Cheese Press...

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Cheese Press...
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whitelegg1

Joined: 05 Apr 2005
Posts: 409
Location: Woodford Green

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 05 1:41 pm Post subject: Cheese Press...

Just finished making my first hard cheese.

Now I realise I did not press it nearly enough.
One book recomended working up to 1/2 ton of weight!!!
So short of driving the car over it, I think I need a press.

Has anyone built their own press?
I was thinking of making a dutch press, but was not sure of the neccessary dimensions (it's been 17 years since I did A level maths).

The design is pivot then press plunger then a weight on a lever.

Is it the ratio of distances (pivot to weight) vs (pivot to plunger) that gives the multiplier OR the ratio of distances (plunger to weight) vs (pivot to plunger)?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45434
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 05 1:44 pm Post subject: Re: Cheese Press...

whitelegg1 wrote:

Is it the ratio of distances (pivot to weight) vs (pivot to plunger) that gives the multiplier OR the ratio of distances (plunger to weight) vs (pivot to plunger)?

If I had any idea at all what you're on about I'd have probably stayed on at school.

whitelegg1

Joined: 05 Apr 2005
Posts: 409
Location: Woodford Green

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 05 1:46 pm Post subject:
Thanks. I thought I would draw you a diagram. And then DING! I worked out the answer. Pete

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 05 1:47 pm Post subject:
It's the distances from the pivot which are important.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45434
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 05 1:48 pm Post subject:

sean wrote:

It's the distances from the pivot which are important.

Alright you two cut the crap, can we have it in English please?

Wossit look like? Wossit made of? How big is it?

whitelegg1

Joined: 05 Apr 2005
Posts: 409
Location: Woodford Green

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 05 1:52 pm Post subject:
Picture attached. Made of wood. Not sure how big it is. But I'm calculating how big I want to make it.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45434
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 05 1:56 pm Post subject:
So do you hang weights off it?

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 05 1:58 pm Post subject:
I thought they screwed down So Tahir, don't you think it would be spiffing if Whitelegg could let us know how he gets on with his project? You know...a few pics...perhaps some measurements...a few instructions...

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45434
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 05 2:02 pm Post subject:

Bugs wrote:

I thought they screwed down

Me too, that's why i wanted more info. It'd be great to see how you do on it whitelegg1

whitelegg1

Joined: 05 Apr 2005
Posts: 409
Location: Woodford Green

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 05 2:14 pm Post subject:

Normally you do screw down a cheesepress, like a large thumbscrew.

However with this one you can push down on the lever (right of picture) or hang weights off it and walk away.

As the cheese reduces in height, you pull out the pin attaching the lever to the plunger, and put in in higher up.

By the looks of the photo you get approx 3 times the weight since the distance from the pivot on the left to the notch near the end of the lever is APPROX three times the distance from the pivot to the plunger.

I have taken a few pics, which need drastic resizing as the are 12 megapixels!

As I said the first one didn't get nearly enough pressure, so I guess is will only be semi-hard.

But I'm experimenting.

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 05 2:16 pm Post subject:
Have you made much cheese before? What milk do you use/where do you get it from?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45434
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 05 2:25 pm Post subject:
And how much cheese from how much milk? (sorry for all the questions)

whitelegg1

Joined: 05 Apr 2005
Posts: 409
Location: Woodford Green

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 05 2:36 pm Post subject:

I got the instructions form mrsl's forum.
www.mrsl.forumsplace.com

Which seems to be down at the mo!

Basically I:
Put 4 pints of full fat organic in a saucepan and warmed to 39 degrees (I think). I checked it with our digital medical thermometer.

Then I added two tablespoons of yoghurt.

Leave for 45 mins ish.

Then I added vegatable rennet (from the dreaded Tescos). Made up the amount as the instructions on the web did not agree with the packet!

It will then start separating into curds and whey.

Wait until it passes the 'touch it and see if much stays on your finger! test'

Then cut the curd into chunks.

Warm gently for a bit.

The whey should have separated more.

Drain through a muslin in a collander.

Leave to drain.

Add a bit of salt (I put in a teaspoon)

put in a muslin lined mould. I use a round takeaway tub with holes melted in the bottom.

Put some sort of 'lid' on the cheese that fits inside the walls of the mold.

Put weights on the top and leave it for a day or so.

Then remove from the mold, let it air dry for a couple of days. I covered it withe a plate coverer (to keep the cats off).

Then I wraped it in a bit of 'clean' old t-shirt and smeared all over with lard.

This will produce approx 1/2 a pound of cheese.

mrsl's is a bit clearer with the instructions and has helpful pics.

pricey

Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Posts: 6444

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 05 4:44 pm Post subject:
Are we talking cheddar, if so im very interested as tou cant buy srong cheddar in Portugal .Its the only thing i will miss

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 05 9:22 pm Post subject:
Cheddar has a different process to this, called cheddering!! I will post later

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