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A picture of a sliced wheel of Colby cheese on a cutting board showing the detail of the cheese.

Colby Cheese

Making Colby cheese at home is a rewarding and simple process that yields a mild, creamy cheese perfect for slicing, melting, and snacking. Colby’s signature moist texture and gentle flavor make it a family favorite, and the best part is that you can make it with raw milk right in your kitchen!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cheesemaking 18 hours
Total Time 18 hours 10 minutes
Course cheese
Cuisine American
Servings 1 wheel
Calories 4542 kcal

Equipment

  • cheese press
  • large cheese mold
  • large stock pot
  • measuring spoons
  • long handled knife and spoon
  • strainer
  • cheese cloth

Ingredients
  

Colby Cheese

  • 2 gallons Milk raw, unpastuerized
  • ½ teaspoon Mesophilic starter culture I'm using Flora Danica
  • ½ teaspoon Rennet liquid, animal-based
  • ¼ teaspoon Annatto

Instructions
 

  1. Start by slowly heating 2 gallons of raw milk to 86°F (30°C). Stir gently as it warms to avoid scorching.
  2. Sprinkle the Flora Danica starter culture over the surface of the milk. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes to rehydrate, then stir it in gently for about 30 seconds. Let the milk ripen for 1 hour, keeping the temperature steady at 86°F. A good trick is to place the pot in a sink filled with 86°F water.
  3. Dilute ½ teaspoon of liquid rennet in ½ cup of room-temperature, non-chlorinated water. If using annatto, dilute ¼ teaspoon in another ½ cup of water. Gently stir the diluted rennet and annatto into the milk using an up-and-down motion to mix it evenly.
  4. Let the milk sit undisturbed for 45-75 minutes until the curd sets. Check for a "clean break" by inserting a knife into the curd—if it comes out clean and the curd separates easily, you’re good to go. If not, let it sit a little longer. See the middle picture below for an example of what a clean break looks like and then cutting the curds.
  5. Once the curd is set, cut it into ½-inch cubes with a long knife. Let the curds rest for 5 minutes to firm up.
  6. Slowly heat the curds to 102°F (39°C) over 30 minutes, stirring gently with your hands or a long spoon to prevent clumping. The curds will shrink and firm as they cook. Hold them at 102°F for 10 minutes.
  7. Drain about one-third of the whey until it’s level with the curds. You can save this first round of whey for recipes like ricotta cheese or whey caramel! Add 70°F water to replace the whey, gently stirring to cool the curds to 90°F.
  8. Let the curds rest for 5 minutes. Repeat this process 1-2 more times (do not save whey - it will be too diluted), gradually cooling the curds to 75°F. This washing step reduces acidity, giving Colby its mild flavor. Once the curds reach 75°F, let them rest for 15 minutes.
  9. Pour off the whey and transfer the curds to a colander lined with cheesecloth. The whey will be very diluted by this point and isn't worth keeping for whey recipes.
  10. Pack the curds into a cheese mold lined with cheesecloth. Lightly press at 10 lbs of pressure for 1 hour. Remove the cheese, flip it over, rewrap it in cheesecloth, and press at 20 lbs for 1 hour. Rewrap again and press at 40 lbs for 1 hour. Finally, rewrap and press at 50 lbs for 8 hours or overnight.
  11. The total pressing time will be about 12 hours. Pressing a little longer will create a dryer textured cheese, shortening the pressing time will produce a softer Colby.
  12. After pressing, soak the cheese in a brine solution for 6 hours, flipping it halfway through (3 hours per side). Sprinkle a tablespoon of cheese salt on the exposed side, covering lightly and evenly. The brine enhances flavor and helps retain moisture. See picture below.
  13. Remove the cheese from the brine and let it air-dry (uncovered) on a rack for 1-3 days, flipping every 12 hours. The surface will feel like a 'clammy handshake' when it's ready for packaging.

Video

Notes

How to Make a Brine
  1. Measure all ingredients into a large non-reactive pot, like stainless steel, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
  2. Cool to room temperature before using. Store extra brine in mason jars in a cool, dark place.
Aging/Storage
Vacuum-seal the air-dried cheese. I age the sealed Colby in the back of our refrigerator at 38°F for 4-6 weeks before taste testing. Traditional cheesemakers will tell you this is wrong, but in all of the cheesemaking groups I'm in online, this is how modern cheesemakers are having success. People are rarely waxing cheeses anymore due to the convenience of vac sealing!
The original recipe recommends aging in a cool, humid spot (around 55°F/13°C), which is cooler than a regular fridge but warmer than room temperature. A wine fridge is a good place if you want to go this route!
 

Nutrition

Serving: 4ouncesCalories: 4542kcalCarbohydrates: 354gProtein: 248gFat: 242gSaturated Fat: 141gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 52gCholesterol: 909mgSodium: 2877mgPotassium: 11356mgSugar: 364gVitamin A: 12265IUCalcium: 9312mg
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