Bushra Griffith
Dutch cheese presses are used to press cheese curds together to form a solid cheese wheel. The Dutch cheese press is a class 3 lever, meaning that the weight of the press can be calculated using a class 3 lever calculator. When pressing cheese, it is important to line the mold with cheesecloth or butter muslin to wick moisture away from the cheese and allow for proper drainage. The weight of the press depends on the type of cheese being made; a large hard cheese mold can handle a pressing weight of up to 150-200 lbs, while a small hard cheese mold can make up to a 2-pound cheese with a maximum pressing weight of 100 lbs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Material | Solid hardwood, Maple |
| Cost | £25 to make using new wood |
| Cloth | Cheesecloth or butter muslin |
| Cloth function | Draining soft cheese and lining molds |
| Maximum pressing weight | 100 lbs |
| Weight | Water in a milk bottle |
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What You'll Learn
Use cheesecloth or butter muslin to line the mould
When using a Dutch cheese press, it is important to line your mould with cheesecloth or butter muslin. This lining is a crucial step in the cheese-making process, as it helps to wick away moisture from the surface of the cheese and allows for proper drainage from the cheese mould. Without this cloth lining, your cheese may retain too much moisture, and the curds may not knit together properly.
Cheesecloth is a loosely woven cloth made from cotton that is used for a variety of functions in cheesemaking, including lining colanders, making draining sacks, and covering air-drying cheeses. It is ideal for bandaging hard cheeses as it allows more air to access the cheese. When making a dry cheese, cheesecloth is preferred because it facilitates more thorough drainage. Cheesecloth can often be purchased at grocery stores or fabric stores and is inexpensive and readily available. However, cheesecloth found at the grocery store may not be suitable for washing and reusing.
Butter muslin, on the other hand, is a tightly woven cloth, also made from cotton. It is used for draining, pressing, and bandaging both hard and soft cheeses. Butter muslin is ideal for draining soft cheeses due to its tighter weave. It can be washed, dried, and reused many times, but proper cleaning is essential to avoid imparting off-flavours to subsequent batches of cheese. If the cloth is only used for draining curds, it will be easier to clean than if it is used for pressing or ageing cheese. To clean butter muslin, rinse immediately after use and wash in a machine or by hand without detergents or fabric softeners. For extra sterilisation, boil the cloth for about 5 minutes and then hang it to dry.
When pressing your cheese in a Dutch cheese press, you can decide between cheesecloth or butter muslin for lining your mould, depending on the type of cheese you are making. For long-aged hard cheeses with very low moisture, cheesecloth is recommended. However, for soft cheeses, butter muslin is more suitable due to its tighter weave, which facilitates better drainage.
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Weights and ratchet straps are needed for serious loading
When using a Dutch cheese press, it is important to consider the weight being applied and the mechanical advantage of the press. The Dutch press is a class 3 lever, and the weight applied is multiplied by the mechanical advantage of the press to calculate the force applied to the cheese. This force is kept constant by gravity as the cheese is compressed.
To achieve the desired weight for pressing, you can use weights and ratchet straps for serious loading. Weights can be hung from the lever arm, and the distance from the fulcrum (hinge) will determine the force applied. Longer distances from the fulcrum will result in greater force. You can use a class 3 lever calculator to determine the optimal distance for your desired force.
Ratchet straps can also be used to secure the weights and provide additional stability to the press. It is important to ensure that the ratchet strap arrangement is rated for the weight you intend to use. By combining weights and ratchet straps, you can apply significant pressure to the cheese while maintaining control and precision.
Additionally, consider the design of your Dutch cheese press to optimize weight distribution and stability. For example, you can attach a pulley system to the press or leverage the wall of your workspace to create a stable and efficient pressing mechanism. These modifications can help reduce the amount of weight needed and maintain a constant distance between the point of force and the point of action.
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Calculate the right pressing weight
The Dutch cheese press is a simple mechanism that can be easily assembled and used at home. It is based on Archimedes' principle: "Give me a place to stand, a lever long enough and I will move the world". The basic components of the press are a lever, pivot point, a connection to the follower placed in a cheese mold, and a weight hung on the lever at a distance from the pivot to generate the pressing force.
The Dutch press has the pressing weight and cheese being pressed on the same side of the pivot. The fundamental formula for the leveraged system is C x D1 = W x D2, where C is the effective weight on the cheese and W is the hanging weight that applies the pressing force. In practice, the distance D1 is usually fixed, along with the desired pressing force. The variables to consider are the hanging distance (D2) and the amount of weight (W) required to achieve the pressing.
For example, if you have a hanging point at a distance 4 times that of D1 (say 20 inches), a 5-pound weight will result in a pressing force of 20 pounds. The weight used can be anything from a gallon jug filled with water to filled stock pots of water, cans of food, or rocks.
The initial press usually takes about ten minutes with only a small amount of pressure. The recipe you are following should specify the weight and time for pressing. Once the initial press is done, you will need to flip your cheese. To do this, remove your mold from the press, take the follower off, and gently remove your cheese by lifting the edges of the cloth it is on. Reline the mold with cloth, flip your cheese, and place it back into the mold. Then, begin pressing at the next interval of pressure.
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Understand the geometry of the lever and pivot
The Dutch cheese press is a simple mechanism that can be easily built at home. It is a class 3 lever, and its basic components are a lever, pivot point, a connection to the follower placed in a cheese mould, and a weight hung on the lever at a distance from the pivot to generate the pressing force. The weight is placed on the same side of the pivot as the cheese being pressed.
The geometry of the lever and pivot is important to understand as it determines the amount of force that can be exerted on the cheese. The fundamental formula for the leveraged system is C x D1 = W x D2, where C is the effective weight on the cheese and W is the hanging weight that applies the pressing force. The distance D1 is usually fixed, as is the desired pressing force. By adjusting the distance D2 (the distance from the pivot to the hanging weight), you can control the amount of force exerted on the cheese.
The lever itself also has weight, and this weight will affect the overall force exerted on the cheese. It is important to consider this when calculating the hanging weight needed to achieve the desired pressing force. Additionally, the rod connecting the lever to the follower for the cheese mould also has weight, and this will contribute to the minimum pressing force exerted on the cheese even when no hanging weights are used.
The Dutch press uses a lever to create a mechanical advantage, allowing a small amount of force to be multiplied to exert sufficient pressure on the cheese. This is particularly important when making harder cheeses, as a significant amount of pressure is needed to force the remaining whey out of the curd. By increasing the length of the lever or the distance between the pivot and the hanging weight, you can increase the mechanical advantage and exert more pressure on the cheese.
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Use water bottles to increase weight
A Dutch cheese press is a simple mechanism that can be easily built at home. It consists of a lever, a pivot point, a connection to a follower placed in a cheese mould, and a weight hung on the lever at a distance from the pivot to generate the pressing force. The weight used can be anything from exercise weights to water-filled bottles.
Water is an excellent option for adding weight to a Dutch cheese press. You can use water bottles, or milk bottles or jugs, and hang them from the measured slots on the lever arm to calculate the pressure being applied. One gallon of water weighs 8 lbs, and this weight can be multiplied by the slot number to determine the total pressing weight. For example, hanging one water bottle from slot 6 would result in a pressing weight of 36 lbs (6 lbs x #6 = 36 lbs). Adding a second bottle to slot 4 would increase the total pressing weight to 60 lbs (6 lbs x #4 = 24 lbs; 24 lbs + 36 lbs = 60 lbs).
When using water bottles to increase weight in a Dutch cheese press, it is important to consider the size and number of bottles needed to achieve the desired weight. The bottles should be securely hung from the lever arm using an S-hook or rope to ensure they do not fall during the pressing process. It is also important to calculate the correct weight needed for the specific type of cheese being pressed, as too much or too little weight can affect the final product.
Additionally, the distance between the point of force and the point of action can impact the amount of weight needed. A longer lever arm will result in a greater pressing force, but it can also be more cumbersome to use and may not be practical for a home kitchen setup. A smaller and simpler version of the press with a pulley system can also be considered, as it reduces the amount of weight needed while keeping the distance between the point of force and the point of action constant.
By using water bottles to increase weight in a Dutch cheese press, you can precisely control the amount of pressure applied to the cheese, resulting in a consistent and high-quality product. This method is cost-effective, as water bottles are readily available and can be easily filled to the desired weight, making it a popular choice for both amateur and experienced cheesemakers.
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Frequently asked questions
A Dutch cheese press is a type of cheese press that is used to remove moisture from cheese curds and help them knit together to form a solid cheese block.
To use a Dutch cheese press, first line your mold with cheesecloth or butter muslin. This will help remove moisture from the cheese surface. Then, place your curds into the mold and follow the instructions for your specific press to apply the correct amount of pressure.
Dutch cheese presses are typically used for making hard cheeses, such as Gouda. The amount of pressure and the dryness of the curds will determine the final weight of your cheese.
The weight a Dutch cheese press can handle depends on the model. Smaller molds can typically handle up to 100 lbs of pressure, while larger molds can handle 150-200 lbs.
When calculating the pressing weight, consider the length of your lever arm, the weight of your cheese curds, and the desired weight of your final cheese block. You can use a class 3 lever calculator to determine the exact weight based on these factors.
