CheeseXML 1.00
18th-century farmhouse cheddar
Ingredients
| Whole milk, not ultra-pasteurized | 2 gal |
| Cultured buttermilk (if milk is pasteurized) | 0.25 cup |
| Liquid rennet | 0.5 tsp |
| Non-iodized cheese salt | 2 tbsp |
Process
| # | Steps | Plan | Facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heat the milk to 32 °C Heat the vat to the culture temperature published for this make. | Heat · Milk preparation · Temperature: 32 °C | |
| 2 | Add culture Sprinkle the starter, rehydrate, then rest at temperature. | Step code · Ripening · Temperature: 32 °C · Time: 45 min · Addition: Amount: 0.25 cup | |
| 3 | Add rennet, then wait floc × multiplier Dilute the coagulant, stir about 1 minute, remove the stirrer, then wait until a clean break (floc time × multiplier). | Step code · Coagulation · Temperature: 32 °C · Time: 36 min · Flocculation: 12 min × 3 · Stir: Duration: 1 min · Until: Clean break · Addition: Amount: 0.5 tsp; Dilute in: 0.25 cup | |
| 4 | Cut the curd Cut vertical, rest, then horizontal to the published grain size. | Cut · Cutting · Size: 8 mm · Curd cuts: Cut: Size: 8 mm; Wait: 5 min; Cut: Size: 8 mm · Settle: Duration: 5 min | |
| 5 | Heal the grain Let the grains rest so the cuts seal. | Step code · Healing · Time: 5 min · Settle: Duration: 5 min | |
| 6 | First stir Stir gently so the grains separate and do not mat. | Stir · Stirring · Stir: Duration: 5 min | |
| 7 | Cook to 38 °C Heat the grain at the published rate, stirring so it does not mat. | Step code · Cooking · Temperature: 38 °C · Ramp: From: 32 °C; To: 38 °C · Rate: 1 °C | |
| 8 | Settle the grain Stop stirring and let the grains sink before the whey draw. | Step code · Healing · Time: 5 min · Settle: Duration: 5 min | |
| 9 | Draw whey and hoop Draw whey to the grain and fill the hoop. | Drain · Draining · Flips: Turn: After: 5 min; Turn: After: 15 min | |
| 10 | Press Rennet, cut, cook, drain, and cheddar by stacking slabs. Mill, salt, press, and age. | Press · Pressing · Pressing: Stage: Mass: 20 lb; Duration: 15 min; Stage: Mass: 40 lb; Duration: 12 h · Turn: Every 15 min | |
| 11 | Salt / brine Salt the wheel as published — brine or dry salt. | Step code · Salting | |
| 12 | Age Rennet, cut, cook, drain, and cheddar by stacking slabs. Mill, salt, press, and age. | Age · Aging |
18th-century farmhouse cheddar
Hard cheese · Difficulty: 4
Batch scale
Scale factor:
Description
Practical Self Reliance 18th-century farmhouse cheddar: raw milk and no commercial cultures, or pasteurized milk with cultured buttermilk as starter. A historic farmhouse method.
Recipe details
- Style
- Hard cheese
- Country
- United Kingdom
- PDO
- No
- Schema version
- 1.00
- Type
- Home recipe
- Vegetarian
- Yes
- Created
- 2026-09-09
- License
- CC-BY-4.0
- Author
- CheeseXML 1.00 reference set
- Units
- US
- Milk
- Cow milk, Raw, Not homogenized
- Milk volume
- 2 gal
- Expected yield
- 2 lb
- Yield ratio
- 0.119826 ratio
- Active time
- 180 min
- Total time
- 12 h
- Scale
- For milk volume: 2 gal
Ingredients
- Whole milk, not ultra-pasteurized — 2 gal
Role: Base milk · Kind: Whole milk
- Cultured buttermilk (if milk is pasteurized) — 0.25 cup
Role: Culture · Kind: Culture · Optional: Yes
- Liquid rennet — 0.5 tsp
Role: Coagulant · Kind: Rennet
Preparation: Dilute in: 0.25 cup; Instruction: Dilute in cool non-chlorinated water.
- Non-iodized cheese salt — 2 tbsp (Details: Salt: Dry salting; Iodized: No)
Role: Salt · Kind: Salt
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pot
- Dairy thermometer
- Curd knife
- Slotted ladle
- Cheese hoop / mold
- Cheese press
- Follower
- Butter muslin / cheesecloth
- Aging fridge or cave
- Cheese wax
Process
Heat the milk to 32 °C
Heat · Milk preparation
Heat the vat to the culture temperature published for this make.
Temperature: 32 °C
Add culture
Step code · Ripening
Sprinkle the starter, rehydrate, then rest at temperature.
Temperature: 32 °C · Time: 45 min · Addition: Amount: 0.25 cup
Add rennet, then wait floc × multiplier
Step code · Coagulation
Dilute the coagulant, stir about 1 minute, remove the stirrer, then wait until a clean break (floc time × multiplier).
Temperature: 32 °C · Time: 36 min · Flocculation: 12 min × 3 · Stir: Duration: 1 min · Until: Clean break · Addition: Amount: 0.5 tsp; Dilute in: 0.25 cup
Cut the curd
Cut · Cutting
Cut vertical, rest, then horizontal to the published grain size.
Size: 8 mm · Curd cuts: Cut: Size: 8 mm; Wait: 5 min; Cut: Size: 8 mm · Settle: Duration: 5 min
Heal the grain
Step code · Healing
Let the grains rest so the cuts seal.
Time: 5 min · Settle: Duration: 5 min
First stir
Stir · Stirring
Stir gently so the grains separate and do not mat.
Stir: Duration: 5 min
Cook to 38 °C
Step code · Cooking
Heat the grain at the published rate, stirring so it does not mat.
Temperature: 38 °C · Ramp: From: 32 °C; To: 38 °C · Rate: 1 °C
Settle the grain
Step code · Healing
Stop stirring and let the grains sink before the whey draw.
Time: 5 min · Settle: Duration: 5 min
Draw whey and hoop
Drain · Draining
Draw whey to the grain and fill the hoop.
Flips: Turn: After: 5 min; Turn: After: 15 min
Press
Press · Pressing
Rennet, cut, cook, drain, and cheddar by stacking slabs. Mill, salt, press, and age.
Pressing: Stage: Mass: 20 lb; Duration: 15 min; Stage: Mass: 40 lb; Duration: 12 h · Turn: Every 15 min
Salt / brine
Step code · Salting
Salt the wheel as published — brine or dry salt.
Age
Age · Aging
Rennet, cut, cook, drain, and cheddar by stacking slabs. Mill, salt, press, and age.
Aging
Duration: 60 d; Stage: Name: Farmhouse aging; Duration: 60 d; Temperature: 12 °C
Storage
Temperature: 10 °C; Shelf life: 120 d
Allergens
Allergen: Milk
Safety
Use milk that is not ultra-pasteurized. Pasteurize unknown raw milk. Sanitize equipment.
Source
Title: 50+ Cheesemaking Recipes — 18th Century Farmhouse Cheddar; Creator: Ashley Adamant / Practical Self Reliance; Year: 2023; URL: https://practicalselfreliance.com/cheesemaking-recipes/