# First Cheddar - very dry



## jimandpj (Mar 11, 2008)

I am so excited - just cut into my first cheddar and it really did taste like cheddar! :biggrin

But it was very dry.

Could I have waited too long to wax it? It was 4 or 5 days, b/c every time I turned it, it was still wet. Should I have waxed it anyway?

What else could have caused it to be dry?

Thanks!
PJ


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## Guest (Apr 8, 2008)

I made some last year and it was very dry too. It was ate anyway :lol I ask on a forum and what I got back was that either I got the curd too hot or cooked it too long during the cheddaring process. :shrug2


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## Guest (Apr 8, 2008)

Along with the over cooking theory, another thing to consider is that the room where you were drying the cheese prior to waxing may have been too warm. You say the cheese was still wet, but if the room was warm perhaps it was emitting oil and/or moisture. 

Also, for how long and at what temp did you age it?

Christy


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## jimandpj (Mar 11, 2008)

It was fairly warm where it was drying (70-72 range). What should the drying temp be?

It aged in a mini fridge set at the warmest temp (probably about 50 degrees) with a bowl of water in there. 
It aged 6 weeks.

And yes - it definitely was eaten too!
PJ


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## Rose (Oct 26, 2007)

Mine did the same thing. We used it for parmesean. I think I heated the curd too fast.


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## jimandpj (Mar 11, 2008)

Thanks for the input... I'll kep working on it!
PJ


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## BlueHeronFarm (Oct 26, 2007)

My cheddar was the same. I think it is to do partly with heating it too quickly and partly with getting the acidity too high?
Interesting we have all done it! The learning curve is so steep on hard cheeses since it takes at least a month to know how you did.


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