The Art Of Cheese Making: A Long, Delicious Journey

Making cheese is a complex and time-consuming process that involves a series of precise steps and techniques. While some cheeses can be made relatively quickly, such as fresh cheeses like mozzarella, feta, and paneer, other varieties, especially hard cheeses, require a much longer maturation period. The time it takes to make cheese depends on several factors, including the type of cheese, the ingredients used, and the specific methods employed.

One key factor that influences the cheese-making time is the need to remove most of the water from the milk. This step is crucial for preserving the solid mass and determining the style of cheese being made. Additionally, the acidification process, which involves converting lactose into lactic acid, can take a significant amount of time, often up to 24 hours. The use of rennet, an enzyme that speeds up curd formation, can help reduce this time.

The maturation or ripening process is another critical aspect that contributes to the overall time required for cheese making. Different types of cheeses have specific maturation periods, with soft cheeses typically aging for a few months, while hard and hard-cooked cheeses can take anywhere from several months to a year or more.

Furthermore, the attention to detail and precision required in cheese making cannot be overstated. Minor changes in factors such as the amount of culture, ripening time, size of curds, and temperature can significantly impact the final product. Therefore, cheese makers must carefully monitor and control these variables to ensure the desired outcome.

Finding the right milk

The best type of milk for cheesemaking is low-temperature (vat) pasteurised or high-temperature pasteurised. This type of milk has been treated at a temperature between 63-66°C for 30 minutes or 72°C for 15 seconds. It is also ideal if the milk has not been homogenised, meaning the cream will float to the top. This type of milk can be difficult and expensive to find.

Once you have found the right milk, the next step is to begin the cheesemaking process. The first step is to separate the curd from the whey by adding starter cultures and rennet. The starter cultures are lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that acidify the milk by converting lactose into lactic acid. The rennet is an enzyme that speeds up the formation of the curd. After the curd has formed, it is cut into small pieces to release the whey, and then heated to form a solid mass. The size of the curds and the temperature at which they are heated will depend on the type of cheese being made.

Getting rennet

Rennet is a crucial ingredient in cheese-making, facilitating the formation of firm curds and contributing to the desired texture and flavour profile of the cheese. It is a type of coagulant that helps separate milk into curds and whey, with the curds being used in cheesemaking. The process of coagulation involves curdling and hardening milk into cheese.

Rennet is composed of a specific enzyme, chymosin, which is produced in the digestive systems of ruminant mammals like cattle, goats, and sheep. This enzyme is responsible for curdling the milk. Traditionally, animal rennet was sourced from the stomachs of unweaned ruminants. Today, it is a byproduct of the beef industry, utilising material that would otherwise be discarded.

There are two main types of rennet: animal rennet and vegetable rennet. Animal rennet has a long history in cheesemaking, while vegetable rennet is a newer product and technique. Most store-bought cheeses use vegetable rennet, but many artisanal cheesemakers prefer animal rennet. Vegetable rennet is derived from plants like artichokes, thistle, and nettle, or the Mucor miehei fungus, making it suitable for vegetarian and kosher cheeses.

When choosing which type of rennet to use, it's important to consider the desired characteristics of the final cheese. Animal rennet is typically used for soft or hard, non-vegetarian cheeses, while vegetable rennet is better for cheeses aged less than three months to avoid a bitter taste.

Rennet also comes in different forms, such as liquid or dry, with each having its own benefits and considerations. Liquid rennet has a shorter shelf life but is easier to use, while dry rennet takes up less space but requires more care in measurement and preparation.

To use rennet in cheesemaking, it must first be mixed with a small amount of cool, clean water. Liquid rennet should be slightly diluted, while tablet or powder rennet can be combined directly with water. Mixed liquid rennet should be stored in the refrigerator, while mixed tablet or powder rennet is stored in the freezer. When adding rennet to milk, pour it slowly and evenly across the milk's surface, and mix with slow, gentle strokes. Avoid stirring vigorously.

The specific amount of rennet required will depend on the type of cheese being made and the desired characteristics. For example, a cheddar cheese recipe using 3 gallons of milk calls for about 3/4 teaspoon of single-strength liquid rennet.

In summary, rennet is an essential ingredient in cheesemaking, providing the necessary coagulation to form curds and develop the desired texture and flavour of the cheese. The type and amount of rennet used will depend on the specific cheese being made, and proper mixing and application techniques are crucial for achieving the desired results.

Using starter cultures

Starter cultures can be purchased commercially, or you can use normal yogurt cultures for certain types of cheese and possibly sour cream (if it is live) for other types of cheese. Commercially purchased starters give the cheesemaker better control of the process.

Acidification of the curd can take a long period of time, often up to 24 hours, for the starters to produce the necessary level of acidity. These 'lactic cheeses' are probably the oldest form of cheese, but due to the length of time these lactic cheeses take to make, most of the varieties we know today are helped along with the use of rennet.

Rennet is an enzyme that can speed up the formation of the curd. Traditionally, it is produced within the abomasum, the fourth stomach compartment of a calf, kid, or lamb. There are also vegetarian alternatives, manufactured using mould, yeast, bacteria, and some plants.

Once the curd has formed, it can be cut into small pieces to allow the whey (mainly water) to be released. The smaller the cut, the more whey is released, and the harder the final cheese. The curds are then heated within the whey in a process called scalding, which is the second most important process influencing the maturation time of the cheese.

Draining and moulding

Once the curds have been prepared, the whey must be separated and the moulds filled to give the cheese its final shape. The moulds used will depend on the type of cheese being made. For example, cylindrical moulds are perfect for making a batch of cheese to be shared, while bottomless moulds are great for exceeding a specific length. Hoops are left open at each end to allow for turning them over for even draining.

The moulds are left open on one or both ends and may contain holes to allow for easy drainage. The cheeses are left to drain naturally until the following morning, when they will have lost approximately 80% of their volume in the form of whey (milk serum). During the draining process, the moulds are manually turned twice to encourage the elimination of the whey.

The drained whey is collected and sent to the methanizer, where it produces gas through biological fermentation. This gas is then used to fuel the dairy's boiler unit.

On the third day, the cheese is sufficiently solid to be unmoulded and placed on grills. The cheeses are then sent off to a refrigerated "drying" room where the surface of the cheese is dried. This stage enables the cheeses to lose even more water.

Adding salt

Salt can be added in different ways, depending on the type of cheese being made. For example, it can be added directly to the surface of the cheese after moulding and draining, or it can be mixed into the curds before moulding. Another method is brining, where the cheese is placed in a salt solution.

When adding salt to cheese, it is important to use non-iodized salt as iodized salt can interfere with bacterial ripening. Larger crystal sizes, such as cheese salt, are also preferable as they ensure the salt does not dissolve too quickly when dry salting.

The addition of salt also plays a role in slowing down the bacteria in the cheese, preventing it from becoming overly acidic. This is particularly important for hard cheeses, which require a specific level of dryness and acidity to age properly.

Frequently asked questions