• About
  • Contact Me

Little Green Cheese

Cheese making at home with Gavin Webber the Cheeseman

  • Home
  • My Cheese eBook
  • Cheese Podcast
  • Cheese Videos
  • Cheese Making Kits
  • Cheese Courses
  • Support Me!

Farmhouse Cheddar

September 6, 2011 By Gavin Webber 13 Comments

A Cheddar that doesn’t need cheddaring?  Allow me to introduce you to the Farmhouse Cheddar cheese.

Quick, easy to make, and without fuss, what is not to like about this simple semi-hard cheese!

Now to make things more interesting, and to save time and effort, I have decided to expand production by purchasing a new pot.  Usually, I make a kilogram of cheese from 7.6 litres (2 gallon) of milk, so I bought a 15.1 litre pot so that I could simply double the recipe and make two 1kg rounds in the same time I normally make one, and all in the same pot.

It is a beauty and I picked it up for $15!  The only problem is that whoever made this pot couldn’t count.  It only held 14.8 litres of milk and there was no way that I could have fitted in another 300ml.  Anyway, I figured that it would make enough curd to fit in two cheese moulds, which may have been a bit of a problem if I hadn’t purchased an additional cheese press.

Cheese press with spring

Luckily we stock a stainless steel cheese press in our shop, so I assembled it and put it to works.   The press comes with a 22.5 kg (50 lb) spring.  I bought a 1 kg cheese basket and follower separately

I was all set.  I sterilised everything in the pot except the plastic stuff, which I put on a 65°C wash through the dishwasher, then sprayed with vinegar.

I set up all my ingredients.  This cheese is very simple to make.

Farmhouse Cheddar

  • 7.6 litres (2 gall) full cream milk
  • 1 heaped smidgen (1/32 teaspoon) Mesophilic direct set starter culture
  • ½ teaspoon liquid rennet diluted in 60ml cool boiled water
  • ½ teaspoon Calcium Chloride diluted in 60ml cool boiled water (if using homogenised milk)
  • 2 Tablespoons cheese salt (non-ionised salt)

Then I set up the sink area.  I sprayed the area with vinegar and wiped it all down with a clean dry cloth.

Method

Heat the milk to 32°C (90°F).  Add the Calcium Chloride (if necessary).  Add the starter and stir well.  Cover and let milk ripen for 45 minutes.

Add the diluted rennet and stir gently for 1 minute.  Cover and let stand at 32°C for 45 minutes or until you get a clean break.

Cut the curd into 1.25cm (1/2 inch) cubes.  Increase the temperature to 38°C (100°F) slowly, no more than 1 degree for every 5 minutes.  Stir to ensure that the curds do not mat.  This should take about 30 minutes and the curd will shrink a bit.

Cover the pot and let stand for 5 minutes.  Pour the curds into a cheesecloth lined colander, drain for a few minutes then tie the corners of the cheesecloth into a knot and hang the bag and allow to drain for 1 hour.  The curds need to stay warm so hang at room temperature.

Place the drained curds back in the pot and gently mill into walnut sized pieces.  Mix in the Salt, then pack into lined cheese moulds.

Fold over cheesecloth, top with follower and press at 5 kg (10 lb) for 10 minutes.  Remove the cheese from the mould, gently remove the cloth and turn, re-wrap, and press for 10 kg (20 lb) for 10 minutes.  Repeat and press for 22.5 kg (50 lb) for 12 hours.

Remove from the mould and air dry the cheese on mats at room temp on a wooden board.  This may take between 2-4 days depending on the season.  Turn the cheese often, at least 4 times a day so that moisture does not collect on the bottom.  When a thin yellow rind has formed, wax the cheese and age at 13°C  (55°F) for at least 1 month.  The longer it is left the sharper the taste.

Farmhouse Cheddar

Peppercorns

I added pink and green peppercorns to my recipe.  To modify this recipe, add 1 tablespoon of peppercorns (green or pink but not dried black ones) to 1/2 cup of water and simmer for 15 minutes.  Strain and reserve the water and add the liquid to the milk just before the starter.

At the milling stage, add the peppercorns and mix gently but thoroughly before putting the curds into the mould for pressing.  Press as per the recipe.  I find this adds some zing to this cheese, even though it is wonderful without it.  You will find this has a sharp taste and crumbly texture, which improves with flavour as it ages.

Farmhouse Cheddar

The entire process took about four and a half hours from milk to the last pressing.  Pretty quick for a very tasty cheese.

Farmhouse Cheddar is quick, simple, and contrary to the name, doesn’t require cheddaring.  It’s a great beginners semi-hard cheese which I highly recommend.

Will this article help someone you know? If so help them out by sharing now!

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Farmhouse Cheddar

← Waxing Your Cheese Quince Paste →

About Gavin Webber

Gavin Webber is passionate about home cheese making. He loves to make cheese in his spare time and shares the techniques, videos, podcasts, and recipes with his fellow curd nerds!

Learn more about him here and connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

Comments

  1. David Wilson says

    July 25, 2016 at 21:39

    Hi Gavin,
    I’ve just been on a cheese making course over the weekend and now can’t wait to make my first cheese. I stumbled upon your site which is fantastic and full of useful tips and experiences and videos all which are invaluable..
    One question I have, and I’ve seen this on various sites, (because of the small quantities of cheese being made, that Recipes require 1 heaped smidgen (1/32 teaspoon) of XX…….How do you measure 1/32 of a teaspoon accurately?

    Reply
    • Gavin Webber says

      July 25, 2016 at 21:46

      Hi David. Great question. You use mini measuring spoons such as these that measure from 1/4 to 1/64; https://www.littlegreenworkshops.com.au/product/mini-measuring-spoons/

      Reply
      • David Wilson says

        July 25, 2016 at 23:50

        Thanks Gav

        Reply
  2. fifeski says

    March 5, 2012 at 12:27

    That's a great help Gavin – Thank you. And here's another one…I noticed you've made cheddar with peppercorns to add flavour. A few months ago I bought a pickled onion flavour cheddar which was awesome! I'm hoping to try and make one myself but I'm not sure whether the onion is too wet to include in the cheese (unlike dry peppercorns). Any suggestions?

    Reply
    • Cheeseadmin says

      March 7, 2012 at 09:37

      Hi Fifeski, I too have tried that type of cheese and wonder how it is flavoured. There are no actual onion bits in the cheese, so I think that it is either artificial or they have blended the pickled onion into a pulp and mixed it through the curds at milling time.

      Worth a try, but personally I don't like the taste, however my wife does.

      Gav

      Reply
    • fifeski says

      March 9, 2012 at 15:57

      Your wife has excellent taste 😀

      Reply
  3. fifeski says

    February 28, 2012 at 11:00

    I've just started making cheddar and your blog has been a fantastic help – if this batch works I'll be experimenting into other types as I think I've caught the bug from you!!

    I'm in awe at how clean the skin of your cheese is before waxing. I found as the cheese was drying it started to grow quite a lot of mold on it. I tried to clean it off with a salt solution as suggested but it still has a stained mold look compared to yours. How do you keep your skin looking so clean?

    Reply
    • Cheeseadmin says

      February 28, 2012 at 11:21

      Thanks for dropping by fifeski. I just keep cleaning them with the brine solution. It sometimes takes a little scrubbing, but the rind is still intact, and then I wax them.

      Gav

      Reply
  4. Steve says

    December 23, 2011 at 19:05

    @Susan – I had the same issue as you did with the cheese I was making. Great taste, but didn't slice well and fell apart into crumbs when you tried. It turned out the milk I was using was over pasteurized and heated too much. In the USA the rules for pasteurized milk and Ultra pasteurized milk have a lot of wiggle room. Many dairies are going right up to the limit so they can get longer shelf life out of the milk. I've been forced to switch to higher priced cream line milk. I've had good success using a 50-50 blend of cream line to store bought. Hope you keep trying!

    Reply
  5. skip says

    September 12, 2011 at 04:07

    I have just converted a fridge (no freezer) into a cave for $50, used a "Mashmaster Fridge controller" purchased off the net, fridge can be set at any temperature as the unit over-rides the internal thermostat.

    Reply
  6. beekeeper says

    September 11, 2011 at 02:38

    Caerphilly cheese (from Wales originally and a favourite of the Welsh coal miners because it was so salty and replaced the salt lost from sweating underground in the mines) is very crumbly. It is nothing like Kraft Cheddar – more like fetta in consistency. Similar cheeses from the UK are Cheshire, Lancashire and Wensleydale which are all delicious and crumbly.

    Gavin – I noticed somewhere you are giving classes and even selling a little of your cheese. Lucky you. Here in Canada the food regulations are so strict that the lessons would have to be in a government inspected and certified kitchen, and any cheese sold would have to have been made in a similarly inspected food processing facility. Hence we can show friends how to make cheese and give away samples to friends, but sell and the weight of the law might end up with giving out a $250,000 fine!!

    David

    Reply
  7. susan from the us says

    September 7, 2011 at 11:57

    I have made the farmhouse chedder two timews. Both times it taisted great but was so crumbly you couldn't slice it. I also made the caerfilly and that was too crumbly to slice also. Am I pressing it too much? I did it according to directions. What went wrong?

    Reply
  8. sck says

    September 7, 2011 at 00:13

    I made farmhouse cheddar this weekend as well, but my recipe varied from yours in only one way; the final pressing was still only 20 #. It is curious that there could be such a difference.

    Reply

Leave a comment for the Cheese Maker! Cancel reply

Follow Us via Social

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestrssyoutubeFacebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestrssyoutube

Cheese Making Kits

Cheeseman.tv Merchandise

Cheeseman.tv Merchandise
Cool Cheesy T-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, stickers, and more
Play / pause
0:00
0:00
29:12
  • LGC065 – I’m Back!
Subscribe on iTunes

Archives

Tags

Aging Blue Brine Caerphilly Camembert Cheese Books Cheese Cave Cheese Press Colby Competition Cotswold Cream Cheese Drunken Cow eBook Emmentaler Equipment Farmhouse Cheddar Feta Gavin Halloumi Kits Lipase Mould Ripened Cheese Moulds Mozzarella Parmesan Podcast Queso Fresco Raw Milk Rennet Ricotta Romano Romano Pepato Salt Sanitisation Starter Cultures Stilton Storage Swiss Technique Tzafatit Video Tutorial Waxing Whey Ricotta Workshops
Online video lessons by Little Green Cheese

Subscribe to Cheese Podcast

on Apple Podcastson Androidvia RSS

Subscribe to Cheeseman.tv


Podcast Reviews

  • Super interesting!
    October 8, 2017 by Lenka S from Australia

    Gavin's podcast is so interesting and informative, he knows so much about home cheesemaking and he shares his knowledge with his listeners and answers listener questions on the show which is also extremely helpful! I am listening to them all for the second time and finding lots of new useful pieces of information. There are also interesting bits of cheese news from around the world. Thank you Gavin!

  • Cheese making oracle
    May 2, 2017 by Aprecelton from United Kingdom

    This is THE definitive guide and advice centre for anybody who wants to make cheese. What Gavin doesn't know about cheese isn't worth knowing. Enjoyable and informative.

  • Entertaining and informative
    February 9, 2017 by New Jersey omg from United States

    I have just started making cheese and I have been binge listening to these podcasts. I'm hooked. Just made my 4th cheese today and bought the ebook too.

  • Curd Nurd Uni
    November 5, 2016 by Rustndustamust from United States

    I am new to cheesemaking and heard one of Gavin's Podcasts. I downloaded them all and started from the first to the last...I feel like I have been to Curd Nurd University. Gavin freely gives of his time and knowledge as well as the knowledge of skilled cheese makers through interviews. Wish I could give this podcast series 10 stars. Great work. Learned many new ideas and Gavin answered all of my questions through these podcasts. Keep up the fabulous work and to all those behind the scenes that help Gavin - Thanks Mates.Diane, Oregon USA

  • Gavin is a star
    August 26, 2016 by Maticci from Australia

    Thank you Gavin for sharing your secrets and making my cheese making life easier!

  • Everything for the home cheesemaker
    August 5, 2016 by OziFlyer from Australia

    Gavin Webber explains every part of the cheesemaking process simply and clearly, and in an entertaining fashion. A down to earth Aussie bloke, no hype, but fun and educational. Coupled with his YouTube videos, he offers every resource a home cheesemaker could want. If you're new to the hobby - this podcast is definitely for you. If you've been at it a while, you'll still learn something. Oh, and he makes the effort to give measurements in both Imperial (for his U.S. listeners), and metric (for the rest of the world). He couples being knowledgeable with the ability to impart it. 5 stars.

  • Hooray!
    June 13, 2015 by Puglover2 from United States

    I'm so excited to find a podcast on Cheesemaking! Covers all kinds of home cheese topics. Thank you!

  • Inspirational cheesemaking information
    January 30, 2015 by Hoppymalt from United States

    This is the most comprehensive cheesemaking podcast that I have found! Thank you Gavin.

  • Fantastic!
    December 26, 2014 by Allen Kloeden from Australia

    Very helpful informative podcasts, full of useful, practical information and advice.

  • Little Green Cheese Podcast
    September 6, 2014 by Ageingkiwigeek from New Zealand

    Great podcasts, entertaining, a must for all curdnerds. Gavin is my first choice when looking for cheese recipes or videos showing how to.

  • Awesome
    August 17, 2014 by podgida from United States

    This is a very good podcast. If you want to know all about cheese this is the podcast for you.

  • Great Cheese making podcasts
    July 26, 2014 by Fidhler from United States

    Wonderfully instructive podcast on cheese making at home. There are many YouTube videos on the subject but none as good or as complete as Gavin’s. Every time I watch one of these I learn something new. He covers a wide variety of cheeses that make my mouth water. The podcasts are well planned and professionally videoed. You can’t get better than this. Thanks for all your dedication and hard work. John Erdman, Augusta, Maine, USA

  • Awesome Podcasts
    June 24, 2014 by FeFiFoFum yes from Australia

    Just the best, so easy to listen to and follow. Combined with Gavin's blog you can find out about all things cheese. Excellent for the beginner cheese maker or more experienced too

  • Two thumbs up!
    March 19, 2014 by Tvjacsb from United States

    I am just starting my cheese making adventure and am methodically listening to each podcast episode. Very informative "process" information as well as personal interviews of home cheese makers. A perfect blend of education and entertainment.

  • Great podcast
    February 27, 2014 by Cliff Matushin from United States

    This is a very informative cast. Practical and entertaining. Glad I found it.

  • Great!
    August 1, 2013 by Jarlsberg_girl from Norway

    If you're a curd-nerd you'll love these minutes on technique, maturing-updates and interviews with home cheesemakers like yourself!

  • Finaly real home chesse making pod is here! yey!
    July 9, 2013 by Rowleysfarmett from Canada

    If you are into making chesse this one is a great pod for you!

  • Little Green Cheese Podcast
    June 7, 2013 by Caro from NZ from New Zealand

    Really enjoyable podcast for all us keen and committed home cheesemakers....really great to hear from someone else who enjoys cheesemaking so much. Lovely casual, friendly manner, good format, great interviews with other keen cheesemakers....keep up the good work, Gavin!!

Little Green Workshops

Copyright © 2018 · Gavin Webber

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.