Oak-smoked cheddar

Oak-smoked cheddar adapted to a 10 L batch. 10 L milk. Shared calculations and pH notes.

Milk: 10 L milk
Make: about 1–2 days
Salt at: before moulding
Affinage: 4–12 weeks, 13–15 °C

Ingredients

Whole milkPasteurised, not UHT: 10 L
Calcium chloride, 30%: 2.07 mL
MA 4001/4002 mesophilic culture: 0.415 tsp
LH 100 adjunct cultureOptional: 0.104 tsp
Rennet, 200 IMCU/mL0.56source tsp×5×10/13.5: 2.07 mL
Liquid smoke: 2.50 mL
Cheese saltNominal 20 g; weigh curd: 2% drained curd weight

Stage	Time	°C	pH	Do	Notes
Milk
Pasteurise				Skip for this cheese	Use already-pasteurised milk; this heating stage is skipped.
Culture	2–5 min	32	≈6.6predicted, milk	Add diluted calcium chloride; sprinkle culture, rehydrate 2 min and stir gently.
Ripen	45 min	32	≈6.4predicted, milk	Cover and ripen, maintaining temperature.
Rennet	52.5 min or clean break	32	≈6.1predicted, curd	Dilute rennet just before use; stir up/down 30 s, still milk and cover.
Curd
Cut and rest	5 min rest	32	≈6.0predicted, curd	Cut to 10–15 mm cubes; allow cut faces to heal without stirring.
Scald	30 min +30 min	35	≈5.6predicted, curd	Heat 32→38 °C 30 min; hold and stir 30 min.
Pitch	5 min	38	≈5.6predicted, curd	Drain whey to curd level.
Stir				Skip for this cheese
Shape
Drain and form	90–120 min	38.5	5.3source target, curd; act on measurement	Drain and stack at 38–39 °C, turning every 15–20 min.
Mill	5 min	38	≈5.3predicted, curd	Mill curd.
Salt	15 min rest	38	≈5.3predicted, curd	Mix salt and liquid smoke; rest 15 min.
Press	15 h / closure	23.5	≈5.1predicted, curd	Light press 1 h; medium 6–8 h, turn midway; final 6–8 h. Flip/redress at changes.	Source 13.5 L loads 11.2 kg, 28.1 kg, 39.4 kg; adjust to actual mould area, not directly to milk volume.
Cave
Affinage	4–12 weeks	14	≈5.1make-end baseline; recheck during aging	Air-dry until the rind is matte, then mature at 13–15 °C and 80–85% RH, turning as directed.	Dry 1–2 days 22 °C/65–70% RH first. Age 13–15 °C/80–85% RH; turn every 2 days first 2 weeks, weekly thereafter.

Source and cheese-specific notes

British Territorials Recipes.txt — Oak-smoked cheddar; Smoked_Cheddar_Dashboard_13_5L.docx

Source offers a much larger alternative smoke dose; this version retains the stated 3.38 mL/13.5 L, scaled to 2.50 mL.

≈ marks an illustrative prediction. Source targets and recorded readings are labelled separately; recorded readings are historical context, not targets for a new batch. Use a calibrated meter and the correct sample medium. Read the shared method and assumptions.