# cheese question



## Jo~* (Oct 26, 2007)

http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Cheese/Cheese_course/Cheese_course.htm
On the site above their is a recipe for basic cheese for one gallon of milk that my husband has been making for about two weeks now.
Every day or two he makes it and is having great fun with his new hobby. I WAS getting ready to dry my doe up :sigh but I'll let him have his fun since its the first time he has taken an intrest in my goats. 
He has been adding a fresh salsa to it and it comes out as a sort of soft really good tasting cheese. What I want to know if if you can vacuum seal it and how long it would last, or is it something you need to eat right away. 
Thanks


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## linuxboy (Oct 26, 2009)

mixing salsa with the curds? Or how?

yes, can vacuum seal. Shelf life depends on moisture content (among other things)


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## Jo~* (Oct 26, 2007)

linuxboy said:


> mixing salsa with the curds? Or how?
> 
> yes, can vacuum seal. Shelf life depends on moisture content (among other things)


Yes he is mixing the salsa with the curds by hand. Before he adds the salsa he drains/squeezes as much of the liquid out of it as he can. He is having lots of fun with this! Is their a dry "form" of salsa he should use instead? Certain spices I guess is what I mean or is the salsa fine to use. We both are very novice at cheese making. I dont have the desire to make cheese so much but if thats what it take for hubby to "like" my girls I'll roll with it. 
Thanks for your reply.

JoAnn


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## linuxboy (Oct 26, 2009)

So, the big deal with salsa is if it has bacteria/molds in it. If it does, it contaminates the inside of the cheese. So there's a need to use freshly opened salsa.

The other big deal is the moisture. Residual liquid in the cheeses is not good. But, if he mixes with the curds, and presses, it should drain along with the whey. And squeezing the liquid out helps, too.

If the liquid is out, it will age OK. If not, it will have off flavors, such as bitterness.

If the cheese is soft (like a monterey jack), it will also age quickly (2-3 months, max).

Try it and see and let us know. Lots of variables mean it's somewhat difficult to predict.


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