Pepper Jack, son of Monterey

Kim, kids and friends believe that my signature cheeses so far are Wensleydale, Caerphilly and Pepper Jack.  I tend to agree, but they are yet to sample my Emmenthal, Stilton or Parmesan!  I think that I might start to limit my cheese making efforts to just a few types now that I have found some favourites.  That’s not to say that I won’t experiment once in a while though.

So where’s the recipe I hear you all asking?  Well, hold your horses, here it is.

Pepper Jack Cheese

Makes about 850 gm (2 pounds)

8 litres (2 gallons) whole milk
¼ teaspoon Direct set Mesophylic culture
5 ml Rennet mixed with 25 ml non-chlorinated water
1 ml Calcium Chloride if using homogenised milk
1 tablespoons non-ionised salt
1 teaspoon hot chili flakes
½ cup (125 ml) water

Boil the chilli flakes in the water for 15 minutes.  I bought to the boil and just simmered and when it looked like it was going to boil dry, I added another 60 ml of water at about the 10 minute mark.  Strain and remove the chilli flakes and set aside the chili water.  I used my home-grown birds eye chilli that were sun dried on the bush.

Add the chili water to the milk and stir well.  Using a double boiler, heat the milk to 31°C (88°F). If using homogenised milk, add calcium chloride to ¼ cup of unclorinated water and mix into the milk gently.   Add Mesophylic starter, mix well for a minute, raise the temperature to 32°C (90ºF), cover and allow milk to ripen for 30 minutes.

Keeping the temp at 32°C, add the diluted rennet and stir for one minute.  Cover and let sit for fourty five minutes.  Check for a clean break and cut the curds into 6mm (¼”) cubes.  Maintain the target temp and stir the curds for forty minutes.

Gradually raise the temp to 38°C (100°F) which should take about thirty five minutes.  Stir frequently to keep the curds from matting.  Once the target temp is reached, maintain for 30 minutes and continue stiring (your arms should be sore by now ;-)).  Let the curds rest for five minutes.

Pour off the whey to the level of the curds, taking care not to loose any of the curds.  Let the curds rest for an additional thirty minutes, however stir every 5 minutes to prevent the curds from matting.  While the curds are resting ensure that the target temp of 38°C (100°F) is maintained.  Line a colander with a sterilised cheese cloth and spoon the curds into the colander and toss in the salt and the boiled chili flakes.  Blend well with your clean hands, then let the curds drain for five minutes.

Line a 900g mould with cheese cloth, and fill with the curds.  Cover the curds with the corner of the cheese cloth, top with a follower, and press at 5kg (10lb) for fifteen minutes.  Remove the cheese from the press, and slowly, carefully unwrap it.  Turn the cheese over, rewrap it in the cloth and press at 15kg (30lb) for thirty minutes.  Repeat the unwrapping and turning process, this time pressing at 20kg (40lb) for 12 hours.

Remove the cheese from the press, and take it out of the mould and unwrap the cheese cloth.  Place the cheese on a cheese mat and board and let air dry at room temperature until it is dry to touch (usually 2-5 days).  Mine took 4 days to dry in Autumn.  Turn twice daily to allow for even drying.  Wax the cheese and allow it to ripen for one to three months in a humid cheese cave at 13ºC (55ºF) at 80-85% humidity.  Don’t forget to turn weekly to evenly distibute the fats and flavour.

We gave a small piece to our friend David who really enjoyed the Caerphilly I gifted him a few weeks ago, however we are yet to receive a review.  We have managed to make the cheese last for three weeks so far.  I have learnt that if I cut the wheel into quarters and rewax three quarters, then Kim and I are just a little more hesitent to scoff the whole lot in one weekend.  Once I rewax, I place them in the normal fridge at 4ºC to inhibit the ripening process.  As Dorothy, my cheese instructor once told me, “Cheese is a living organism and you should treat it with the respect it deserves”.

I highly recommend this cheese.  It takes a bit of stiring, however if you are new to the process of making cheese, then give it a go if you like a bitey yet mild cheese.  It is very satisfying to make and to finally eat.  You certainly don’t need any fancy crackers to enjoy this cheese.  Just a plain watercracker or wafer will do fine.