What Is The Process For Making Asiago Cheese?

“I’m a home cheese maker living in Melbourne, Australia, and I’d love to start making Asiago cheese. I’ve been making simpler cheeses for a while and want to challenge myself with something more complex. Could you kindly explain the detailed process for making Asiago cheese along with any tips or nuances that would help me create an authentic product?” Thanks, Lauren, Melbourne, Australia.

What Is The Process For Making Asiago Cheese?

Hey Lauren, it’s fantastic to hear that you’re ready to take your cheese-making skills to a new level! Asiago cheese is an excellent choice, offering complex flavors and textures depending on how long you age it. Let’s go through the detailed steps of making this delicious cheese, and I’ll also sprinkle in some helpful tips to ensure your effort is a smashing success.

Ingredients and Equipment

Before diving right in, you’ll need to gather some specialized ingredients and equipment. Here’s a list to get you started:

• Milk: Use cow’s milk, preferably raw milk if you can get it, but pasteurized will work too.
• Culture: Mesophilic starter culture.
• Rennet: Liquid animal rennet.
• Calcium chloride: Helps with curd formation if you’re using pasteurized milk.
• Sodium chloride: Cheese salt (non-iodized).
• Cheese mold and press: To shape and press the cheese curds.
• Cheesecloth and draining mat: For draining the whey from the curds.
• Thermometer: To monitor the milk temperature accurately.
• Knife or curd cutter: To cut the curds evenly.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Heating the Milk

Pour the milk into a large, sterilized pot. Heat it slowly to about 32°C (90°F). Stir the milk gently as it heats to ensure even temperature distribution. Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature accurately. Heating slowly and evenly is important to prevent the milk from scorching or the proteins from denaturing unevenly, which can impact your final cheese quality.

2. Adding the Mesophilic Starter Culture

Once the milk reaches 32°C, sprinkle the mesophilic starter culture over the surface of the milk. Let it sit undisturbed for about 2-3 minutes to rehydrate. Afterward, stir the culture into the milk using an up-and-down motion rather than circular to distribute it evenly. The starter culture begins to ferment the lactose in the milk, which is crucial for developing the cheese’s flavor and texture.

3. Adding Calcium Chloride and Rennet

If you’re using pasteurized milk, mix calcium chloride with a small amount of cool, non-chlorinated water and add it to the milk. Stir gently but thoroughly. Calcium chloride helps to restore some of the lost calcium content in pasteurized milk, which is essential for proper curd formation.

Next, mix the liquid animal rennet with cool, non-chlorinated water and add it to the milk. Stir gently but consistently for about 1 minute to ensure even distribution. The rennet will cause the milk to coagulate, forming a gel-like consistency called curd.

4. Coagulation

Cover the pot and let the milk coagulate for about 45-60 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when you get a “clean break,” meaning the curd is firm enough to be cut cleanly with a knife. Test it by inserting a clean knife into the curd and lifting it; if the curd splits cleanly, you’re good to go.

5. Cutting the Curds

Using a long knife or curd cutter, cut the curds into small cubes about 1/4 inch in size. Start with vertical cuts and then make horizontal cuts. This size allows the whey to release more efficiently, impacting the final texture of the cheese. Let the curds rest for about 5 minutes to firm up before moving on to the next step.

6. Cooking the Curds

Slowly heat the curds to about 41°C (106°F) over a period of 30-40 minutes while stirring gently but continuously. Increasing the temperature slowly gives the curds time to expel more whey, contributing to the final texture of the Asiago cheese. Once the curds reach the desired temperature, maintain it while stirring for another 20-30 minutes. By the end of this process, the curds should have a springy texture and a reduced moisture content.

7. Draining the Whey

Pour the curds and whey through a cheesecloth-lined colander to drain off the whey. Gather the corners of the cheesecloth to form a bag and hang it to allow the curds to drain further for about an hour. The more whey you drain, the firmer the cheese will be. Make sure the curds are well-drained but still moist enough to knit together in the mold.

8. Molding and Pressing

Transfer the drained curds into a cheese mold lined with cheesecloth. Fold the cloth over the top of the curds and place the mold in a cheese press. Start pressing at a light pressure (about 5-10 pounds) for 15 minutes, then increase the pressure to about 25 pounds and continue pressing for another 8-12 hours. Pressing helps to expel more whey and shape the cheese into a consistent block.

9. Salting

After pressing, remove the cheese from the mold and cheesecloth. Salt the cheese by rubbing cheese salt on the surface. Alternatively, you can brine the cheese by immersing it in a saturated salt solution for several hours. Salting helps to flavor the cheese and also draws out any remaining whey.

10. Aging

Asiago cheese can be enjoyed fresh or aged for a more complex flavor. Place the salted cheese in an aging room or a similar environment with a stable temperature (around 10-15°C or 50-59°F) and high humidity (about 85%). Fresh Asiago (Asiago Pressato) is aged for about 1 month, while aged Asiago (Asiago d’Allevo) can be matured from a few months up to 2 years. Turn the cheese every few days to ensure even aging, and watch for any unwanted mold. Pays attention to the physical environment can significantly influence the cheese’s final flavor and texture.

Troubleshooting Tips

Here are some tips for common issues you might encounter:

• Curds Too Soft: If your curds are too soft, it might be due to insufficient rennet or low calcium levels. Ensure accurate measurements and consider adding calcium chloride if using pasteurized milk.
• Bitter Taste: Over-aged cheese or too much rennet can cause bitterness. Always use the recommended amount and check aging conditions.
• Dry Texture: If the cheese is too dry, it may be due to overcooking the curds or aging in too low humidity. Maintain appropriate moisture levels during both cooking and aging.

Final Thoughts…

Loved sharing this with you, Lauren! Making Asiago cheese can be a rewarding challenge, offering complex and delightful flavors that reflect the effort put into it. Remember to monitor your temperatures closely, be patient during the coagulation and aging stages, and don’t hesitate to tweak the process based on your observations. You’ll soon come to appreciate the nuances that make homemade Asiago truly unique.

Have fun with your cheese-making journey and thanks again for sending in your question!