Used the leftover whey to make some ricotta! Was fun watching it form, but I still used some cider vinegar to get it all.
Trying to decide what to do with what is left. I feel like I should can it up and save it, but not sure what to use it for. I do think the tomatoes would like it!
Picked up 2 more GV whole milk gallons and new rennet and calcium chloride. The curd was WAY better. The cuts were easy, and it all stayed together well.
Winco 12qt double boiler on an induction burner. Picked up a couple induction burners at an auction for a brewery in No. Va a while ago. Love them!!! I filled the double boiler up so the pot was down in the water pretty deep to make more of a water bath setup. It worked well!
I think I am stirring too much and breaking the curd down, but not sure.
Was watching one of my more favorite cheese making YT's (milkslinger) and she talks about keeping your brine. Makes sense as the saturation point is the same and it leaches calcium out of the cheese at some level.
The question is: does it need to stay refrigerated?
My brain says no as it has a serious amount of salt in it.
What is the best consensus?
Made a 2 pound washed curd cheese. Theoretically, it is Gouda, but... had problems with the set. My rennet was old and had not done anything in 40 minutes, so I went ahead and used the backup 1/2 tablet I had prepared. The milk set, but it was not a good set. It was really fragile and made small curds pretty quickly. Milk was two new Great Value whole milks with March 18th as the best by date. Stated milk fat is 3.5% on the jug.
Ordered new rennet and some calcium chloride (and a new cheese press). I had made up some calcium chloride solution and did include it in the recipe.
Question. I have made feta, salata ricotta, and some other fresher cheeses with this milk before but it has been a while and mostly I have been doing acid cheeses lately so I don't waste the last 1/2 gallon of milk. Is the milk still a viable option, or have they changes something in it?
Question 2. It says to wax it after it is dry to the touch. While waxing looks great, can I vac pack it instead? Does the wax allow something to happen?
I have had this unit since 2022 and it has worked flawlessly. Last friday it stopped seeing the solar panels connected to it.
I have tried rebooting it repeatedly. In multiple different orders. I have 89VDC at the solar input to the unit. Batteries are low but still at 24VDC. the solar is set up in a 2s2p with 4 410W panels.
No idea what is going on. worked one day then not the next day. no changes in between.
I have been considering putting a new on in and am having trouble with the MPPT startup voltage on some of the units. They list 60-450VDC solar input but then say 90VDC to start charging... Does this mean I have to set my panels up in a 4S setup to bring the voltage about 89V? Why do they say 60V minimum if you really need 90V to actually do anything?
The reality is I have been planning to add 2 more panels in to run 3s2p but want to get the system up and running without having to spend more.
I am looking at
or
Both seem to be reviewed well and will handle my battery setup. I would love to change to 48V and could with some batter bank rewiring but that adds a lot more expense.
Any help on the issue or the options is greatly appreciated.