Description

Ashley Adamant’s full clothbound cheddar: 4 gallons at 86 °F, 45-minute ripen, cook to 100 °F, 2-hour cheddaring, mill, 2 Tbsp salt, press 20→50 lb, cloth or wax, at least 3 months (preferably 6–12) at 50–55 °F.

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, Pasteurized, Not homogenized

Milk volume

4 gal

Expected yield

4 lb

Yield ratio

0.119826 ratio

Active time

300 min

Total time

40 h

Scale

For milk volume: 4 gal

Ingredients

• Whole milk, not ultra-pasteurized — 4 gal

  Role: Base milk · Kind: Whole milk

• Direct-set mesophilic starter (2 packets pasteurized / 1 raw) — 1 item

  Role: Culture · Kind: Culture

  Preparation: Time: 2 min; Instruction: Sprinkle on the milk surface and rehydrate 2 minutes before stirring in.

• Calcium chloride (for pasteurized milk) — 1 tsp

  Role: Mineral · Kind: Calcium chloride · Optional: Yes

  Preparation: Dilute in: 0.25 cup; Instruction: Dilute in cool non-chlorinated water before adding.

• Liquid rennet — 1 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
• Boards for pressing

Process

1. Ripen 45 minutes at 86 °F

   Step code · Ripening

   Heat 4 gallons to 86 °F (30 °C). 2 packets mesophilic for pasteurized milk (1 for raw), 45 minutes. Optional 1 tsp CaCl2. 1 tsp rennet, set 45 minutes.

   Temperature: 30 °C · Time: 45 min · Addition: Amount: 1 item; Rest: 2 min

2. Add CaCl₂

   Step code · Calcium correction

   Dissolve calcium chloride in clean water and stir into pasteurized milk.

   Addition: Amount: 1 tsp; Dilute in: 0.25 cup

3. Cut 1/4 inch, cook to 100 °F

   Step code · Cooking

   Cut 1/4 inch cubes, rest 5 minutes. Raise no more than 2 °F every 5 minutes to 100 °F (38 °C) (≥40 min), hold 30 minutes, settle 20, drain 15.

   Temperature: 38 °C · Size: 6 mm

4. Cheddar 2 hours

   Step code · Cheddaring

   Slice 1-inch strips, stack over 100 °F water, flip every 15 minutes for 2 hours until like cooked chicken breast. Break to 1/2 inch, stir 30 minutes, 2 Tbsp salt.

   Temperature: 38 °C · Time: 2 h

5. Press, cloth, age

   Press · Pressing

   Press 20 lb 30 min, 40 lb 12 h, 50 lb 24 h. Air-dry 2–5 days. Cloth-bind, wax or vacuum. Age 50–55 °F / 85% RH at least 3 months, preferably 6–12.

   Pressing: Stage: Mass: 20 lb; Duration: 15 min; Stage: Mass: 40 lb; Duration: 12 h · Turn: Every 15 min

Aging

Duration: 180 d; Stage: Name: Clothbound cave; Duration: 180 d; Temperature: 11 °C; Humidity: 85 %

Storage

Temperature: 8 °C; Shelf life: 365 d

Allergens

Allergen: Milk

Safety

Use milk that is not ultra-pasteurized. Pasteurize unknown raw milk. Sanitize equipment.

Source

Title: How to Make Cheddar Cheese; Creator: Ashley Adamant / Practical Self Reliance; Year: 2023; URL: https://practicalselfreliance.com/homemade-cheddar-cheese/