Cheese, Glorious Cheese!!

[Ldychef2k]

Because I was not sure how this would turn out, I made two makeshift presses out of a tall sour cream plastic container and the net like coffee filter holder from an old coffee pot. I lined them with cheesecloth. After I added the flavorings, I added the curds to the "press" and put a large can of food on top. (Stew worked well.) Then I balanced a cast iron skillet on one and the lid of my dutch oven on the other and let them sit for 48 hours.

So it's called paneer method? Good to know, because I was going to call it Kris' method ! Cheater? Yep.

I really want to make chocolate cherry cheese.

 

[Ldychef2k]

If you are going to get into real cheese, the white cheeses tend to be the quicker and easier. I got my base recipe off You tube

Would white cheddar be included?

 

[Iceblink]

I made Paneer just last week. I love it fresh in Mutter Paneer. It squeaks like cheese curds!

I really want to try Paneer Pakoras, but I hate frying stuff.

 

[Occamstazer]

OOOO Paneer. How fun! I just did one up tonight with basil , roasted red pepper and minced garlic. My base recipe is a gallon of whole milk, if you can get it raw.. its worth it to do so. Let it stand to room temp and then in a pot on the stove, low heat. Add about 1/2 cup lemon juice, you will do it in increments.. a splash, then stir, another splash stir again. You will know when you have enough by seeing the magic.. the milk will separate. You will see curds and whey. Once the whey is completely clear, I let it stand back to room temp in the whey. Then strain. I like my flour sack cloth for this and then start pressing out the moisture. I really dig the lard press for this, but a make shift version can be made with any form and weight. Oh, and add any seasonings , fruits , veggies , meat, what ever you want when you start press out the moisture. I do add a fair amount of sea salt to even the plain paneer I make.

If you are going to get into real cheese, the white cheeses tend to be the quicker and easier. I got my base recipe off You tube

Now I know what I'm doing tomorrow.

 

[Rebecka]

So it's called paneer method? Good to know, because I was going to call it Kris' method ! Cheater? Yep.

I really want to make chocolate cherry cheese.

LOL. Its a traditional Indian cheese. Also called farm cheese. Super easy and if you set it in a brine. I dig some Olive brine for it , it picks up a great firmness and flavor that has me turning up my nose at feta. White cheddar I wouldnt call easy. I was speaking of things like feta, ricotta , mozzarella. Any of the cultured cheeses are a bit more advanced, but also worth a go! I just hate having to buy culture. I have a link somewhere about how to cultivate from purchased culture, but since I wiped out my computer its going to take some digging. My sweet husband has a thing for hot mixed with anything that sounds odd with hot. So I make a cherry/chocolate habanero for him that is really nice. I guess if you dont like hot you could nix that part


I use fresh cherries but a friend used those jared , dyed things and said it was good. Soak fresh bing cherries in a 2/1 syrup over night. Shave a nice good quality dark chocolate. Make your paneer. Once its room temp, mince the cherries and mix them in with the curd. If you are going to add the habanero, soak it with the cherries. Remember, a little goes a long way and you dont want to burn off your taste buds before you get to the cherries and chocolate. Make a heavy layer of shaved chocolate on your sack cloth and press your curd over the chocolate . Now is the time to go out and pick some fresh mint to lay in the edge. Then roll like you do sushi. You are looking for a spiral pattern with the mint in the center. Mint only with the non habanero version ! Now, roll it up. I do two pressings with this one.. so it comes out a small square. Once pressed, put in the coldest part of the fridge. Break out a good knife and slice I really love for special occasions. At my sisters wedding it was the big hit

 

[patandchickens]

The only difference between white cheddar and other colors of cheddar is the color of the milk, which 99.9% of the time these days for commercial cheese means how much dye they added. Truly.

Ooh, have you made a cheese press? If you have, please tell us about it. I am planning on making cheddar just as soon as I figure out how to make a press.

For low weights, e.g. for the queso blanco/paneer/etc type things discussed here, just find a plate or bowl or plastic container that is the same size as the top of the mold, and put it on the cheese with a large jar of water or can o' beans on it.

For higher weights, such as used in some Actual Cultured Cheeses including cheddar, the easiest thing I have found is as follows.

First, find/make something to use as a "follower", that is a flat top for your mold that exactly fits down inside the mold onto the cheese. This will transfer the pressure from the press evenly onto the whole surface of the cheese, so it doesn't get dented or lopsided. The higher the pressure you will use, the more important it is that the follower be rigid. Then put a short wide can, or anything else like that, atop the follower so that it sticks up well above the top rim of the mold. This is what the press will "lean on" to press the cheese.

Now find a short board, perhaps 3-4' long. It is best if it's at least 6" wide so it stays more stable, but the details don't really matter. Now find a shelf or other piece of furniture that is VERY HEAVY or is actually bolted to the wall. Alternatively, actually screw a small piece of wood (etc) to your wall to create a cleat. Put the cheese-in-the-mold, on/in something to catch the dripping whey, right next to the furniture or wall, and lay the board over top of it with the end of the board tucked under the cleat or shelf. If needed, put the cheese mold and drip bowl up on a *sturdy* box or some such thing, so that when the board is tucked under the cleat or shelf and lying atop the jar on your follower, the board is fairly close to exactly horizontal.

Then, get a heavy weight (metal cans are good, or bags o' beans, or securely lidded quart jar of water). It doesn't need to be more than a quarter or so of your desired pressing weight. You can either stack it on top of the board, or if you have cats in the house like I do, put it in a small bag that you hang over the board.

To calculate where on the board to put the weight, to get the desired pressure: If you put it exactly ON the follower and cheese, you will be pressing with only the pressure of the weight. If the weight is 5 lbs, you're giving 5 lbs pressure. If you move it the same distance from the cheese as the cheese is from the wall end of the board (measure to the center of the cheese, not the edge of it) you will be pressing with twice the weight, e.g. 10 lbs for a 5 lb weight. If the weight is twice as far from the cheese as the cheese is from the wall end of the board, you're applying twice the pressure; if it's three times as far, you're applying three times the weight of the weight; etc.

This is WAY simpler to do than it is to explain in words I need to make cheese again pretty soon and will try to take a pic of my setup.

Pat

 

[freemotion]

I have a similar set-up to Pat's and it is easy and works great!

Ldy, I would not put bacon inside a cheddar as it needs to age for some time and I think the bacon would either rot or get mushy....