How to make cheddar at home: yield, doses & aging
Cheddar runs about a 9.5–10.5% yield of milk weight and is aged at 10–13°C (50–55.4°F). Here are the make doses for a 2-gallon batch and the aging targets — every number cited to the source, not guessed.
How much cheddar does a batch make?
Cheddar yields 9.5–10.5% of the milk weight (midpoint 10%). Whole cow milk weighs about 1 kg per litre, so a 2-gallon (7.6 L) batch gives roughly 742–820 g of cheddar (about 781 g at the midpoint). Richer milk — raw, Jersey, or cream-topped — lands at the high end.
For a tighter estimate on a hard cheese like cheddar, the Van Slyke formula uses your milk’s fat and casein against a cheese-moisture fraction of about 0.37 — Curd runs this for you from a milk test.
Rennet, culture & calcium chloride for cheddar
For the 2-gallon batch above:
| Ingredient | Dose for a 2-gallon batch |
|---|---|
| Rennet (single-strength liquid) | 0.5 tsp (2.5 mL) |
| Calcium chloride (30% solution) | 0.5 tsp (2.5 mL) for pasteurized/store milk (skip for raw milk) |
| Bulk / direct-set culture | about 0.5 tsp (2.5 mL), or scale a measured DVI packet to the batch |
Double-strength liquid rennet uses half the volume. Too much calcium chloride (above ~½ tsp/gal) turns the curd bitter and rubbery — stay at the dose above.
Aging cheddar
Age cheddar at 10–13°C (50–55.4°F) at 80–85% humidity. It’s ready in about 3 months at the earliest — longer deepens the flavour. Flip the wheel every 3 days so it drains and dries evenly. Once the rind has dried, wax it to hold moisture through the long age.
FAQ
How much cheddar does a gallon of milk make?
Cheddar yields 9.5–10.5% of milk weight, so a gallon of whole milk (~3.9 kg) makes roughly 371–410 g. Richer milk yields more.
How much rennet and calcium chloride for cheddar?
For a 2-gallon batch: 0.5 tsp (2.5 mL) single-strength liquid rennet and 0.5 tsp (2.5 mL) of 30% calcium chloride (only for pasteurized milk).
What temperature do you age cheddar at?
10–13°C (50–55.4°F) at 80–85% humidity, ready in about 3 months at the earliest.
What you need to make Cheddar
Consistent cheese comes from measured doses and a steady aging temperature — eyeballing rennet or the cave is how batches turn rubbery or slip their moisture.
- Set the curd with single-strength liquid rennet — the 0.5 tsp (2.5 mL) dose above is measured, not eyeballed.
- Store or pasteurized milk needs calcium chloride to firm the curd — 0.5 tsp (2.5 mL) for this batch.
- A direct-set cheese culture sets the acidity — match the culture type to cheddar.
- Hold the cave band with a thermometer/hygrometer so cheddar ages at its target temperature and humidity.
- Seal the dried rind with cheese wax to hold moisture through the about 3 months age.
- Drain and shape in cheese molds and a press.
Some links above are affiliate links — if you buy through them, Moon Dog may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only point to gear we'd actually use.
Sources
Yield bands and aging targets are the cited published values for Cheddar; every milk, make and cave varies, so treat the doses as a tested starting point and adjust to your own results. Yield depends heavily on milk fat and casein — raw or Jersey milk yields more than store milk.