Cheese Type & Number: Stilton: #16

Description: A Stilton-type cheese. My third attempt. I will cut back on the CaCl and rennet from last time.

Source of Recipe: Ricki Carrol

Date: 12/12/2004

Warming the Milk: 2 gallons whole milk from Whole Foods plus 2 cups half-and-half, thoroughly mixed. Brought to 86

I wonder what the consistency of the Stilton is supposed to be like after putting it in the mold sandwich and turning it a couple of times. Mine is very “loose” and “crumbly”—not formed into one solid curd mass. I used my fingers to press down on it after a day or two to force it to form somewhat into a solid mass, but it is still very crudely formed, with lots of holes and open spaces between curd chunks.

Has anyone ever made a Stilton and know what the consistency of the curd should be at this stage?

(Mine is now in a container in the fridge downstairs!)

Jim, at www.cheesemaking.com gave me some advice. And, pointed me to this web site:

Stilton

traditionally what is done .. a very open curd is made leaving lots of gaps and spaces after the curd has settled… this usually takes 3-5 days of resting and turning daily.. in this period of time the curd changes (ripens) from a raspy texture to a much more smooth almost spreadable texture ... the cheese is then place on a turntable and a flat smooth edged knife is dipped repeatedly in warm water and the surface is scraped and smoothed filling in all of these little gaps .. it is then tightly wrapped in cloth (bandaged) and dried for a few more days before going to the final aging cave .... good luck .. if you get it right you will have a prize.

Hmm, seems the link is now broken. Thanks for pointing that out John. They had some problems with their web site about a month ago, may not have brought that page back up. I’ll check into it.

Yes, in fact, I’m in the same city as Bingham Hill—probably about a mile away. I’ve been meaning to, at least, get a tour.

As I feared, this cheese is really a bit too “airy”. It needed to be pressed some to eliminate air holes in the curd. As it has aged, it has become more mold than curd! The flavor is good, but very strong. And, it is overwhelmed with mold.

Next time, I’ll actually press the cheese in my press under 5# (or so) of pressure for a while. This will still leave some air pockets, but also knit the curd together better.

I tried this recipe again. It came out pretty much the same. I think my problem is that the curd is not really setting up well. I try to rescue it by draining for a long time, and by then it is too dry. The curds are not knitting together well.

I’m going to change brands of milk. I’ve had the best luck with fresh milk from a local dairy, it is just a long drive to get it.

True, John but this cheese did not have that nice creamy moisture texture that I want. It was dry and crumbly and had a slight “off” flavor. No I cannot find non-homogenized milk.

I did find a lead on a cooperative around here where one can buy “shares” of a cow for $25 a month and that entitles you to 4-6 gallons of raw milk per month. That could be a great solution.