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Home cheese-making

Cheddar-style

AdvancedAbout Cheddar

A full day's make with cheddaring, milling and pressing, then months of ageing.

Hands-on
5 h
Waiting
1 day
Ageing
3–12 months (or more)
Yield
About 0.9–1 kg from 10 litres

Milk & ingredients

8–10 litres pasteurised whole cow's milk (not UHT)

  • 8–10 litres milk
  • Mesophilic culture
  • Rennet
  • Calcium chloride (shop milk)
  • Cheese salt (about 2% of curd weight)
  • Cheese wax or bandage + lard

Culture: Mesophilic

Coagulant: Rennet

Equipment

  • Large pot or vat with water bath
  • Thermometer
  • pH meter (recommended)
  • Cheese press (to about 20–25 kg)
  • Moulds and cloths
  • Ageing space at 10–13 °C, 80–85% humidity (wine fridge with hygrometer)

Temperatures by stage

StageTemperature
Ripen31 °C
Cook curdsUp to 38–39 °C over 30–40 minutes
CheddaringKeep around 38 °C
Age10–13 °C, 80–85% RH

Steps

  1. 1.
    WaitingRipen milk with culture at 31 °C for 45–60 minutes.
  2. 2.
    WaitingAdd rennet; set about 45 minutes; cut into 1 cm cubes.
  3. 3.
    Hands-onCook slowly to 38–39 °C, stirring, then hold 30 minutes.
  4. 4.
    Hands-onDrain; let the curd mat into a slab. Cut into slabs and stack and turn every 15 minutes for 1–2 hours, keeping warm (cheddaring) until the curd is stringy like cooked chicken breast.
  5. 5.
    Hands-onMill into finger-sized pieces; mix in salt at about 2% of curd weight.
  6. 6.
    WaitingPress gradually: light for 30 minutes, heavier overnight (about 20–25 kg).
  7. 7.
    WaitingAir-dry 2–5 days until the surface is dry, turning daily.
  8. 8.
    AgeingWax, or bandage with lard; age at 10–13 °C, turning regularly.

Storage: Age as above; once cut, wrap and refrigerate.

Troubleshooting

Cracks in rind
Dried too fast or humidity too low.
Bitter
Too much rennet or too little salt.
Swollen cheese
Gas from contamination — discard.

Cook with it

Sources

Guidance changes: check the source for current wording. Original text; figures quoted from the sources where stated.