How to Make Mozzarella Cheese

First I have to admit my first stab at homemade mozzarella cheese was a fail but I know why.

I thought I was using milk that was not ultra-pasteurized and upon further inspection, I see that it was not. This could be the reason my cheese was grainy on the outside and didn’t want to play well when I was working with it.

Something else that might have been a mistake is I added the salt too soon – the recipe I was following said one thing in the body of the article and another in the directions.

Other cheese recipes

• Cream Cheese Spread
• Homemade Mascarpone Cheese
• Homemade Boursin Cheese
• Burrata Cheese

I was so frustrated by the way it looked I just tossed it in plastic wrap and didn’t even roll it into a ball. In the morning when I cut it, it was perfectly smooth inside. Not sure what happened but I will for sure update this post the next time I make it to see if my next batch of homemade mozzarella cheese.

LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES!

See how mine is not firm like it should be? Again, blaming that on the milk I used.

Milk for Mozzarella: Almost any milk can be used for making mozzarella: whole, 2%, skim, cow, goat, raw, organic, or pasteurized. Pasteurized milk is fine to use, but make sure that it is not ultra high temperature (UHT) pasteurized. The proteins in UHT milk have lost their ability to set into curds.

Making homemade cheese is easy {I have had some great successes} but it is a smidge fickle so do not try to shortcut a recipe or think something doesn’t matter. It does!

Ready to make some mozzarella? Let’s do this. BTW, this recipe is from the New England Cheesemaking Supply Company.

Supplies and equipment you will need to make your homemade mozzarella cheese

• 5 quart or larger non-reactive pot
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Thermometer
• 8″ knife, off-set spatula, or similar slim instrument for cutting the curds
• Slotted spoon
• Microwavable bowl
• Rubber Gloves {VERY important!}

Mozzarella Cheese Recipe

Homemade Mozzarella Cheese

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoons citric acid {or 6 tablespoons of lemon juice or 12 tablespoons vinegar}
• 1 gallon milk, whole {not ultra-pasteurized}
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup cold water {uncholorinated}
• 1/4 teaspoon liquid rennet

Instructions

1. Pour the milk into the non reactive pot.
2. Stir in the your choice of acid
3. Set the pot over medium-high heat and warm to 90°F, stirring gently.
4. Remove the pot from heat and gently stir in the rennet solution and count to 30, stop stirring, cover the pot, and let it sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.
5. After five minutes, the milk should have set, and it should look and feel like soft silken tofu.
6. If it is still liquidy, re-cover the pot and let it sit for another five minutes.
7. Once the milk has set, cut it into uniform curds: make several parallel cuts vertically through the curds and then several parallel cuts horizontally, creating a grid-like pattern.
8. Make sure your knife reaches all the way to the bottom of the pan.
9. Place the pot back on the stove over medium heat and warm the curds to 105°F.
10. Stir slowly as the curds warm, but try not to break them up too much.
11. The curds will eventually clump together and separate more completely from the yellow whey.
12. Remove the pan from the heat and continue stirring gently for another 5 minutes.
13. Ladle the curds into a microwave-safe bowl with the slotted spoon.
14. Microwave the curds for one minute.
15. Drain off the whey.
16. Put on your rubber gloves and fold the curds over on themselves a few times.
17. At this point, the curds will still be very loose and cottage-cheese-like.
18. Microwave the curds for another 30 seconds and check their internal temperature.
19. If the temperature has reached 135°F, continue with stretching the curds.
20. If not, continue microwaving in 30-second bursts until they reach temperature. The curds need to reach this temperature in order to stretch properly.
21. Sprinkle the salt over the cheese and squish it with your fingers to incorporate. Using both hands, stretch and fold the curds repeatedly.
22. It will start to tighten, become firm, and take on a glossy sheen.
23. When this happens, you are ready to shape the mozzarella.
24. Make one large ball, two smaller balls, or several bite-sized bocconcini. Try not to over-work the mozzarella.
25. The mozzarella can be used immediately or kept refrigerated for a week. To refrigerate, place the mozzarella in a small container. Mix a teaspoon of salt with a cup of cool whey and pour this over the mozzarella. Cover and refrigerate.

Resources:

• http://www.cheesemaking.com/
• http://cheesemakinghelp.blogspot.com/2011/08/30-minute-mozzarella-again.html
• http://cheesemakinghelp.blogspot.com/2012/08/30-minute-mozzarella-with-kevin-lee.html

You would think that laying in the rays of sunshine in the afternoon would be a happy event! I am sure Buster is enjoying himself on my photography table, you just can’t tell by his frowning face.

How to Make Mozzarella Cheese