Today there are a precious few British farmstead cheddar cheese makers left the most of this cheese is factory produced in the UK and elsewhere. Unlike the names of many European cheeses, that of cheddar is not protected. And the truth is , the word 'cheddar' no longer refers to just the name of the English village, but rather to the pressing proccess by which the cheese is made.
With this technique, known as cheddaring, slabs of partiallt drained curd are stacked on top of each other and turned and restacked every curd are staked on the top of each other and turned and restacked every 10 to 15 miniutes for up to 1 1/2 hours, which ensure that all slabs evenly pressed.
This produces a cheese with the characteristically smooth , tight texture of cheddar, cheshire and lancashire. Cheddar is no the most widely made cheese in the world, with production in myriad countries including Australia, Canada, Ireland , New Zealand , Scotland, South Africa, Sweden and United States.
Though factory produced cheddars abound, there has been a renaissance of traditional cheesemaking in the UK, United States, Australia and elsewhere. Cheddar can be made from raw or pasteurized cow's milk and can range in texture from semihard to hard. This cheese comes in a variety of sizes and shapes including rectangles and small wheels.
Factory produced cheddar is typically rindless and comes wrapped in plastic or covered with wax, the interior can range for off white to orange. Farmstead cheese have rinds that can range in color from golden brown to grayish brown, the paste varies from ivory to pale yellow.
One signal of handmade cheddar is that wrapped in cloth. Another is that isn't dyed orange with annanto.
Texture wise, cheddar is smooth and tight. Factory produced cheeses are typically slick and can be slightly gummy, those that are handmade are generally somewhat crumbly or flaky. The flavorof factory cheddars can range from blend to sharp, while farmstead versions are full and complex with notes of caramel, fruit, nuts and spice.
On the whole, mass-produced cheddars are second rate compare to traditional handmade versions. In general, cheddars are labeled with four ripening designations, mild ( about 2 to 4 months ), medium 4 to 8 months ), sharp ( 9 to 12 months), extra sharp ( aged over 1 year ). That very board spectrum, however, and aging times for cheddars can vary widely, depending on the produce, many of which openly indicate the lenght of time the cheese has been ripened.
Nutrition Facts
Calculated for 1 cup, shredded
How is this calculated?
Calculated for 1 cup, shredded
- Amount Per Serving %DV
- Calories 455
- Calories from Fat 337 (74%)
- Total Fat 37.4g 57%
- Saturated Fat 23.8g 119%
- Monounsaturated Fat 0.0g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 1.1g
- Trans Fat 0.0g
- Cholesterol 118mg 39%
- Sodium 701mg 29%
- Potassium 110mg 3%
- Total Carbohydrate 1.4g 0%
- Dietary Fiber 0.0g 0%
- Sugars 0.0g
- Protein 28.1g 56%
How is this calculated?
How to Make Cheddar Cheese
Ingredients:
- 2 gallons Cow or Goat Milk (do not use UHT/UP milk)
- Mesophilic Culture, choose one:
- 1 packet direct set mesophilic culture or
- 1/8 t. bulk mesophilic culture
- Rennet, choose one:
- ½ teaspoon liquid animal rennet,dissolved in ½ cup cool water or
- ¼ teaspoon double-strength liquid vegetable rennet, dissolved in ½ cup cool water or
- ¼ tablet vegetable rennet, dissolved in ½ cup cool water
- 2 tablespoons Sea Salt
- Large pot
- Thermometer
- Long knife (curd knife; does not need to be sharp)
- Cheese Cloth
- Cheese Wax
- Cheese Press
Instructions:
In a large pot, heat the milk to 85°F, stirring frequently.
When the milk gets to 85°F, add culture, stir, cover and allow to ferment for 1 hour.
Stir to homogenize the milk, and slowly fold in the diluted rennet. Using an up-and-down motion with your spoon will ensure that the rennet works its way through all the milk, so you can get the highest possible yield.
Allow the cheese to set for 1 hour, or until the whey begins to separate from the curd. You should see a layer of mostly clear whey floating on top of the curd, and the curd should be pulling away from the sides of your pot.
Using the knife, carefully cut the curds into ¼ inch cubes and allow to set for 5 minutes. Do not stir.
Over the next 30 minutes, slowly heat the curds to 100°F, stirring frequently. As you stir, the curds will shrink.
Once the curds are at 100°F, maintain the temperature and continue stirring for the next 30 minutes. If the curds get too hot, remove from heat.
After 30 minutes, stop stirring and allow the curds to settle to the bottom of the pot. This will take about 20 minutes.
Pour the curds into a colander. Place the colander and curds back into your cheese pot and allow to drain for 15 minutes.
Remove the colander from the pot and turn the curds out onto a cutting board. You should have a semi-solid mass that looks like jelly. Pour the whey out of the pot, cut the mass into five slices and place back into the pot. Cover.
Run a sink or basin full of 102°F water and place the pot and curds into it. Keeping the temperature of the curds right around 100°F, turn the slices every 15 minutes for the next 2 hours. This is the cheddaring process and will give your cheese its unique flavor and deliciousness.
After 2 hours, the curds will be shiny and very firm. Remove them from the pot and cut into ½ inch cubes. Place back in the pot, cover, and place in the sink filled with 102°F water.
In 10 minutes, stir gently with your fingers or a wooden spoon. Repeat twice more.
Remove the pot from the sink and add salt. Stir gently once more.
Line your cheese press with a piece of cheesecloth and carefully place the curds into the press. Wrap the cloth around the cheese and press at 10 pounds of pressure for 15 minutes.
Using a fresh piece of cheesecloth, flip the cheese and press at 40 pounds of pressure for 12 hours.
Using a fresh piece of cheesecloth, flip the cheese and press at 50 pounds of pressure for 24 hours.
Remove the cheese from the press and air dry for 2-3 days, until smooth and dry to the touch.
Wax the cheese and age at 55-60°F for at least 60 days (click here for practical methods for aging cheese).
From www.culturesforhealth
Categories: Cheese
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