Stirred Curd Sage Cheddar

Posted April 29th, 2009 by beth

This recipe is from the book ‘Home Cheese Making’ by Ricki Carroll. Check her web site at New England Cheese Making Supply Company

Here’s what you need.

4 gallons unhomgenized whole milk
2 packets direct-set mesophilic starter
8 drops annatto coloring (optional)
1 teaspoon liquid rennet dissolved in 1/2 cup cool water
4 tablespoons Kosher salt
6 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 cup water

Here’s what you do.

Boil sage in 1 cup of water for 15 minutes. Strain the sage water into a bowl and let cool; reserve the boiled sage to add later.
Pour the milk and sage water into a 5 gallon, heavy bottom pot. Heat over medium high to 90° F stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Sprinkle both packets of starter on the milk then stir well. Cover the pot and let set to ripen for 45 minutes.
Add diluted annato and stir well to evenly distibute the coloring.
Add diluted rennet and stir gently for a minute. Cover and let set undisturbed for 45 minutes.
Check curd for a clean break. (No? - let set another 15 minutes then recheck.) Cut curd into 1/4 inch cubes and let set for 15 minutes to heal.
Gradually heat the curd to 100° F while constantly and gently stirring the curd. This should take about 30 minutes. Don’t try to heat the curds and whey directly on the stove; fill your kitchen sink half way with 110° F water and place the pot of curds and whey into the water to slowly heat the curds.
Maintain the curd temperature at 100° F and continue stirring for another 30 minutes. Let curds settle for 5 minutes.
Pour off the whey and drain the curds into a large colander for several minutes. Pour the curds back into the pot and stir with your fingers to separate any matted curds.
Add the salt and sage and mix with your fingers.
Maintain the curds at 100° F for another hour (put the pot back into the sink full of 100° F water). Keep the curd from matting by stirring every 5 minutes.
Line a 4 pound cheese mold with cheesecloth, ladle the curds into the mold and press with 15 pounds for 10 minutes.
Remove from the press, peel away the cheesecloth, flip and redress. Press with 30 pounds for 10 minutes.
Remove, flip, redress, press with 40 pounds for 2 hours.
Remove, flip, redress, press with 50 pounds for 24 hours.
Remove from mold and cheesecloth. Place the cheese on a mat and air-dry at room temperature for 2 to 5 days (cheese should be dry to touch).
Wax the cheese. Age at 45 to 55° F for 2 to 6 months.