Cheese Curds Recipe Basic

CHEESE CURDS RECIPE (BASIC)

Steps:

• Cheese Curds, tasty little bits of fresh cheese perfect for a quick snack Cheese curds are the fresh curds of cheese, often cheddar. Their flavor is mild with about the same firmness as cheese, but has a springy or rubbery texture. Fresh curds squeak against the teeth when bitten into, which some would say is their defining characteristic. The American variety are usually yellow or orange in color, like most American cheddar cheese. Other varieties, such as the Qubcois and the New York varieties, are roughly the same color as white cheddar cheese. After twelve hours, even under refrigeration, they have lost much of their "fresh" characteristics, particularly the "squeak". Room temperature, rather than refrigeration, may preserve the flavor and the "squeak". You can freeze cheese curds for up to 4 months, be aware you will loose the squeak and freshness when eaten after freezing. Cheese Curds are sometimes breaded and deep fried especially in Wisconsin. Cheese curds are a main ingredient in Poutine, a Quebec dish in which cheese curds are served layered on top of french fries, and melting under steaming hot gravy. Heat Milk Start out by bringing 2 Gallons of milk up to a temperature of 96¡F. Once the milk is at 96F, set a timer for 90 minutes (so you can measure the critical process from ripening through scald; this is the critical part and needs to run by the clock) and proceed with the recipe . Optional If you want more color in the curds add 1/4-1/2 tsp of annato cheese coloring at this point Add Calcium Chloride & Culture Next 1/2 tsp of Calcium Chloride is measured out and added to the milk along with a pack of (C201 Thermophilic Culture). The milk is then kept at 96¡F to culture (ripen) the milk for 30 minutes. Coagulate with Rennet Next measure out 1/2 tsp of single strength Liquid Rennet and add this to 1/4 cup of cool water, add and stir the milk gently for about 30 seconds. In about 6-10 minutes the milk will begin to gel and in 18-25 minutes a firm set should take place. This can be tested by inserting a knife and lifting with the broad surface to split the curd as seen above. In a few seconds the cut will fill with clear whey, if it is cloudy wait a few more minutes. Cut the Curds Next cut the curd surface into 3/4inch cubes. Wait 3 minutes then begin to stir. Keeping the temperature at 96¡F and as you stir the curds will become smaller. Cook the Curds You can now begin heating the curds slowly to 116¡F over 30 minutes. They will continue to shrink as more whey is released. About now your timer should be going off. Continue to cook the curds for 30-60 minutes depending on how dry you like them. Drain the Curds Once the curds are cooked, transfer them to a cloth lined colander to drain. The cloth is then gathered by its corners and hung for 15-20 minutes. Then the cloth is twisted tight to press the curds together. Pressing A small plate, placed ontop of the curds, provides an excellent flat surface for pressing. Press with a weight of 1 Gallon of water (app. 8 lbs) and let set 1-3 hours. In about 1-3 hours, youÕll have a nice consolidated mass of curds. Salting & Finishing This curd mass can now be broken into bite size pieces and tossed with a bit of salt. It is now ready for eating. I store the curds in a zip lock bag in the fridge. NOTE: If you have a pH meter, the end of step 5 should be pH6.4 and step 7 pH5.3.

REAL WISCONSIN FRIED CHEESE CURDS

Steps:

• Heat corn oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Whisk together milk, flour, beer, salt, and eggs to form a smooth, rather thin batter. Place cheese curds, about 6 or 8 at a time, into the batter, stir to coat, and remove with wire strainer. Shake the curds a time or two to remove excess batter. Deep fry the curds until golden brown, 1 or 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels; serve hot.

FRIED CHEESE CURDS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the club soda and mix until smooth. Add the cheese curds to the batter and coat thoroughly.
• Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reads 360 degrees F. Fry the cheese curds for about 1 minute, turning halfway through. Drain on paper towels. Serve the fried cheese curds with marinara or your favorite dipping sauce.

DEEP FRIED CHEESE CURDS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the eggs and milk. Mix until smooth. Add more milk for a thinner batter. Coat the cheese curds with the batter.
• Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Fry the coated cheese curds approximately 1 minute each, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.