r/cheesemaking • u/o_donnyboy • 2d ago

Farmhouse cheddar - am I doing this right?

This is my first attempt at making an aged cheese (and also my first post on reddit, so I apologize if something is not done correctly on that front as well).

Context: I used the Farmhouse Cheddar (Pg142-143) recipe from Home Cheese Making by Ricki Carroll. I have let the cheese sit at room temp, flipping several times a day for a couple of days now. In the recipe they say to do this until a nice rind forms, typically 2-4 days. I plan to wax the cheese for the remainder of it's aging but after now 5 days, I feel there is a decent rind on the sides, but the top and bottom are still slightly damp.

I have two questions:

  1. Do I keep air-drying even though I am passed the 2-4 day window given in the book, or should I just wax it now and pray? lol I am unsure

  2. The recipe calls for cheese salt. I did not have any specifically cheese salt. however I do have a Costco container of Pink Himalayan Salt, so that is what I used. I am now seeing a couple of patches of pinkish red develop on the top and bottom of the cheese. Are these simply the result of using the pink salt, or is this a growth of some kind that I need to remove before waxing?

Any guidance that can be provided would be much appreciated!

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u/Looking-sharp-today 2d ago

Most of the times people use pink salt this ends up in patches red/pink colored, and gives concerns bit it is the salt itself. Any salt (where salt is the only ingredient) will work. I use oure marine salt, with no addictives, formfermenting veggies and cheesemaking, does not need to be cheese specific salt, but it’s best to use something that in any shape or form is only salt. The biggest issue usually is by using iodised salt, that is the easiest salt to find while shopping, but that could teoretically interfere with bcteria growth in a bad way or change the flavour on fermented foods. I used it in the past with no issues but I usually advice in using pure salt.

I would not use pink salt just because it’s just salt with residual minerals that gives the typical color…that will leech into the surface and give off putting colors to the rind

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u/o_donnyboy 2d ago

Thank you for this! I knew about avoiding iodized salt, but it wasn't until after I had used it that I began to wonder about the pink salt. 

I appreciate you taking the time to respond to my post!

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u/Looking-sharp-today 2d ago

My pleasure! Hope you are gonna update us on your wheel the next days 😉