Yesterday, I mentioned flocculation for better curd.  David over in Manitoba, Canada picked up on this, and asked me to expand.  By the way, David was recently featured on the New England Cheesemaking Co. blog.  You can read all about him at this link.  Well done mate.

Anyway, let me explain the flocculation method which is a better method for curd set.

The times given in most cheese recipes are great for beginners and experienced home cheese makers alike.  You can check for curd set by the tried and true “Clean Break” method, however there is a better whey to determine curd set for your cheese.

The flocculation method for better curd is a way to test the point of coagulation after adding the rennet to your milk.  Using a factor (determined by the type of cheese you are making, you multiply the time taken for the flocculation point to help you predict the best time for curd set.

So here is the process.

1. Add your rennet when the recipe states.  Start a timer so you know how many minutes have elapsed.
2. Leave the milk for five minutes, then take a sterilised small plastic bowl and place it on the surface. It should float.
3. Then spin the bowl gently, whereby it should rotate freely.  Do this every minute or two.
4. You should notice that at around the 8 minute mark you may find slight resistance from the milk, test by spinning every 30 seconds.
5. Between 10 and 15 minutes, the bowl should become ‘stuck’, indicating that the curd mass has formed.  This is the flocculation point.  It may take longer, so don’t panic.  Keep testing till the curds set.
6. Once set, don’t try to spin the bowl any more, just remove it gently and note the time elapsed.

Watch what I mean in this video.

Now you have to multiply a factor by the total time it took for the curd mass to set by a figure listed in the table below. (Source: Cheese Forum Wiki)

The factor (normally between 2 and 6) is multiplied by the time it took to reach flocculation point, giving you the time to cut the curd.

So if flocculation time is, for example, 15 minutes, then for Parmesan, total time since adding rennet to when cut is 37 and a half minutes.  This is the optimum time to cut the curd for the type of cheese you are making.

The Cheese Forum states;

“The reason for the different multipliers for different cheese type recipes is because the curd at time of cutting will have different strength, young curd set will more readily release water when cut versus older curd set will release less.”

So as I mentioned in my previous post;

A soft cheese usually has a higher flocculation time, and a larger curd cut, keeping more moisture in the cheese.

A hard cheese on the other hand has a lower flocculation time, and a smaller curd cut, releasing more whey for a firmer, drier cheese.

I hope this explains the flocculation method in more detail.  I tried this method during the last Caerphilly that I made, and I did notice an improvement in the curd structure during stirring.

Try it out on the next batch of cheese you make.  I would be interested in your results.

Well, so do a lot of budding curd nerds from the looks of this weeks email.  It comes from Dave who lives somewhere in the U.S.

Hi Gavin,

I just wanted to thank you so much for what you’re doing. A friend and I are trying to learn to make cheese and other things from home, but most sites put a high premium on the knowledge. I live in the U.S. and our economy is starting to fall apart. We decided that not only is it better to be natural but, it is also a kind of security to know how to do these things if there ever is an economic crisis – which the signs say there is going to be one. So to repeat, most folks out there are capitalizing on the need but you’re doing a lot of this stuff for free. It means a lot to me and I’m sure to many others. You’re a kind of mother culture for many other aspiring cheese-makers and “greenies.” Thank you.

That being said, I have a question that plagues me and my newbie cheese-making friend: Why do cheese curds need to be cut in a particular size if we are going to break them up in the first place? It seems like an arbitrary step since every batch of cheese is ultimately broken down to the same size. What are we intellectually missing here? Why do they have to be cut uniform if they’re gonna be reduced and broken by stirring. The way it looks to us is like we’re told to cut curds in one inch squares and then throw them into a blender. We’re told that the size of the cubes will determine the moisture and the texture of the cheese. Do you see the confusion? You’re advice is much appreciated and thanks so much for what you’re doing for us. It’s strange to me how you’re having a global impact from your own home!

Thanks, Dave

Thank you Dave.  I have never been referred to a mother culture before, but it sounds nice and earthy.   A father culture, definitely!

So to answer your question, there is a very good reason why we cut curds size differently or in fact in some cheeses, we don’t cut at all.  It all has to do with the moisture content of the finished cheese.  The smaller the curd cut, the more whey that is expelled.You will also notice that the flocculation time (time taken to set after adding rennet) is much longer in a cheese like Camembert (60 minutes), than say Parmesan (45 minutes or less).  It makes a big difference to the finished product.

A soft cheese usually has a higher flocculation time, and a larger curd cut, keeping more moisture in the cheese.

A hard cheese on the other hand has a lower flocculation time, and a smaller curd cut, releasing more whey for a firmer, drier cheese.

One thing I will recommend is that once the curds are cut, let them ‘heal’ for 5 minutes before stirring again.  You will find that the cubes will stay together better, and just shrink during stirring, expelling whey as you cook the curds.  Curds should always be stirred gently, so that they are not broken apart forcefully.  In fact, everything about cheese making is very Zen like.  Slow and methodical makes the best cheese.

Enjoy your new curd knowledge!