Monterey Jack Cheese

• Take a stockpot and heat milk in it at 32 degrees Celsius.
• Stirring thoroughly to blend, include the starter culture.
• Let the milk to ripe for about 45 minutes.
• Into the diluted Rennet, whip in 15 grams of salt.
• Incorporate the salty Rennet into the milk and blend well, stirring for 1 minute.
• Let the milk set for an hour or until you see that with a clean break, the curd has set.
• Slice the curd into 1 cm cubes and let stay for 5 minutes.
• Cook for 30 minutes gradually increasing the heat to 38 degrees Celsius by the end of 30 minutes, increasing the heat by 1 degree every 5 minutes.
• Mix recurrently during this time to prevent bulging of the curds.
• Maintain 38 degrees Celsius for another 30 minutes once you have reached there and keep stirring throughout.
• Allow the curds to rest for 5 minutes.
• Dispense off the whey so you see the curds only at the base of the pot.
• Set to rest for 30 minutes and stir frequently to avoid matting.
• Transfer the curds into a cheesecloth-lined strainer to drain leftover whey.
• Include another 15 grams of salt (and herbs if using) and mix using your hand.
• Form the curd into mold and press at 5kg for 20 minutes.
• Take away, spin, and even out. Press at 10kg for 20 minutes.
• Take away, spin, and even out. Press at 15kg for 12 hours.
• Put out the cheese and wash with salt water.
• Let dry at room temperature on cheese mats for 3 days.
• Seal when the cheese is dry and the skin has turned a darker yellow.

Trivia

Monterey Jack secures the legitimate position as genuine "American" cheddar since it started in the Mexican Franciscan monks of Monterey, California. Around the 1700s, these inhabitants around the Monterey district were influencing a half-firm, rich cheddar from dairy animals' milk.

An American businessperson named David Jack understood its value and began selling it across California. The cheddar came to be known as "Monterey Jack's" or "Jack's Monterey," in the long run gaining the name ‘Monterey Jack’.