How to Make Homemade Mozzarella Cheese
Who doesn't love the allure of fresh cheese? It is like being able to travel to tiny villages in Europe and step into shops filled with fresh breads and meats hanging from the ceilings and bigs slabs of cheeses for sandwiches. So many of us have slipped into an impersonal way of shopping where everything is packaged and sealed shut in big stores. Why not try to make your own cheese? Bring back some of that earthy feel in your own home where food is more of a celebration than just a pit stop. It is easier than you think. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- 1 gallon whole milk
- 2 tsp. cirtric acid
- 1/2 rennett tablet, dissolved 1/4 cp water
- 1/2 tsp salt (non-iodized)
- Thermometer
Instructions
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1
Clean all your utensils. Typically everything should be made of glass or stainless steel. Clear a work area and wipe down all the surfaces.
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2
Pour the milk into a 6-quart stainless steel pot and place over medium heat. You will want to heat the milk gradually. Stir in the citric acid and stir well. Continue to heat the milk, stirring occasionally until it reaches 88 degrees.
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3
Now add the rennet and continue to heat and stir until the mixture reaches 105 degrees. Remove from the heat and cover for 15 minutes. The curds and whey should now be separate with the curds being white and the fluid a yellow green color.
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4
Gently pour the curds through a cheesecloth lined strainer. Remove the curds from the strainer and place in a microwavable container.
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5
Microwave on high for 1 minute and press on the mass with the back of a spoon, removing as much of the whey as possible. Drain off any excess whey.
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6
Knead the mass for a few minutes with the back of a spoon. Microwave for another minute. At this point the cheese will be quite hot and you will have to wear gloves to handle it. Work with it like bread dough until it sticks to the spoon and pulls away from the bowl. When it begins to stretch like taffy, it is almost done. You can continue to make the cheese firm and stringy or if you prefer a softer texture don't stretch it as much. Wrap in a sheet of plastic or wax paper and chill. The cheese is now ready for use.
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Tips & Warnings
Watch the temperatures closely.
Be sure to refrigerate your cheese when storing.
Resources
- Photo Credit slice of mozzarella cheese image by Chris Hill from Fotolia.com
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Comments
View all 24 Comments-
pls help me out in pakistan rennet is not availble so what we can use instead of rennet in cheese making?
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podieroe
Feb 14, 2009
you can use powder milk believe it or not and it works very well, to make a more cheddar like cheese use buttermilk starter (that is mix the powder for half a gallon, and put in a cup of buttermilk, then let it set overnight at room temp), btw instead of heating on a sove , just put the pan in the sink and run a hot water bath in the sink around the pan, the temp is almost flawless that way! -
podieroe
Feb 14, 2009
you can use powder milk believe it or not and it works very well, to make a more cheddar like cheese use buttermilk starter (that is mix the powder for half a gallon, and put in a cup of buttermilk, then let it set overnight at room temp), btw instead of heating on a sove , just put the pan in the sink and run a hot water bath in the sink around the pan, the temp is almost flawless that way!
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marylps
Jan 27, 2009
I don't understand. Sometimes this comes out Perfect! But other times it never makes cheese. Has anyone else had this problem? What am I doing wrong?
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marylps
Jan 27, 2009
I don't understand. Sometimes this comes out Perfect! But other times it never makes cheese. Has anyone else had this problem? What am I doing wrong?
