# Additions to pressed cheeses



## Cotton Eyed Does (Oct 26, 2007)

DH wants me to make a jalapeno pepper cheese. When I am ready to salt my curds can I add some dried red pepper flakes and some finely diced jalapeno pepper to it or will the fresh jalapeno pepper cause it to spoil? Should I just stick with the dried red pepper flakes? Or what would you do to flavor it?


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## Cotton Eyed Does (Oct 26, 2007)

By the way I am making cheese today. I have 2 2 gallon batches going now. I have the curds in a sink of hot water waiting their 30 minutes before cutting.


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## linuxboy (Oct 26, 2009)

Add at least partially dehydrated. If you add fresh, you should soak in citric acid or sorbate to kill any bacteria/yeasts/molds. Also, if you add fresh, the moisture is too high and it will turn out a bit odd... like with moisture pockets around the bits of pepper. ideally, you want lower moisture in whatever you are adding so that it soaks up moisture from the pressed curds, and then come to equilibrium during aging.

I have tried cheese with fresh peppers added... not a big fan. They tend to pop out and not adhere to the cheese, and generally outcome is not optimal.

However, if you are making an ultra fresh cheese, like a derby that you plan to eat in 4 weeks, it's not a huge deal to use regular chopped peppers because there's less time for things to go wrong.


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## Cotton Eyed Does (Oct 26, 2007)

Thanks for explaining that to me. I just added some red pepper flakes to it. Got it pressing now.


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