How to Make Cheddar Cheese

Few cheddar cheeses purchased at the grocery store can compare to the taste of homemade cheddar cheese. The cheese-making process is time-consuming, but otherwise, making your own cheddar is not especially difficult.

Ingredients

Makes roughly 2 lb (900 g) cheddar cheese

2 gallons (8 L) fresh, raw milk
1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) mesophilic culture
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) liquid animal rennet dissolved in 1/2 cup (125 ml) cool, non-chlorinated water
2 Tbsp (30 ml) fine sea salt

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Cooking the Cheese

1
Heat the milk in a large stockpot. Pour the milk into your stockpot and heat it over medium heat until it reaches an even temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 degrees Celsius).^{[1]
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Research source}
- You can use either cow's milk or goat's milk, but either way, it should be raw.
- The temperature can be as low as 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29.4 degrees Celsius) when you begin. Check the temperature with an instant-read food thermometer.
2
Mix in the mesophilic culture. Sprinkle the culture over the surface of the milk and whisk it in, making sure that it is thoroughly combined and dissolved.
- Let the cultured milk ripen for 1 hour.
- Note that you could also use 1 packet of direct-set mesophilic culture instead of bulk mesophilic culture.
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3
Add the rennet solution. Slowly pour the diluted rennet into the milk, whisking continuously as you add it and for at least 5 minutes after all the rennet has been added.
- Let the milk set for 1 to 2 hours. A curd should develop in this time, and it should be firm enough for you to cut cleanly with a knife.
- If you do not want to use liquid animal rennet, you could use 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) double-strength liquid vegetable rennet dissolved in 1/2 cup (125 ml) water or 1/4 tablet vegetable rennet dissolved in 1/2 cup (125 ml) water.
4
Cut the curds into cubes. Use a long knife to cut the curds into 1/4-inch (6.5-mm) cubes. The cubes do not have to be perfectly even, but they should be approximately the same size.
- Let the curds sit for an additional 15 minutes, or until they get a little firmer.
5
Raise the temperature and continue cooking. Gradually raise the temperature of the milk until it reaches 100 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 to 38.8 degrees Celsius). Stir the curds with a long-handled spoon every few minutes to prevent them from matting or clumping.
- It will usually take about 30 to 45 minutes for the curds to reach this temperature.
- After the curds reach your desired temperature, let them continue to cook for another 30 to 45 minutes. Again, stir gently every few minutes to prevent matting.
- Remove the curds from the heat if they get too hot.
- During this time, the curds will begin to shrink considerably.
6
Line a colander with cheesecloth. Place the colander in a large, clean sink or basin and line it with enough cheesecloth to cover the sides completely.
- Meanwhile, let the curds settle to the bottom of the pot for about 20 minutes.
7
Drain the whey. Pour the contents of the pot through your cheesecloth-lined colander. Rest the colander over a clean sink, basin, or the empty stockpot.
- Drain for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the curds from becoming too clumpy or matted.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Cheddaring the Cheese

1
Turn the curds out onto a cutting board.^{[2]
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Research source} Cut them into five evenly-sized slices.
- When you turn the curds out onto your cutting board, they should be semi-solid. The texture will resemble that of jelly or gelatin.
- Return the sliced curds to the dried, empty stockpot. Cover well with the lid or with aluminum foil.
2
Fill a basin with hot water. The water should be about 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.8 degrees Celsius).
- Make sure that the basin or sink is at least as deep as your stockpot, and fill it 1/2 to 2/3 full so that the part of the stockpot where the cheese rests will be completely submerged.
3
Place the pot in the hot water. Place the stockpot in the basin, making sure that the water does not reach the lid or seep into the pot itself.
- The curds need to be kept at a consistent temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius) for 2 hours. Refresh the water, if needed, to keep the contents of the stockpot hot.
- Turn the slices of cheese curd every 15 minutes.
- This process is known as "cheddaring," and it is thanks to this process that cheddar cheese has its trademark flavor.
4
Cut the slices into cubes. Once the 2 hours pass, the curds should be very firm and have a slight shine to them. Remove them and cut the slices into 1/2-inch (1.25-cm) cubes.
- Place the curds back in the stockpot once cubed.
5
Return to the hot water. Cover the stockpot and return it to the hot water. Let it sit in the hot water for another 30 minutes.
- Make sure that the water is still 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.8 degrees Celsius).
- Stir the cheese curds with your fingers every 10 minutes during this stage.
6
Add salt. Remove the pot from the hot water and add the salt. Stir it in gently using your hands.
- The salt should completely coat the curds.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Pressing the Cheese

1
Line the cheese press with cheesecloth. Place a clean piece of cheesecloth over the bottom of the cylinder compartment. The cheesecloth should be large enough to extend up to the top of the cylinder basin.
- A home cheese press is all you need for this. These presses usually consist of a round cylinder, in which you will put the cheese, with guide rods on both sides. There should also be a pressure arm that allows you to change the amount of pressure applied to the cheese.
- Cheese presses are needed for the creation of hard cheeses, including cheddar cheese.
2
Add the cheese and press for 15 minutes. Place the curds in the bottom of the cheese press and wrap them up with the cheesecloth.
- Crank the pressure arm until the gauge indicates that you are applying 10 lbs (4.5 kg) of pressure. Let the cheese sit in the cheese press for 15 minutes at this pressure.
3
Increase the pressure and continue pressing. Increase the pressure to 40 lbs (18 kg) and press for 12 hours.
- Flip the cheese over and change the cheesecloth to a fresh piece before continuing to press the cheese.
4
Increase the pressure once more and continue pressing. Bump up the pressure to 50 lbs (22.5 kg) and press for an additional 24 hours.
- Flip the cheese over and change the cheesecloth to a fresh piece before continuing to press the cheese.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Aging the Cheese

1
Let the cheese air dry. Remove the cheese from the cheese press after the 24 hours pass. Place it on a cheese board and let it dry for 2 to 5 days.
- The cheese should dry at room temperature. Keep it in a fairly light, dry location and away from excess humidity or moisture.
- The exact amount of time it takes to dry the cheese will vary depending on how humid the air is.
- When ready, the cheese should be dry to the touch. It should have also developed a protective rind.
2
Wax your cheddar cheese.^{[3]
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Research source} Cheese wax prevents hard cheeses, like cheddar, from drying out and growing mold as they age.
- Prepare the cheese for waxing by wiping the surface with a small piece of cheesecloth dipped in white vinegar. This will get rid of any visible or unseen mold. Chill the cheese in your refrigerator for a few hours before you apply the wax.
- Remove a 4-inch by 4-inch (10-cm by 10-cm) piece of cheese wax.
- Place the cheese wax in the top part of a double boiler and fill the bottom with water. Heat it over medium heat until it melts and reaches about 210 degrees Fahrenheit (98.9 degrees Celsius).
- Dip a natural bristle brush into the melted wax and coat the wheel of cheese with the wax, working with one surface at a time. Let the wax on one surface cool before waxing another surface.
- You should apply at least two coats of wax over the entire surface. Let dry completely.
3
Let the cheese age in your refrigerator. Place the cheese in your refrigerator and store it there for at least 60 days before enjoying.
- The cheese should ideally sit at a temperature between 55 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit (12.8 to 15.6 degrees Celsius).
- If you prefer a sharper flavor, age the cheese for 3 to 24 months. The longer you age the cheese within this time frame, the sharper the flavor will be.
- Ages and flavors:
  - Mild: 3-4 months
  - Sharp 4-12 months
  - Extra Sharp 2 years
  - Older cheeses are just referred to by age
4
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

Why do you age cheese?

HumanBeing

Top Answerer

Cheddar is an aged cheese. The aging process develops the flavour. If you do not age cheddar cheese, it is not cheddar cheese. This recipe will obviously not replicate the sharp-tasting, natural cheese originally from the British village of Cheddar in Somerset.