Cheddar Recipe - Cheese Kettle (2024)

Cheddar is a basic hard cheese. It is flavorful, creamy and firm. It is a cheese you can use in a variety of ways. You can cheddar slices in sandwiches, use it to top a casserole, or put it in soups and salads.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Yield: 1.1 to 1.3 kg cheese

Aging: 3 to 6 months

INGREDIENTS

  1. Whole Milk (3 gallons)
  2. Bioprox M265 Mesophilic Starter Culture
  3. ½ tsp liquid animal rennet
  4. ½ tsp Calcium Chloride
  5. 2 1/2 tbsp non-iodized salt

Equipment

  1. large pot
  2. thermometer
  3. curd knife
  4. ladle or spoon for stirring
  5. colander
  6. butter muslin/ cheese cloth
  7. cheese hoop
  8. cheese press
  9. cheese cloth/ cheese wax for aging
  10. brush for waxing

Available at the Cheese Kettle Shop

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Slowly heat the milk to 320C in a large pot, stirring frequently. Make sure the temperature does not exceed 320 C. One way to make sure you don’t heat the milk too much is by doing a water bath. You can do this by putting the pot inside a bigger pot with the burner under that to control the temperature.

2. As the milk is heating, add the calcium chloride.

3. When the temperature reaches 300 C, add the culture. Sprinkle the powder over the surface of the milk. Give the powder 2 minutes to rehydrate and stir in an up and down motion.

4. Cover the milk and let it ferment for 1 hour while maintaining the target temperature.

5. Once the milk and culture have ripened, add the rennet. Stir in an up and down motion to make sure that the rennet works its way throughout the milk.

6. Remove from the heat and let the milk sit for 45 minutes or until the whey separates from the curd.

7. When you see a layer of mostly clear whey floating on top, cut the curds in ½ to ¾ inch cubes. You can use a curd knife or a curd cutter to do this.

8. Let the curds set for 5 minutes. Do not stir.

9. Slowly stir the curd while bringing it back to heat at 320 C. Do this for 30 minutes.

10. Slowly bring the heat up to 380 C. Maintain the heat and continue to stir for another 30 minutes or until the curd is firm. Make sure your curd is well cooked. It should be firm. When you press it between your fingers, it should have a moderate resistance. Make sure that enough moisture is removed during the cooking process. Moisture contains lactose. If carried into the pressing and aging stages, the cheddar will become chalky, acid tasting and leaky.

11. Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for 20 minutes. This will allow the curds to settle at the bottom of the pot.

12. Put the colander in another large pot. Pour the curds into a colander. Set aside some whey. You’ll need it in a moment. Allow the curds to drain for 15 to 20 minutes. Make sure all the whey is removed during this phase.

13. Remove the colander from the pot and transfer the semisolid mass of curd on a cutting board.

14. Cut the slab into five slices and put it back in the colander.

15. Heat the whey that you have to 430 C. Turn off the stove. Let the colander sit on top of the pot with the whey. Make sure that the colander is on top of the pot and not sitting in the whey. The slices should not be submerged in whey. Cover the cheese slab with a towel.

16. Now we begin the cheddaring process. Flip the curd slabs every 15 minutes for the next 2 hours (This is 8 flips during the entire process). This process gives your cheese its unique flavor. Make sure to keep the whey at 430 C. On the 8th flip, the slab should be shiny and slightly firm (like a chicken breast).

17. After 2 hours, cut the curd slab into half-inch cubes.

18. Put the curds in another pot. Take the salt and sprinkle it over the cheese curds. Mix the salt in the curd by using a wooden spoon or your hands.

19. Line the cheese mold with the muslin or cheesecloth. Take the curds and put them in the mold. Take the edges of the cheesecloth and wrap it on top of the cheese curds. Make sure everything is covered.

20. Press the cheese at 25 pounds of pressure for 60 minutes.

21. Carefully remove the cheese from the press and the mold. Unwrap it and flip. Get a fresh cheese cloth and re-wrap the cheese. Place it back in the mold and press at a 40 pound pressure for the next 12 hours.

22. Remove the cheesecloth. Flip the cheese and put it back in the mold. Press it at 50 pounds for another 12 hours.

23. Remove the cheese from the mold and air dry it for 2 to 3 days, flipping it every 12 hours until it is smooth and dry to the touch.

24. Wax or vacuum seal the cheese. Age at a temperature of 120 to 150 C for 3 to 6 months. Turn the cheese over weekly to keep the moisture even.

5 Health Benefits of Cheddar

1. Cheddar is an excellent source of protein. It gives 25g of protein for every 100g.

2. Cheddar is very high in calcium. 100g of cheddar provides 72% of the RDA of calcium.

3. Cheddar is rich in micronutrients. It is an excellent source of vitamin A, B2, B12, Phosphorus, Selenium and Zinc.

4. As a fermented dairy, cheddar appears to be neutral or protective against stroke. It reduces the inflammatory markers for most people.

5. Fermented dairy products like cheddar may contain probiotics, which have positive health benefits in the gut.

Cheddar Recipe - Cheese Kettle (4)

Visit our shop to check out our cheese hoop collection.

Cheddar Recipe - Cheese Kettle (5)

Cheddar Recipe - Cheese Kettle (2024)

FAQs

Does Cheddar Gorge have anything to do with cheese? ›

Cheddar village is located at the mouth of Cheddar Gorge, an incredible geological formation that includes a series of caves. The caves were originally used to store and age cheese, as the humidity and temperature are perfect there. The humidity in the caves allows mold to grow on the outside of the cheese.

How do you make cheddar sharper? ›

Aging Cheddar Cheese

Transfer the cheese to your cheese fridge and age for 4-6 weeks for a mild cheddar, 3 months or longer for sharp cheddar. Age the cheese at 55F and at 80% humidity. I flip the cheese every day for the first week or two as the moisture inside settles.

Does cheddar cheese melt when heated? ›

The melting point of cheddar cheese is about 150°F (66°C). In the article “The Rules of Melting Cheese”, Fine Cooking points out the importance of melting the cheese slowly and gently to yield the gooiest results.

How to make cheddar cheese melty? ›

Use the lowest heat setting that your microwave has. Cheese prefers to be melted at the lowest heat possible. Start with 15 seconds. Heating cheese at high temperatures sucks the moisture and fat out of the cheese.

Can you walk around Cheddar Gorge for free? ›

Is Cheddar Gorge free to visit? Yes! The walk follows public footpaths around the cliff top and the road is free to walk along or drive through. There is some free parking but it is limited.

Why is Cheddar Gorge so famous? ›

Cheddar Gorge is the finest example of a limestone gorge in Britain, and its cliffs support many valuable semi-natural habitats, home to a wide range of plant species, many of them rare. At the lower end of the gorge are two show caves which together attract half a million visitors a year.

Does aging cheddar make it sharper? ›

Generally, the longer a cheddar ages, the sharper it gets. The best way to understand how the aging process affects the flavor and texture of cheese is to compare two different ages of cheddar side-by-side. For best results, choose two products of the same brand.

How long can cheddar cheese be aged? ›

The average aged cheddar is aged from 12 to 18 months, though some cheddars are aged up to six years or longer. As it's aged, cheddar must be kept at a constant temperature, which is why cheddar was often traditionally stored in caves. In Wisconsin, some cheddar cheeses are aged up to 20 years.

Why does sharp cheddar taste so good? ›

Aging is the only difference between mild and sharper cheddar. The longer cheese is aged naturally, the sharper and more pronounced the cheddar flavor becomes. Mild Cheddar cheese is generally aged for 2 to 3 months, whereas an extra sharp might be aged for as long as a year.

What cheese is in Velveeta? ›

Originally Velveeta was made from real cheese. Today, it's mainly whey protein concentrate, milk protein concentrate, milk, fat, and preservatives. By the Food and Drug Administration's standards, that's not real cheese—which is why the FDA forced Kraft to change its label from "cheese spread" to "cheese product."

Why did my cheese turn rubbery? ›

Once it looks and feels smooth and has been evenly melted, give it a final stir, and then remove the pan from the heat. If you melt the cheese any longer than is necessary, it can result in a rubbery consistency and negatively impact the flavor.

Why doesn't American cheese melt? ›

Sodium citrate is an extremely common emulsifying salt that is used to keep the cheese creamy as it melts. It's thanks to this little molecule that American cheese won't break, instead staying glossy and gooey no matter how much you seem to heat it and cool it down.

Why won't my cheddar cheese melt? ›

Younger cheeses tend to melt more easily than older ones, so a younger cheddar will melt much better than an aged one. Older cheeses like aged cheddar are actually poor melters and can become grainy or oily when melted. How it's made: Certain cheeses will also have a harder time melting based on how they are made.

How do you melt cheddar cheese without clumping? ›

Hot liquids, like pasta water, heavy cream, melted butter, or beaten eggs, help distribute melted cheese evenly by surrounding it with heat. Since every bit of surface area is in contact with hot liquid, the cheese melts at the same rate. No clumps to be found, just a glossy, luscious sauce.

What cheddar is best for melting? ›

Young cheddar will melt smoothly, while aged cheddar can become oily and grainy with heat. Save those two-year-aged options for a cheese platter. If you're looking for a good cheddar substitute, look to Colby, Edam or Gouda.

Does cheddar cheese come from Cheddar Gorge? ›

Cheddar cheese originates from the village of Cheddar in Somerset, southwest England. Cheddar Gorge on the edge of the village contains a number of caves, which provided the ideal humidity and steady temperature for maturing the cheese.

Why is cheese stored in caves? ›

They keep this cheese hundreds of feet below ground in converted limestone mines in Missouri. The “cheese caves” are kept at a perfect 36 degrees Fahrenheit and are home to the massive stockpiles of government=owned cheese. The United States' cheese hoard began in the 1970s during a national dairy shortage.

Does Cheddar Gorge smell of cheese? ›

By the time we depart the caves, stepping back out into the light, my nostrils have been consumed with the smell of old cheddar. We make our way down the gorge towards the process room, where the milk arrives each morning before being turned into curd and eventually, cheese.

Is cheddar cheese made in caves? ›

The cave-aged cheddar cheese is carried by hand, two hundred feet underground into the Wookey Hole Caves in the Mendip Hills where they are left to mature. As the cheese matures, it absorbs the essence of the underground world around it! Developing a distinctive character that sets it apart from ordinary cheddars.

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