Queso Fresco

[estricklin]

Made a batch of Queso Fresco this evening, it's currently in the press, at about 9 lbs, where I plan to leave it all night. A lot of people don't care for this cheese but I love it.

I cut the curds a little larger than the 1/4 inch I was shooting for, live and learn. This is almost the simplest cheese one can make.

 

[passedpawn]

Made a batch of Queso Fresco this evening, it's currently in the press, at about 9 lbs, where I plan to leave it all night. A lot of people don't care for this cheese but I love it.

I cut the curds a little larger than the 1/4 inch I was shooting for, live and learn. This is almost the simplest cheese one can make.

I like it - have half a wheel in the fridge now.

I make tacos regularly. Flank steak on the grill, sliced thin. In addition to regular fixings, we like pineapple in our tacos. And crumbling cheese, like your queso fresco. I have not made it myself.

 

[estricklin]

This cheese was somewhat of a failure. The recipe called for 1.5 tsp of salt, which I thought was way low, and yeah it was. The recipe came from Artisan Cheesemaking at Home, I'm thinking this was some sort of typo. When I tasted it the next morning, I could tell it didn't have nearly enough salt, and was worried it would get very sour. I decided to brine it in 10% solution for 8 hours. That helped a lot, but wasn't enough. So about 48 hours later I put it in 15% solution for 48 hours (was only planning 24) and I removed it from that brine last night. Will taste test with lunch.

 

[passedpawn]

This cheese was somewhat of a failure. The recipe called for 1.5 tsp of salt, which I thought was way low, and yeah it was. The recipe came from Artisan Cheesemaking at Home, I'm thinking this was some sort of typo. When I tasted it the next morning, I could tell it didn't have nearly enough salt, and was worried it would get very sour. I decided to brine it in 10% solution for 8 hours. That helped a lot, but wasn't enough. So about 48 hours later I put it in 15% solution for 48 hours (was only planning 24) and I removed it from that brine last night. Will taste test with lunch.

I have the errata for that book and there is no correction for that recipe.

However, Ricci Carrol's cheese book uses 2 tablespoons, for that same recipe, 4x more than Caldwell. So you're probably right about it being a typo.

 

[estricklin]

I have the errata for that book and there is no correction for that recipe.

However, Ricci Carrol's cheese book uses 2 tablespoons, for that same recipe, 4x more than Caldwell. So you're probably right about it being a typo.

It's not the first time. The recipes that call for MA4001 call for enough starter to inoculate 3-4x the amount of milk. If you follow the recipe your cheese will be pretty sour. The stirring instructions are suspect in many of the recipes as well, take the Jack for example, I literally had to circumvent the recipe to get the cheese to turn out decent by stirring much less than what the recipe called for. I don't want to blame my poor cheese making skills on the recipes, but having a good recipe to start with would probably make this easier. I'm going to purchase a new book, and possibly follow some recipes at reputable online sources as well.


As for the Queso Fresco, it's too salty, I knew it likely would be. I had rowing practice the night I should have removed it from the brine, and I cycled home (13 miles) after rowing, I crashed when I got home and forgot about the cheese.

 

[passedpawn]

It's not the first time. The recipes that call for MA4001 call for enough starter to inoculate 3-4x the amount of milk. If you follow the recipe your cheese will be pretty sour. The stirring instructions are suspect in many of the recipes as well, take the Jack for example, I literally had to circumvent the recipe to get the cheese to turn out decent by stirring much less than what the recipe called for. I don't want to blame my poor cheese making skills on the recipes, but having a good recipe to start with would probably make this easier. I'm going to purchase a new book, and possibly follow some recipes at reputable online sources as well.


As for the Queso Fresco, it's too salty, I knew it likely would be. I had rowing practice the night I should have removed it from the brine, and I cycled home (13 miles) after rowing, I crashed when I got home and forgot about the cheese.

I initally had good experiences with the Artisan book. But after some suspect cheeses, I got the Ricci Carrol book and have stuck with that since. Also, I have the ebook from the aussie Gavin Webber, those are also solid recipes.

 

[passedpawn]

I had rowing practice the night I should have removed it from the brine, and I cycled home (13 miles) after rowing, I crashed when I got home and forgot about the cheese.

Rowing in okahoma? I'm not good at geography, but I assumed Oklahoma was mostly prairie-like. You know, "where the wind comes whipping round the plains".

 

[estricklin]

I initally had good experiences with the Artisan book. But after some suspect cheeses, I got the Ricci Carrol book and have stuck with that since. Also, I have the ebook from the aussie Gavin Webber, those are also solid recipes.

I just bought the Ricci Carrol book, going to naw on it while I watch GOT tonight.

 

[estricklin]

Rowing in okahoma? I'm not good at geography, but I assumed Oklahoma was mostly prairie-like. You know, "where the wind comes whipping round the plains".

I was shocked too. I moved here a couple of years ago. Olympians actually train here. Company pays for us to have a team, and I love the outdoors and being on the water.

https://www.riversportokc.org/visit/faqs/boathouse-district/