How to Make Colby Cheese || Raw Milk Cheese

#cheesemaking #familymilkcow #colbycheese
#cheesetutorial #homesteading
Learn to make colby cheese. I walk you throught the whole process of making a raw colby cheese with raw milk in my homestead kitchen.
Watch all my cheesemaking videos
• Cheesemaking
My small pot with the ladle handle
amzn.to/3Pq0ePv
Colby cheese
5 gallons raw milk (1-2" cream line)
1/2 tsp mesophilic culture or 1/2 cup backsplash whey
1 tsp rennet diluted in 1/4 cup water
18% salt brine ( 5 cups water/ 1 cup salt)
1. Heat milk up to 86°F (30°C)
2. Turn off heat, Add culture or backsplash whey. Stir up and down throughout the whole pot
3. Cover and allow to ripen for 1 hour
4. Dilute your rennet in water, add to the milk, stir in an up and down fashion.
5. Cover and let sit 30 mins
6. Check for a clean break ( add 10-15 mins if needed)
7. Cut curds into 1/2" cubes. Allow them to heal for 5 mins
8. Begin to heat the curds to 104°F ( 40°C) taking 45 minutes, stirring slowly and gently, making sure to not to heat too quickly.
9. Allow the curds to settle for 10-15 minutes.
10. Remove half the whey from the pot. Replace with the same amount of water at 104° (40°C)
11. Stir for 2 minutes. Cover and hold for 10-15 mins
12. Drain off whey and place curds in cheese cloth lined mold.
13. Press on medium pressure for 1 hour
14. Flip the cheese and press with firm pressure overnight
15. Place cheese in salt brine for 12 hours flipping halfway
16. Air dry 2-3 days
17. Vaccum seal and age in the fridge for 2 months +
Try audible for free (love listening to books while doing dishes, folding clothes or stirring cheese)
amzn.to/3HEMUnY
Shop my kitchen
My bosch mixer that I have had for years shareasale.com...
Link to my canning lids use code: HOLLOW10
To get 10% off
forjars.co/?sc...
This is one of my most used kitchen essential!!!! Clean water without the extra waste
boroux.com/pro...
The Danish dough whisk that I use for sourdough and much more
amzn.to/3yzASaH
My small pot with the ladle handle
amzn.to/3Pq0ePv
My favorite canning book
amzn.to/3Lrswa4
My pressure canner that i also use as a water bath canner amzn.to/3BNEDKr
My cast iron skillets
amzn.to/3ShUxTS
amzn.to/3SbEwyw
My favorite milk jugs
amzn.to/3BNEVRx
My cheese pot
amzn.to/3hzezwp
The mesophilic culture I use to start cheese
amzn.to/3SjsjYC
The rennet I use
amzn.to/3X29NYl
The thermophilic culture I use
amzn.to/3BMNkV7
My favorite cheesemaking book
amzn.to/3DWXd5o
Cheese thermometer
amzn.to/3E3rwYg
The stainless steel mesh colander
amzn.to/3CerNWW
Also check out my favorite reusable canning lids canninglids.co...
Disclaimer*
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Also you can support Dry hollow homestead through our PayPal www.paypal.me/...
Edited by VideoGuru:videoguru.page...

[@DryHollowHomestead]

Happy cheesemaking!!

[@nancymumbert8381]

Grandpa wants some of this batch since it is wine flavored. 😂

[@DryHollowHomestead]

@@nancymumbert8381Absolutely, you may have to remind me, it takes 2 months to age.

[@TheMontyOriginal]

What size is that cheese mold?

[@DryHollowHomestead]

I wanted to give an update on this cheese. It was one of my new favorite cheeses!!!

[@papaburf7275]

Excellent tutorial! Would love to see some sort of swiss. Thanks for sharing.

[@DryHollowHomestead]

I have never made a Swiss. I don't care much for store bought swiss cheese but I bet homemade would be different.

[@terrikellar6835]

I love your videos and how naturally real you are! Let those kids play😊

[@DryHollowHomestead]

Thank you 😊

[@alhachlibou3lam94]

كم انتي مبدعة كالعادة عزيزتي

[@Miss1776-ic5ic]

I’m making this recipe now. Thank you for posting.

[@georgiaanderson4483]

Thanks for all of the info.

[@DryHollowHomestead]

You are very welcome 🙏

[@monacook3629]

Hello! I know this is older but I am just getting around to it and have decided this is the cheese for tomorrow. Have you found these cheeses actually taste different? I mean they are all made so close to the same way. Except cheddar. I have made lots of them in the last few months but they are all aging so I have not tried them yet. Also you are up over a thousand more subs since I last commented on it!!!! So exciting!!!!

[@DryHollowHomestead]

I only made 2 of the colby cheese wheels and I think they are my new favorite. Its crazy that it can be so different with the same ingredients and just a little change in the steps. Worth trying for sure!

[@kindredk9standardpoodles280]

Got my first one in the press!

[@DryHollowHomestead]

Great 👍

[@cydrych]

I’ve made a Cheshire and a Ricotta Salata, Colby is next on my list. I’m currently making a video series about putting together a meat and cheese lunch platter where I make everything including the serving board and the knife/utensils. I’ve watched a few Colby videos and I think I like your pressing method the best. Most of the others have way more steps. Thanks for the great video.

[@DryHollowHomestead]

I opened this cheese a few weeks ago and it was delicious! I am making another wheel of colby this weekend. Hope your wheel turns out just as good.

[@nharmonynlibertyfarms577]

I love your videos. Thank you for sharing the idea of using whey as a culture. How long do you keep the whey, what is the life span of the whey as a culture?

[@DryHollowHomestead]

So it can be stored in the fridge for a few weeks. It will smell strong and not sweet when it's time to replace. I usually pull 1 quart of whey from a cheese that I used freeze dried culture to culture, and then after that quart is gone, I start the process over agian with a new freeze dried culture. Hope that's helpful 😊

[@hothranch1629]

Hi and thank you much for great videos! I have placed some orders for supplies and am looking forward to getting going. My question for you is: what cloth are you using? I have muslin, but it seems to not want to drain sometimes-the weave is tight. Thanks for your time.

[@DryHollowHomestead]

So glad to have you in the cheesemaking team! So I use a flour sack towel that I buy at Walmart. Its important to wet the cloth before you add the curds.

[@andrewbell9565]

If you're avoiding artificial dyes in the cheese, couldn't you use a dash of Tumeric to cause the yellowish orange color?

[@DryHollowHomestead]

Great idea! I'm wondering how much flavor it would give it. It wouldn't take much.

[@randominternetprofile8270]

I thought the orange dye in cheese was from annatto? I'm reading you can also use paprika.

[@DryHollowHomestead]

It is annatto and it's not a dangerous dye like I thought. I still don't use it but it's not a bad option. Paprika would be fun to try too.

[@stephanipoole4759]

How long does the backsplash whey last in fridge? How much of that in 2 gallons of raw milk? Thanks Danielle! You are an awesome teacher & I made farmhouse cheddar! It's wonderful!

[@DryHollowHomestead]

I have had backsplash whey in my fridge for around a month and still used it to make cheese. If you don't think you will be making cheese that often you could freeze in 1/2 cup increments. You would probably get at least a quart of whey from 2 gallons, maybe even more, I usually just keep a quart of whey. I am so glad you made a Farmhouse cheese 😁

[@stephanipoole4759]

Question...how much backaplash whey should I use in 2 gallons of raw milk in order to make more cheese?

[@DryHollowHomestead]

@@stephanipoole4759 I usually do a 1/4 cup of backsplash whey for 2 gallons.

[@ullreyg]

Do you have a recommendation for lower volumes? Im part of a hershare so I only have about a gallon to work with

[@DryHollowHomestead]

I like making small batches of milk into mozzarella and ricotta 🙂

[@makeitkate3240]

Which cheese mold are you using here? Thanks a million for your videos!

[@DryHollowHomestead]

cheesemaking.com/collections/cheese-molds-and-presses/products/hard-cheese-mold-large

[@makeitkate3240]

Excellent! Thank you so much!

[@DryHollowHomestead]

@@makeitkate3240 You're welcome 😊

[@reclaimingjoyhomestead]

How much backsplash whey would you suggest for 2 gallons? I appreciate your cheese videos so much. I trained my milk cow got her bred and she had her first calf 3months ago. I wouldn’t recommend it. My husband didn’t want to pay for an experienced milk cow and I was determined. We would probably have saved more money just buying the experienced cow but live and learn. She holds back a lot so I only get a half gallon a day. It takes me a while to get 2 gallons. Lol. I wish I got more but I am trying to be patient because it’s new for both of us. I love having milk cow. It feels like a homestead with her here.

[@DryHollowHomestead]

I am so glad my videos are helpful to you! I think for 2 gallons of raw milk I would use 1/4 cup of backsplash whey. My cow was never milked by hand until I got her, she was being sold from a dairy because she kicked too much! Experience is priceless even if a little painful. Now she is the best milk cow a family could own. We couldn't afford a trained cow so I was thrilled to find a cow in milk that I could afford. Hope your cheesemaking and milking goes well!!!!!🥰

[@foreverhomesteading6629]

Do you separate the calf at night? My cow didn't hold back much with her first calf, a bull. But with her second calf, a heifer, she held back a lot. I would let the calf in at the end of milking and milk two quarters while the calf had the other two. I was able to get another 1-2qts.

[@DryHollowHomestead]

@@foreverhomesteading6629 this is after we have pulled her calf who is 10 months. We had plenty of milk with calf sharing but very little cream.

[@Miss1776-ic5ic]

I was wondering if after you’re done pressing it if you can cut it into four, then soak it then air dry. It then shrink wrap it and have dip for an age cheese, leaving them sit each at a different length.

[@DryHollowHomestead]

I think that would work fine.

[@Emo_jiGRL]

If you buy a $99 sous vide water circulator would this help with accurate temps for initial heat and water introduction?

[@DryHollowHomestead]

Worth a try🤷

[@vicky52557985]

The part where you have your curds and you put water back in the pot to equal the whey you took out is that water city water from the tap or bottle water?

[@DryHollowHomestead]

We have well water. I would use filtered water if you have city water and warm it on the stove, but I'm sure most people just use their city tap water, and it turns out fine, too.

[@jcstevenson7635]

Ive heard that backslash whey is 1/4 cup per gallon of milk but you use that much for 6 gallon. Does it really matter

[@DryHollowHomestead]

It's not a huge deal the amount of backsplash whey once you reach about 3/4 cup to a cup. I don't really measure to strictly. Works great as long as your whey is fresh.

[@pbr2805]

Great video!!!! Just a suggestion, you may want to tie back your hair before making cheese as you don't want any hair to go in the pot. Very informative video. Good work!

[@bhamby9305]

Will you do a cheese for a first time cheese maker. Something really simple?

[@DryHollowHomestead]

Sure, would a soft cheese be best or a hard cheese?

[@stephanipoole4759]

I thought the farmhouse cheese was very easy!

[@tuttispushtada1176]

How do the different cheeses get there different taste??

[@DryHollowHomestead]

The amount of time the curds and whey are sitting together, the temp that the recipe calls for, the amount of stirring changes the acidity of the cheese which gives us the different tastes. 😊

[@tuttispushtada1176]

Thank you so much for this information it’s gonna be very helpful can’t wait to try these recipes thank you!!❤️

[@asterixky]

I am using pasteurized milk to make my camembert, so I have to use Mesophilic, Geotrichum and penicillium bacteria. Do all of those end up in my whey, and so, can the whey be reuse for ever to make new camembert without adding more freeze-dried bacteria?

[@DryHollowHomestead]

Thats an awesome question 👏 I have never saved the whey from any of my camemberts or brie. In theory that makes total sense 👌 I may try that. I'd love to hear if it works, but have no experience.

[@asterixky]

@@DryHollowHomestead I will give it a try, but I don't make cheese to often, and I don't have whey on hand, so I will be able to test it on my second cheese. Thank you for you answer.

[@ValleyViewHomestead]

When you add your tap water, is it chlorinated?

[@DryHollowHomestead]

We have a well so it isn't chlorinated, but we also have a Berkey that I suggest using if you have city water. The Berkey is linked in the description box of all my videos.

[@ValleyViewHomestead]

@@DryHollowHomestead thank you so much! That is so helpful!

[@conniebranham-b9x]

Which kind of cows do you have? Is there one breed that is known to be better for making certain products?

[@DryHollowHomestead]

I only have one milk cow, and she is a Jersey. They are known for having a higher fat percentage in their milk, aka cream 😋 So in my opinion, they make the best dairy products.

[@conniebranham-b9x]

@@DryHollowHomestead Thank you for that information, I appreciate it.

[@conniebranham-b9x]

@@DryHollowHomesteadok, just one more question, please. How much milk do you get everyday?

[@PamelaRivera-x6f]

Do you dry your cheese in the fridge or out on the counter?

[@DryHollowHomestead]

Dry on the counter, be careful if its warm in the room not to go to long without getting it in the fridge. 2-3 days at most.