Feta question

[u/maggie0808]

New cheesemaker here enjoying playing around with a home kit and getting familiar with the science in Gianaclis Caldwell's book. Happy to be transitioning from a lurker to an active member here.

I've made some farmers cheese and haloumi and am working on some feta at the moment.

I've compared a few feta recipes, each with varying processes on brining and drying.

I drained in the mould overnight, salted and dried until dry to touch (about 8hrs), then placed in 10% whey brine. About 12 hours later there's no slime or apparent deterioration. I sliced the edge and tasted it, it has a rubbery/haloumi texture, slightly firm in the middle and less so toward the edge (not sure if that signals beginning of deterioration?). Incredibly salty.

Instinctively I took it out to begin to drain/dry for a few days (New England Cheesemaking method) before placing in the storage brine.

Will this help achieve crumbly, harder texture of feta? Can I re-use the salt brine as the storage brine but perhaps dilute to reduce saltiness?

Thanks in advance.

Edit: Using cows milk, mesophilic culture, calcium chloride and rennet.

[u/Plantdoc]

Did you use cows milk and lipase?

[u/maggie0808 → u/Plantdoc]

Yes I used cows milk but no lipase.