How to Make Large-Curd Cottage Cheese

You will learn how to make cottage cheese from scratch.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• 1 gallon pasteurized skim or whole milk
• 1/8 teaspoon of calcium chloride diluted in 1/4 cup of water (if using store bought milk)
• 1 packet of direct-set mesophilic starter or 4 ounces of prepared mesophilic starter
• 1/4 teaspoon liquid rennet or 1/4 rennet tablet) dissolved in 1/4 cup of cool, unchlorinated water
• Cheese salt (optional)
• Herbs (optional)

1. Warm the milk to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. If using calcium chloride, add it now. Add the starter and mix thoroughly.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of the diluted rennet and mix thoroughly with a gentle up-and-down motion. Cover and let set at 72 degrees Fahrenheit for 4-8 hours, or until the curd coagulates. The curd will be rather soft.
3. Cut the curd into 1/2 inch cubes. Allow to set, undisturbed, for approximately 10 minutes.
4. Increase the heat by two degrees every 5 minutes, until the temperature reaches 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir gently to prevent the curds from matting.
5. Repeat by increasing the heat by three degrees every 5 minutes, until the temperature reaches 90 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring gently to prevent the curds from matting.
6. Increase the heat by one degree per minute, until the temperature reaches 110 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring gently to keep the curds from matting.
7. Maintain the temperature at 110 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 20 minutes, or until the curds are sufficiently cooked and no longer have a custard like interior. Stir gently every few minutes.
8. When the curs are sufficiently cooked, let them settle to the bottom of the pot for approximately 5 minutes.
9. The recipe is the same for small-curd cottage cheese.
   
   Makes 1 1/2 pounds of cottage cheese