Randy Chandler
Cheddaring is a cheesemaking process that gives cheese a dense, layered texture. It involves cutting up curds into smaller pieces to expel liquid (whey) and is used when making almost all types of cheese, but it is taken one step further for cheddar cheese. The process is also used in the manufacture of Colby cheese, the only difference being in pH, moisture and calcium levels.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Texture | Dense, crumbly, layered |
| Flavour | Different from other hard and semi-hard cheeses |
| Milk | Flavour varies depending on the region |
| Ageing time | Varies depending on the region |
| Skill level and techniques | Varies depending on the region |
| pH | Varies depending on the type of cheese |
| Moisture | Varies depending on the type of cheese |
| Calcium levels | Varies depending on the type of cheese |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- The cheddaring process involves cutting, turning and stacking blocks of curd to cool, drain and 'knit' together
- The smaller the curds are cut, the more liquid will drain from them
- The process is taken one step further for cheddar cheese
- Cheddaring improves the quality of the cheese by increasing the speed and extent of acid production
- Other cheese varieties, such as Colby, also use the cheddaring process
The cheddaring process involves cutting, turning and stacking blocks of curd to cool, drain and 'knit' together
The cheddaring process involves cutting, turning and stacking blocks of curd to cool, drain and knit together. This is done to create a dense, layered texture. The smaller the curds are cut, the more liquid will drain from them, and the firmer the resulting cheese will be. The process is repeated until so much whey is expelled that the cheese will have a crumbly, layered, dense texture after ageing.
Cheddaring is a critical developmental stage in the creation of cheddar cheese. It is thought that cheddar was originally made by a stirred-curd process, but poor sanitary conditions led to many gassy cheeses with unclean flavours. Cheddaring was found to improve the quality of the cheese, as the piling and repiling of blocks of warm curd squeezed out any pockets of gas that may have formed during manufacture. It also inhibits the growth of undesirable, gas-forming organisms, such as coliforms.
The cheddaring process is also used in the manufacture of other cheese varieties, such as Colby, with the only difference being in pH, moisture and calcium levels.
Babybel Cheese: A Comprehensive Guide to Its Making
You may want to see also
The smaller the curds are cut, the more liquid will drain from them
The cheddaring process is used to make cheddar cheese. It involves cutting up curds into smaller pieces to expel liquid (whey). The smaller the curds are cut, the more liquid will drain from them, and the firmer the resulting cheese will be. This step is used when making almost all types of cheese, but it is taken one step further for cheddar.
Cheddaring is a critical developmental stage which involves cutting, turning and stacking blocks of curd, allowing them to cool, drain further and 'knit' together. The cheesemaker must monitor the acidity and temperature of the curd closely during this process. The cheddaring process contributes enormously to the final taste and texture of the cheese.
The process continues until so much whey is expelled that after ageing, the cheese will have a crumbly, layered, dense texture. Cheddar has a flavour that is different from other types of hard and semi-hard cheeses due to the heating or 'cooking' of the cheese, the cheddaring process, and the ageing process. Beyond this, cheddar from different parts of the world tastes different because the flavour of the milk varies, the ageing time varies, and the skill level and techniques of the cheesemakers vary.
Other cheese varieties, such as Colby, also incorporate the cheddaring process into their manufacture, the only difference being in pH, moisture and calcium levels.
The Ultimate Guide to Italy's Cheese Varieties
You may want to see also
The process is taken one step further for cheddar cheese
Cheddaring is a cheesemaking process that gives cheese a dense, layered texture. After curds form during the cheesemaking process, they are cut up into smaller pieces to expel liquid (whey). The smaller the curds are cut, the more liquid will drain from them. The more liquid that drains from the curds, the firmer the resulting cheese will be. This step of cutting the curds is used when making almost all types of cheese, but it is taken one step further for cheddar cheese.
Cheddar cheese was first made in England but is now made pretty much everywhere. The process of cheddaring is taken one step further for cheddar cheese, as the name suggests. The process continues until so much whey is expelled that after ageing, the cheese will have a crumbly, layered, dense texture. The process of cheddaring contributes enormously to the final taste and texture of the cheese.
Cheddaring involves a series of cutting, turning and stacking of blocks of curd, allowing it to cool, drain further and 'knit' together again over a period of time. The cheesemaker monitors the acidity and temperature of the curd closely here. The curd is then milled into small chips before being salted, again by hand. The curd 'chips' are then put into moulds and pressed. After pressing, the whole cheeses are dressed in traditional cotton/muslin cloth before being transferred to the maturing stores.
Other cheese varieties, such as Colby, also incorporate the cheddaring process into their manufacture, the only difference being in pH, moisture and calcium levels.
Wisconsin's Milk: How Much Becomes Cheese?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Cheddaring improves the quality of the cheese by increasing the speed and extent of acid production
Cheddaring is a cheesemaking process that is used to make cheddar cheese. It involves cutting, turning and stacking blocks of curd, allowing them to cool, drain and 'knit' together. This gives the cheese its dense, layered texture.
The cheddaring process is also used to make other cheese varieties, such as Colby. The only difference is in pH, moisture and calcium levels.
Vegan Cheese: What's in This Dairy-Free Delight?
You may want to see also
Other cheese varieties, such as Colby, also use the cheddaring process
The cheddaring process is used to make cheddar cheese. It involves cutting, turning and stacking blocks of curd, allowing them to cool, drain and 'knit' together. This gives the cheese its dense, layered texture.
Vegan Nacho Cheese: The Secret Plant-Based Ingredients
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Cheddaring is a cheesemaking process that involves cutting, turning and stacking blocks of curd, allowing them to cool, drain and 'knit' together.
Cheddar cheese is made by the cheddaring process.
Cheddaring gives the cheese a dense, layered texture. The more liquid that drains from the curds, the firmer the resulting cheese will be.
After the curds form, they are cut into smaller pieces to expel liquid (whey). The smaller the curds are cut, the more liquid will drain from them. The curds are then piled and repiled in the cheese vat for about 2 hours to squeeze out any pockets of gas.
Yes, other cheese varieties such as Colby also incorporate the cheddaring process into their manufacture, the only difference being in pH, moisture and calcium levels.
