueforti cultures, thus forming the blue veins. The total ketone content is constantly monitored, as the distinctive flavour and aroma of blue cheese come from methyl ketones, which are a metabolic product of Penicillium roqueforti.
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Incubate at 21-25°C for 3-4 days
To recreate the flavour of blue cheese, you will need to incubate the mixture at 21-25°C for 3-4 days. This step comes after you have prepared a mixture of autoclaved, homogenized milk with salt, sugar, or a combination of both, and inoculated it with Penicillium roqueforti. The mixture should be incubated in a sterile environment.
During this incubation period, the distinct flavour of blue cheese begins to develop. The specific temperature range of 21-25°C is important to encourage the growth of the Penicillium roqueforti cultures, which are responsible for the characteristic blue-green veins and rich, pungent flavours in blue cheese.
After the initial incubation, more salt and/or sugar is added to the mixture, and the aerobic incubation is continued for another 1-2 days. This extended incubation period further enhances the flavour development, allowing the mixture to ripen and mature.
The ripening process is critical in blue cheese production, as it allows the desired flavours and textures to emerge. During ripening, the temperature and humidity are carefully monitored to prevent spoilage and ensure optimal flavour and texture development. The ripening temperature for blue cheese typically ranges from 8-10°C, with a relative humidity of 85-95%.
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Age for 2 months or more
Once you've made your blue cheese, the final step is to age it. When the cheese is freshly made, there is little to no blue cheese flavor development. Typically, a fermentation period of 60 to 90 days is required for the cheese to develop its typical flavor and be acceptable for marketing. However, you can age your blue cheese for two months or more to enhance its flavor. The longer you let it age, the stronger the flavor will become.
During the aging process, the temperature and humidity in the room where the cheese is aging should be monitored to ensure the cheese doesn't spoil or lose its optimal flavor and texture. Generally, the ripening temperature is kept around eight to ten degrees Celsius with a relative humidity of 85–95%. These conditions may vary depending on the type of blue cheese being produced.
At the beginning of the aging process, the cheese loaves are punctured to create small openings that allow air to penetrate and support the growth of the aerobic Penicillium roqueforti cultures. This piercing method encourages the formation of blue veins, a distinctive feature of blue cheese. The cheesemaker's technique and the number of piercings can impact the final flavor of the blue cheese.
Throughout the aging process, the total ketone content is constantly monitored as the unique flavor and aroma of blue cheese result from methyl ketones, including 2-pentanone, 2-heptanone, and 2-nonanone. These methyl ketones are metabolic products of the Penicillium roqueforti culture. By controlling the aging conditions and monitoring the ketone content, you can influence the flavor development of your blue cheese during these two months or more of aging.
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Frequently asked questions
To make blue cheese, you will need milk, cream, and a Penicillium roqueforti inoculum. You can use any kind of animal milk, such as goat, sheep, or cow milk, as long as it is whole milk.
You will need a stockpot, a thermometer, a spoon, a knife, a cheese mold, cheesecloth, a colander, a mesh grate, cheese mats, a baking tray, and a large plastic bucket.
First, boil the smaller items of equipment in the stockpot for 10 minutes to sterilize them. Next, heat the milk and cream in the stockpot to 88°F (31°C). Add the Penicillium roqueforti inoculum to the milk mixture. Then, ladle the curds into containers and drain them for 10-48 hours. Add salt to the curds and form them into cheese loaves. Poke holes in the cheese loaves to allow air to penetrate and promote the growth of blue veins. Finally, age the cheese at a temperature of around 8-10°C for 60-90 days or longer, depending on the desired flavor strength.
The flavor of blue cheese can be varied by using different types of milk, controlling the humidity and temperature during aging, and piercing the cheese wheels to different extents. Blue cheese can also be wrapped in grape leaves soaked in pear liqueur to emphasize certain flavors.
