How To Use a Cheese Press
When the time comes to press your cheese you will first line the mold with
a 18" square piece of sterile cheesecloth. Prepare the cloth by placing
it into boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove the cloth with tongs
or a spoon and rinse it with cold water. It should then be wrung out and
snapped dry. The curd is then placed into the lined mold and the
excess cloth is folded over top of the curd. Avoid bunching up the
cloth or the cheese will have an irregular surface which allows for the
formation of surface mold. The cloth lining will hold the cheese
curd together as it is removed from the mold and turned over. |
 
As you load curd into the mold be aware that some whey will begin draining
so place the mold where the whey will not run out on the counter or floor.
The whey that is pressed from the cheese must have a place to collect.
The whey catch is placed under the press mold for this purpose. A
catch can be any vessel which is made from non reactive materials such
as food grade plastic or stainless steel. A more complex whey catch
can include a drain spout which removes the whey from around the cheese
into a collection vessel. Since there are holes in the bottom of
the press mold, you will need to set the mold on sticks or a mat in order
to keep it out of the whey. Please note that whey collected from
your cheese press should be discarded. |
The follower, sometimes called a lid, is placed flat side down, on top
of the wrapped curds. Slight adjustments may be necessary to assure
that the curd is level and the surface is flat. You should press
down lightly on the follower to make sure that everything is stable.
The amount of pressure and time
of pressing will depend on the type of cheese being made. Most recipes
will start the pressing with a few pounds of pressure and then increase
the weight over time. It is also important to note that the cheese
must be turned over during the pressing process. This provides for
an even pressing and even distribution of moisture remaining in the cheese. |
The simplest of all weight systems is water. For the needs of the
home cheese maker it is fine to say that a gallon of water weighs 8 pounds.
Therefore a pint, 16 ounces, equals one pound. This method works
fine for pressures up to 8 pounds or 1 gallon of water, providing that
the vessel containing the water can be balanced in place safely.
A more workable weight system can be found at a local
garage sale or flea market. A collection of weights used for body
building will provide all that you need for accurate pressing. Additional
weights can be added to the set as necessary. This method lowers
the overall height on the assembled press, which makes the whole press
more stable. |
| Once the press is assembled, weight
should be applied gently. Dropping weights onto the press will cause
the curd to pack down which create voids inside the cheese. Place
the weights carefully and center them on the follower. Off centered
weights will cause the follower to tilt and bind against the wall of the
mold. |
