How to Make Cheddar Cheese

Directions

• Heat & Acidify Milk

  1. Heat Milk to 90°F.
  2. Sprinkle one pouch of SemiSet Cheesemaking Culture on the surface of the milk. Allow it to sit on top for 2 minutes to rehydrate, then stir thoroughly into the milk.
  3. Allow culture to ripen the milk for 60-90 minutes.

• Coagulate

  1. Add diluted calcium chloride into milk if using.
  2. Stir diluted rennet into milk using an up-and-down motion for 30 seconds.
  3. Cover the pot and let the rennet work for 30-40 minutes until the milk has thickened.

• Cut Curd

  1. Cut the curd into 1/4-1/2" cubes by making cuts at a 45° angle across the curd in one direction, then turn the pot and repeat, making perpendicular cuts.
  2. Let curds rest for 5 minutes.

• Cook Curds

  1. Start slowly raising the temperature to 102°F over 30 minutes.
  2. During this time, stir the curds often to distribute the heat evenly. In the beginning, stir very gently as the curds are fragile. They will firm up during the cook. Note that stirring too frequently can expel too much whey and cause problems when pressing.
  3. Continue cooking at 102°F for 30 more minutes, stirring every few minutes.

• Drain Whey & Cheddar Curds

  1. Drain off whey
  2. Return curds to the pot & cover to keep warm. They will begin to form together into a mat.
  3. Let them sit for 1.5 hours, flipping every 20 minutes (total of 4 flips)

• Mill & Salt Curds

  1. Break the curd up into 1.5" pieces.
  2. Add about half of the salt, stir thoroughly, and wait 5 minutes. Then add the remaining salt, stir, and wait 5 more minutes.

• Press Curds

  1. Line a mold with cheesecloth and add curds.
  2. Press with mild pressure (20 lbs) for 1 hour, flip, and press for 1 more hour.
  3. Increase pressure (40 lbs) for 4-6 hours.
  4. Flip, increase pressure (50-60 lbs) for 24 hours.

  Troubleshooting

  Curd won't consolidate - This can happen if the curds expel too much whey during the cooking process. At this point, it's best to break the curds apart and enjoy them as cheese curds! To prevent this next time, stir less frequently, and be careful with how quickly the temperature rises during the cook. Also, consider the size of your curds initially. If they were on the smaller side, you can increase the size a bit next round for more moisture retention.

• Coating & Aging

  1. Coat cheese with wax (Instructions on how to Wax Cheese are here). Label the outside with the start date and cheese name.
  2. Store Cheese in a cool, clean environment for the desired amount of time for your preference. Flip cheese once per week for even moisture distribution. See below for aging times and temperatures.
     1. At the ideal Temperature Range of 50-55°F
        1. Mild cheddar - age it for 2-3 months
        2. Sharp Cheddar - age for 6-9 months
        3. Extra sharp cheddar - age for 1 year or longer
     2. Cooler Temperatures: If you don't have a cheese cave, you can age cheese in your refrigerator. Aging will occur more slowly at cooler temperatures, so add a month or two to the aging time to achieve similar results.