Oh cheese.... Another wonderful form of controlled spoilage that I just can never seem to get enough of! From beer and wine to bread and sauerkraut, I love to ferment things. So the next logical choice in my crazy randomness is cheese. Mozzarella cheese to be exact. Now do not confuse this with traditional Italian mozzarella, this wonderful stuff here is a quicker and more of an American flavor of cheese.
I originally found this recipe on Pinterest but changed it a bit when some ingredients where hard to find.
Mozzarella
1 gallon whole milk (Pasteurized, NOT Ultra-Pasteurized)
1 Tsp citric acid (found this at my local whole food store, or brew shop)
2 Junket tablets *
2 tsp kosher or canning salt **
Large pot
Thermometer
Slotted spoon
* After a lot of research I read several posts about not using Junket to make cheese... Well I was successful when I used it. It is easily found at most grocery stores in the baking isle by all the Jello. 1/4 rennet tablet can be used also and can usually be found at a whole foods store, mine was out and being the impatient person I am, I improvised.
** The original recipe called for cheese salt, but good luck finding it easily. The main thing is you do not want to use iodized salt, so kosher or canning salt works just fine. The finer the salt the more easily it dissolves.
In your pot pour your milk and sprinkle in the citric acid, and then heat to 90 degrees F over medium, medium high heat. I stir the whole time just to prevent any burning and to make sure it does not get too hot.
When your milk has heated up to the right temperature, Dissolve the two Junket tablets in about 1/4 cup of warm water, then pour into the milk and stir only for 20 seconds. This, I have found out, is where things can go wrong.... More about that later.
My milk getting up to temp.
Let the milk and rennet mixture sit UNDISTURBED for 30-45 minutes. The picture above it what a good separation looks like. From here, take a long knife and cut into the curd making a 1 inch grid pattern. Then taking your slotted spoon carefully scoop out the curd and place it into a microwave safe bowl. Here, just so you know, is another spot that I had a boo boo on.
Once you have as much curd as you can in your bowl, microwave this for about 45 seconds at a time, stirring between each, until the cheese starts to clump together.
IT WILL BE HOT!!!
So wear gloves or just be careful when you start to knead and pull your cheese. Add your salt a little at a time, folding it into the cheese until its gone. Once your cheese feels smooth start to shape it into a ball or log shape, and place it in ice water to set the shape.
TADA!!!! CHEESE!
I wrapped mine and ate it within a few days.
Now for the ugly side...
My first time making this cheese went picture perfect and awesome, but the second time did not go so well.
The second time I made this recipe my curds broke apart and looked more like ricotta then mozzarella, and after some research this is what I figured out:
*When you add the dissolved tablets, DO NOT STIR TOO MUCH!
As soon at the rennet is added the milk immediately starts to curd, and by stirring it too much you can disrupt the curds and break them up too soon.
*Not acidic enough. Since this recipe worked fine the first time I made it I don't think this was the problem but if you follow everything right and you notice your curds not working, let it sit for 24 hours to help it build a natural acidity.
*Milk was Ultra pasteurized instead of pasteurized. I used the same milk so I know that wasn't my problem
*Not separating whey from curd when reheating. I thought it was not a big deal but looks like it is. You have to be able to mash the curds together when microwaving, and when there is too much whey it breaks it up instead of clumping together.
*The last problem I read about was using Junket instead of real rennet.
Well since it worked the first time no problems, I did not think that was the issue.
I hope this helps, and trust me I plan on making this again!
