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Cheddar Cheese

List of Ingredients




1 Gallon whole milk
1 c Buttermilk
Cheese color (optional)
1 Rennet tablet
1 tb Salt


Recipe




Measure milk into an 8 qt. pot. Stir in buttermilk, cover pot and allow mixture to stand for at least 4 hours, or overnight at room temp. (72 deg.) Then slowly bring milk mixture to 86 deg.F. over hot water, double boiler fashion, as described in 'cottage cheese' recipe. Add cheese color, if desired. Slowly raise milk temp. to 88 90 deg.F. Add rennet tab. mixed with 1/4 c. cool water, stir to blend. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand until curd tests firm, breaking clean over your finger as described in 'pot cheese' recipe. This should take from 30 40 mins. Cut the firm curd into 1/2" pieces by slicing across vertically and diagonally in both directions with a long bladed knife. Use your hand to gently stir the curds for 15 mins, with long slow sweeping movements. Rough or rapid stirring will break the curds. Cut any large curds into 1/2" pieces. After 15 mins., increase the curd temp., gradually, to 100 deg.F. Stir every 3 ~ 5 mins., gently, to avoid breaking up the curd, but to prevent it from sticking together. Hold curd at 100 ~ 102 deg.F. stirring every few mins., until the curds test firm. This should take between 30 and 60 minutes. When properly firm, the curds should be the consistency of well formed scrambled eggs with pieces that are individual, but not rubbery. If curds refuse to firm, increase temp. gradually to 10 deg. higher than your 'R' calls for, stirring more frequently, but do not scald the curd or the curd will be mushy in the center and hard on the outside and will not be salvageable. When they test firm, remove from heat and allow to stand in the whey for 1 hour or until they toughen somewhat. Stir every 5 10 mins. Scoop off as much whey as possible. Pour curds into a cheesecloth lined colander. Hold two ends of the cloth in each hand and use a rolling motion to tilt curds back and forth to drain off whey. (Your curd may be firm enough now to add some salt and eat as curd) The next step is very crucial and is what makes cheddar, Cheddar. It is called the 'cheddaring' Drape a double layer of cheesecloth over a wire roasting rack. Turn oven temp. to warm and set the rack in a roasting pan.