Colby Cheese

1. Start by heating the milk to 86 degrees F.
2. Add the starter to the milk by sprinkling it on top and let it rehydrate for a couple of minutes before you start stirring it in an up-and-down motion with a wooden spoon.
3. Cover the milk and let it set for 1 hour, undisturbed. If you are adding the color, then stir it in now. The milk needs to maintain the temperature of 86 degrees F.
4. Now, add the diluted rennet, mix it in well using the same motion for 1 minute, and then begin stirring the top part of the milk only for 2 minutes. Cover it and let it sit for 30 minutes, undisturbed.
5. If there is a clean break in the cheese after 30 minutes, begin cutting the curds into 3/8 inch cubes. Slowly stir them in and let them sit for 5 minutes.
6. Then, heat the curds and whey at 2 degrees F every 5 minutes until it reaches the temperature of 102 degrees F. Keep stirring so the curds do not stick to each other. Make sure the temperature stays at 102 degrees F for 20 minutes.
7. Take the whey out of the pot, start stirring the curds, and add cold water (60 degrees F) so the pot reaches 80 degrees F. Maintain this temperature for 15 minutes while frequently stirring.
8. Drain the curbs in a colander that is lined with cheesecloth and let them drain for 15 to 20 minutes.
9. Break the curds into thumb-sized pieces and start mixing in the salt.
10. Take a 2-pound mold, line it with cheesecloth, and add the salted curds in. For 20 minutes, press them down.
11. Take the cheese out of the mold, unwrap it, flip it, rewrap it, and put it in the mold again. For 20 more minutes, press it down again.
12. Then, flip it again and press it down for 1 hour, and flip it more time, and press down for 1 more hour.
13. Remove the cheese from the mold and cheesecloth and let it air-dry in a dark, cool room. Wax the cheese and let it age for 3 months at 55 degrees F.

Trivia

• Colby cheese originates from the United States.
• As compared to cheddar cheese, Colby cheese is much softer.
• June 4^th is national cheese day.