Making CheeseUpdated 2 years ago
How do you make Cabot cheese?
First, high quality cows’ milk is gathered from Cabot’s farmer-owners, pasteurized, and then poured into a temperature-controlled vat. A starter culture of lactic acid is added to the milk, which enables the milk to reach the proper acidity. When our cheesemakers are satisfied that the milk is ready to be turned into cheese, they add a coagulating enzyme. In about 30 minutes the curd forms. The curds are cut, stirred, and pressed together to form 42, 225, or 670 pound blocks of cheddar. The cheddar is then aged, packaged, and ultimately distributed for our consumers to enjoy. For more information, click here.
Why do you age cheese?
During the manufacturing of the cheese curds, the pH, water activity, and salt concentration must be set at proper levels. This allows the natural chemical reactions in the cheese to function properly during the aging process. These natural chemical reactions vary from vat to vat due to the different subtle flavors from the milk, which are influenced by feed and weather. Some vats of cheese can age for years and continue to compound in flavor, while other vats do not. To ensure you receive the very best Cabot has to offer, we have cheese graders who have decades of experience to determine when our Cheese is ready for packaging.
Are Cabot products made with pasteurized milk?
Yes. All of Cabot’s products are made from pasteurized milk. Pasteurization destroys undesirable pathogenic microorganisms, such as E. coli or Listeria. We choose to be overly cautious in this area to ensure our dairy products are safe.
How many gallons of milk are needed to make cheese?
It requires 1.16 gallons (or ten pounds) of whole milk to make one pound of cheddar.
What kind of rennet is used to make Cabot cheeses?
Cabot uses a microbial-based enzyme to manufacture all of our award-winning cheeses with the exception of our Processed American Cheese slices and Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese. The microbial-based enzyme coagulates the milk into curds and whey. It is approved for vegetarians and also allows our cheeses to pass kosher certification. Our Processed American Cheese slices and our and Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese are sourced from plants that Cabot does not own, so we cannot guarantee that they are made with microbial enzymes.
What happens to the whey after it is drained from the cheese curds?
In the past, whey was discarded as a by-product, but the protein rich product has gained momentous interest in the food industry. To capture this substantial interest, our farmer owners purchased a whey drying unit, which coverts our whey into whey powder. This valuable commodity is sold to manufactures that use the whey protein in their food recipes. A product that was once discarded is now helping our family farms continue their way of life.