Pepper Jack Cheese

I love pepper jack cheese.  In the past few months I have made Farmhouse Cheddar, stirred curd cheddar, jalapeno cheddar , traditional cheddar and several soft cheeses but no pepper jack which is my favorite.  It is a little easier to make than cheddar.  

I used a Monterrey Jack recipe for the base and cooked the jalapenos like I did for the jalapeno cheddar and added the cooked pepper and some dried pepper flakes before pressing. Very simple and both wheels I've done have turned out so yummy looking. 

The first one didn't look peppery enough

I doubled up on the pepper on my second one.  This one looks right!

You have to let them air dry a few days until you feel no moisture on the outside. The one on the right is ready for waxing.  Since Pepper Jack is a semi soft cheese it spreads out a tiny bit an becomes somewhat "squaty"

Now it is time to give it a waxed coating.  I dip mine about 5 or 6 times letting it dry in between coats. 

I set the waxed cheese on a plate and set it in the main refrigerator about an hour to get the wax really hard.

 Then it goes into my "Cheese Cave" which is a wine cooler.

Pepper Jack is made from my goats pasteurized milk.  It will age from 1 to 3 months but you know I am counting the days until one month is up!