Cheddar cheese is manufactured in a specialised manner to give it the name Cheddar Cheese The process of cheddaring the cheese makes it unique in taste and texture. The Cheddar Cheese has got its name after a village called Cheddar in Somerset situated in South West England, where it finds its origins. The manufactures has spread its wings all round the globe since then and the name has become generic to more about of Cheddar cheese you can visit at www.goldenagecheese.com.
The process of Cheddar Cheeses includes
Milks - needs to be ripened which means the lactic acid would turn lactose into lactic acid. This is vital for the production of Cheese curds that later forms Cheddar Cheese.
• Adding of Rennet - Rennet is an enzyme which is collected from the stomach of the milk fed calf, termed as natural rennet. This helps is coagulation of the milk proteins to product Cheese Curds
• Equipment - Vats, milling machines, steel knives are all required to process the cheese, in various stages.
• Setting Cheese Curds and then tasting it _ the mixture is allowed to set and form Cheese curds, kept at a temperature of 29 to 31 degree centigrade. The temperature is controlled by running warm water through the jacket of the vat.
• Cutting and cooking the curd - The Cheese curd is cooked by adding hot water to the vat jacket, stirring the curds constantly, to avoid uneven cooking. This is then cut into cubes using wired knives made of steel.
• Setting and draining the curd - Whey is removed from the cheese curds by letting it drain from the vat. There is a gate to prevent the curds from escaping.
• Cheddaring - This is the multi step process which lends the cheddar cheese its unique flavour.
• Setting - The cheese curds are allowed to set so that they reach a PH balance of about 6.4.
• Cutting the loaves - The loaves are cut about 15 centimetres wide along each side of the vat, then they are turned over after ten minutes
• Stacking the loaves - They are stacked till the acidity of the whey is between 5.1 and 5.3, thus is checked constantly.
• Milling the curds- When the turning process is complete, the loaves are cut into size that fits in the mill. The milled curds are stirred so that they do not re-mat.
• Salting - The amount of salt to be added varies, and it needs to be mixed thoroughly. The salt helps to remove the whey from the cheese so that moisture content is lowered, and thus adds flavour
• Packaging and pressing - The cheese is weighed into moulds that re used to press the curds to form blocks of Cheddar.
• Aging - The Cheddar Cheese can age from one year to twelve years. Aging time depends on the type of Cheddar cheese that is being made.
