Montasio

Mixed-starter, cooked and hot-water-finished semi-hard cheese. 10 L milk. Shared calculations and pH notes.

Milk: 10 L milk
Make: about 1 day, plus drying
Salt at: after pressing
Affinage: 2 months,13–16°C

Ingredients

Whole milkAlready pasteurised: 10 L
Calcium chloride solution0.3 mL/L of 10 L milk.: 3.0 mL
Bulk thermophilic starterActive bulk starter: 0.75% of 10 L milk.: 75 mL
Bulk mesophilic starterActive bulk starter: 0.25% of 10 L milk.: 25 mL
Liquid rennet,200 IMCU/mL45 IMCU/L × 10 L ÷ 200 IMCU/mL.: 2.25 mL
Hot wash water52°C, to bring curd/whey to 43°C: as needed
Saturated brineSource brines at 22°C: enough to immerse

Stage	Time	°C	pH	Do	Notes
Milk
Pasteurise				Skip for this cheese	Use already-pasteurised milk; this heating stage is skipped.
Culture	mix, then heat	31	≈6.6predicted, milk	Warm 10 L whole milk to the stated culture temperature. Add 3.0 mL calcium chloride solution, 75 mL active bulk thermophilic starter and 25 mL active bulk mesophilic starter; mix gently.	Stir thoroughly but gently.
Ripen	60 min	31	≈6.5predicted, milk	Hold covered at 31°C.
Rennet	30 min	31	≈6.4predicted, curd	Dilute rennet just before use in about 53 mL cool non-chlorinated water; stir in, still milk and cover.	Check clean break.
Curd
Cut and rest	3 min rest	31	≈6.4predicted, curd	Cut 25 mm columns; rest 3 min, then reduce to 6 mm cubes.
Stir	10 min	31	≈6.4predicted, curd	Stir gently every 3 min.
Scald	40 min +60 min	35	≈5.9predicted, curd	Raise 31→39°C at 1°C/5 min while stirring every 3 min; hold 39°C for 60 min.	Temperature 35°C is ramp mean for modelling; hold is 39°C.
Wash / finish	5 min +10 min	43	≈5.8predicted, curd	Drain to curd level. Add 52°C water over 5 min until vat reaches 43°C; hold 10 min, stirring every 3 min; drain completely.	Water volume is determined by final vat temperature, not all poured at once.
Pitch				Skip for this cheese
Shape
Drain and form	15 min	30	≈5.8predicted, curd	Transfer promptly to a cloth-lined mould. Press at 1.5× estimated wheel weight.	30°C is illustrative curd temperature at transfer.
Press	30 min +12 h	22	≈5.2predicted, curd	Flip and redress; press 1.5× wheel weight 30 min, then flip/redress and press 3× wheel weight 12 h.	Room 22°C assumed for model; source does not state room temperature.
Dry	12–24 h	22	≈5.1predicted, curd	Unmould and air-dry until dry to touch.	Room 22°C assumed.
Salt	by wheel geometry	22	≈5.1predicted, curd	Immerse in saturated brine. Brine 1 h per 450 g cheese per inch(25.4 mm) wheel height; pat dry.	Source specifies 22°C brine; times do not scale directly with milk volume.
Mill				Skip for this cheese
Cave
Affinage	about 2 months	14.5	≈5.1make-end baseline; recheck during aging	Age at 13–16°C and 85%RH; turn regularly.

Source and cheese-specific notes

International Cheese Regulars Recipes.txt — Montasio

Adapted for 10 L ordinary milk. Starter and additive doses below use this actual milk volume. Retain the measured pH and curd-texture endpoints; make times remain guides.

≈ 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.