How to Make Castle Blue Cheese

Castle Blue is soft-ripened from six to up to ten weeks until oozing and creamy. Its natural rind displays varying intensities of blue and grey colours, while its paste is scattered with blue veins. I'm looking forward to the taste test in about a month.
Recipe developed by Debra Amrein-Boyes
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[@georgeprout42]

I've just been watching this for about the 3rd time, whilst filling in a worksheet as I'm going to start this one tomorrow (today for you) and something caught my attention. Rather than using a flocculation factor of 4 and then subtracting the initial time, just multiply by 3 instead. Mathematically it's exactly the same and much easier. 13.3 x 3 = 39.9 minutes

[@storiesneedears]

I just came here to see if someone else also figured out the unnecessary steps

[@rubymemphis64]

I love how you're like, "We'll see how that goes?" because cheesemaking is tricky. One day, you nail it. Another day - what happened?? LOL! Thank you for your content.

[@heatherbrewington5362]

I loved seeing your dog in the cheese turning part. It is SO cute!! He needs a plaid vest.

[@usasoapworks4980]

Looks fantastic Gav. Can't wait for your taste testing for this one. Yum

[@politegirl3657]

Thanks Gav! Beautiful video

[@daddyg5654]

I can't believe I'm using these words in this order...but I can't wait to see you cut the cheese.

[@spacesmorgy6820]

Am I the only one that thought the music for this video was absolutely perfect

[@mainlyfine]

When I hear your intro music I get a little twitch of 'oh, goody' because I know I'm going to lose myself in watching you stir curds and turn baskets. LOLOL

[@JamesSpeiser]

haha you love cheese too!

[@projectamis4772]

Am I an odd fellow for insisting on adding blue cheese to pizza?

[@4holdings883]

That shit taste goooooooooood

[@henrycolvin3473]

Never thought I’d be so hooked on videos about making cheese. Good stuff, keep it up 👍

[@adamlee3772]

Loved seeing your little four legged friend in the doorway. Bet his or her nose was twitching like hell and the lovely fragrance from that cheese mate.

[@karenpringle3870]

First time making this cheese and all I can say is WOW, so delicious. It cut in after 6 weeks and it's so creamy and full of flavor. The other 2 cheese are still in the fridge and I'll keep them for another 2 weeks before tasting them. Thank you, Gavin, for such great recipes which I love watching any trying. This one's another keeper.

[@GavinWebber]

Well done Karen!

[@cheesehistory]

I got so excited when you showed 200 easy homemade cheese recipes. It is my main cheese making book. So good.

[@iamcoolalot]

Excited for the tasting! Blue cheese is my favorite.

[@TheTomUtube]

Looking forward to the tasting, Gavin and Gav.. If possible, I'd love to hear how it compares to your original Buttermilk Blue from some time ago.. As usual, a great video. Thanks..

[@GavinWebber]

Will do!

[@owensparkes388]

Hi Gav I've made the castle blue from your video after 10 days turning it every 2 days no sign of blue do I prick it anyway the actual cheese looks good and firm

[@PatriciaGauci]

Love the time-lapse of the curds shrinking in the baskets!

[@chrumczyk5494]

Like baking but backwards :D Awesome :)

[@2guysandacooler]

Ohh. Very nice. Can't wait to see the reveal😁😁

[@GavinWebber]

Cheers Eric

[@alisonclose8363]

Thanks Gavin, I've now got another cheese on my to make list.

[@DuncSargent]

I'm learning now!

[@tamertopal7848]

Another great and inspiring video, Gav.

[@jdarwin4204]

Hi Gavin, I used pure cream and it never mixed in properly! I have just put the curds in the molds and there is cream layers/bits all through it :( I hope it will be OK??

[@Jonnygurudesigns]

You changed the recipe from Petite Blue! I have 50 litters of that in my cheese fridge... 1st batch is better than i could ever think. I just made more tonight. Another 10 litters.. I get 2 big wheels.. If it wasnt for your channel, i probably would not be making really awesome cheese! Cant wait until the next live chat.. I have some questions for you! really great channel Brother!

[@What_I_Make]

Hi Gavin, a technique I use for heating the milk with Sous Vide is to place the bottles of milk into the water before placing them in the pot. Heats up really quick and pouring out will drop the temperature a small amount then quickly back up again.

[@GavinWebber]

Great tip!

[@christyfortes2275]

Gavin, I made this and it was beautiful for three weeks, but now it is flattening and one is runny. What should I do to save it, and why did it happen?

[@PatriciaGauci]

How long did it take to bring the milk to temperature using the immersion heater in the sink?

[@GavinWebber]

About 45 minutes so I now use the stovetop to heat the milk and then transfer it

[@renditionworks6318]

This channel is gold I have been recommending it to everyone.

[@sjvche7675]

You're not saving the whey for the pigs?

[@1981SHERRY]

When it is important to cut the curds very small and when it's not of a matter?

[@rubymemphis64]

The tricky thing about that book is that it doesn't give a specific type of Meso culture. I used MM100 and turned out great. Making another batch today. I love this recipe!

[@mannicolae4635]

Hello mister, I'm impressed about your work. I have a question. Can I use a piece of old cheese instead of penicillinum culture? Is not right? Here, where I am, is impossible to find all ingrdients. Thanks

[@GavinWebber]

Yes, you can

[@torontocitizen6802]

Thank you for the wonderful videos!

[@pcharliep61]

Nice one Gavin, looking forward to the taste test. Like you, I have never met a cheese I didn't like but I do tend to favour the Blues over the others :) cheers

[@fredkennedy8435]

Just got a wheel of gouda rolling based on your tutorials Gavin! Thanks for the knowledge :) I don't have a dedicated cheese cave, but have heard that you can age a cheese in a regular fridge. You just need to wait longer. Is that true, would you say? I'll be waxing it if that makes any difference.

[@thecraftycheesemaker813]

Gavin what are you using to film your awesome videos? Thanks

[@GavinWebber]

Principle camera is Panasonic Lumix G9, secondary camera is Panasonic Lumix G7, streaming camera is Sony A6400. Lenses vary depending on shot.

[@charlesv3962]

I really like this channel.

[@tuxtheidiot1767]

Hey, big smoke was so popular they made it into a real thing

[@brokenredflag]

Can you make a video of books of cheese and what you concider is the best one. ❤🙏

[@GavinWebber]

Of course, I recommend my cheese books; www.littlegreenworkshops.com.au/product/keep-calm-and-make-cheese-bundle/

[@valerioporto]

Why not cut the cheese?

[@donnabath3917]

Hi Gavin, could I use the Mad Millie Blue Cheese Culture to make this in place of the Mesophilic culture and Penicillium Roqueforti?

[@GavinWebber]

Yes you could Donna

[@donnabath3917]

@@GavinWebber thank you 😊

[@Cowcheddar]

Hmm

[@cuisined]

Hey Gavin, you're the one that got me started on making cheese! I've started to make some Brie Cheese and they were fantastic but got slightly bitter.. - I've read that too much rennet can make aging bitter, as the milk when I first coagulated it wasn't bitter... On a side note, what do you think about this, I incorporate more fat by designating one liter of my milk batch (plain store-bought, not UHT, just pasteurized ) and heat it on the stove to 36c until all the butter I've added is melted but not incorporated and then I incorporate it using my Vitamix which work Beautifully, very well blended., it make it perfect. I also bought an Anova SousVide for the same reason and the only thing I'm missing in the app is A *setting that will bring the temperature up to a desired temp over a period of time..* like the recipes tend to ask us to do... My version is the pro version, but still no incremental temp control over time. This would be a great selling point for the Anova with their App. - Best to You and Kim.

[@judithknowles1533]

Hi I made this approx 17 days ago and pierced last Wednesday. Its quite blue. When would you recommend wrapping?

[@badgermtn]

You have been a true inspiration and wealth of knowledge. I cranked up a batch of Castle blue 4 days ago. I notice what appears in your video that you added what looks like twice the original recipe mesophilic starter culture, though in the written formula you stated true to recipe at 1/8 tsp. I stuck to the recipe, but wasn't getting a firm enough curd set so ended up ripening for about 20 minutes longer before cutting. Didn't check the pH but definitely acidic by taste. Hope the low pH won't interfere with mold development but we shall see. Thanks for your contributions!

[@sasanikolicelite]

When we add whipping cream?

[@GavinWebber]

Add it to the milk.

[@nyuppfinning6161]

Made this creamy blue cheese some time ago. It came out absolutely lovely, except the rind was very bitter. Any advice what can have gone wrong?

[@igaudion973]

if you don't have a cheese fridge set to ten degrees can u just stick it in the normal fridge?

[@GavinWebber]

The mould won't grow as well, but yes you can.

[@igaudion973]

@@GavinWebber thank u!

[@vaazig]

Spunky smells... 😏 That would be the camembert! 🤭

[@thewrenchreviews9986]

I wonder if a 3.175mm stainless steel tube would not aid in piercing the cheese and draw a core out to allow more air for mold development.

[@BusisiweH....pretty]

What is a brine

[@GavinWebber]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/h6fFiJ2Mr5ebmqs

[@deborahgraziano9385]

do you wrap your your blue while you wait for 6 weeks or do you just leave them in the box. I am confused on how and when to wrap and with what

[@judithknowles1533]

Instead of floctuation or fluctuation can I just try 60 mins

[@marisajames8158]

Great video! May I ask if pasteurised milk can be used?

[@weathormantom7206]

A question if I may, Gav: you have more than a quarter-million followers and I don't expect you to see this but - fingers crossed. I've made several of your cheeses with a fair amount of success. At the moment I am trying my first blue cheese. I am making castle blue and your petit blue. They have been in the maturation boxes in my cave for a couple of weeks. When I pull them out to turn them, I am not sure if the odor they are emitting is one to be expected of a young blue cheese, or if it is more like the foul stench of rotted death. What do you think? It doesn't seem to be a very cheesy smell to me. If I eat this will I die?

[@GavinWebber]

Usually an ammonia smell. The cheese needs access to more oxygen. Make sure you turn them at least every 2 days. Before you eat them, let them come to room temp outside of the maturation box and the smell dissipates rapidly.

[@badjokecoke]

Damn, this is the first time I've seen Gavin use math whilst making cheese

[@bobloblaw2342]

Just found this channel and omg am I loving it!

[@isaacbonfield7130]

Awesome! I go to that shop all the time and the book is great! Fantastic Video!

[@JamesSpeiser]

HEY! cute doggie down there

[@junodakin4566]

yayayayay i love u 😤

[@barrysullivan59]

Another gr8 vlog. One question though. What is the water heater you used? It looks so much easier than using a the double boiler method. The only Nova products I could find were for use in dark rooms for water bath film development.

[@GavinWebber]

Check out the description for links to the product in this Soue Vide video; kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3WmhYeAn7udr7M

[@jeffklaubo3168]

Will there be a Casu martzu cheese in the future lol

[@GavinWebber]

Never 👎

[@jeffklaubo3168]

@@GavinWebber hahaha... yeah, I don't blame you.

[@joegrone9671]

I love it! Blue cheese is my favorite! Never tried a runny one.

[@mattdeangelis1147]

Dig that cheese-piercing groove...

[@4holdings883]

Good day Mr. CheeseMaster53

[@ZogXll]

Amazing high speed shots! Love it

[@patrickhayes6348]

Best days are always blue days

[@nailarae3633]

When making mozzarella, how come you drop the mozz in ice cold water instead of ice cold whey?

[@GavinWebber]

Because I can. No reason.

[@matthewb8229]

Once you cut the chees...um, once you slice the cheese open, how long will a soft cheese like this blue last? Do you simply close the foil back up and it keeps for a week, or is the clock ticking and you better eat?

[@GavinWebber]

Both!

[@owensparkes388]

Hi Gav what is your water heater called and also what size are the moulds you used for the castle blue Thanks from Wales

[@GavinWebber]

In the description

[@JamesSpeiser]

This one looks very interesting to me!

[@dr.suhailnajm]

Thank you chef. 🌹

[@PetraKann]

How is the humidity controlled at 90% in the Cheese fridge?

[@GavinWebber]

In a ripening box

[@johnmirbach2338]

😎✌🖖👍👌😁

[@BrattyPatriot]

We love the videos, thanks !

[@dreckken]

Have you ever thought about making tofu Gavin?

[@GavinWebber]

No, I haven't

[@TacticalKiwi4862]

Between the different blues, is a there a distinct flavor between the types of cheese? Or is it more of a texture difference?

[@GavinWebber]

Texture and flavour usually

[@tictactoe325]

Yum!!!!

[@a12475]

i see that you have made by cow bottles, but why did you add calcium chloride to it?

[@GavinWebber]

Just cautious I guess

[@chinimansi]

Love this!!!

[@karoleigharmstrong8568]

A nice tutorial, thanks.

[@GavinWebber]

Glad you liked it

[@ChaserTree]

whyyyyyyy eat mold lol

[@GavinWebber]

Because it’s good

[@kamo7293]

this paper up in my recommended and now I'm interested in making my own cheese. grate

[@toddlil]

Is it better to use raw milk