|
Homemade Mozzarella Cheese
Ingredients:
- rennet
- citric acid
- whole milk (You’ll need to read the label carefully and make sure that the milk is NOT labeled “ultra pasteurized”. Ultra pasteurized milk has been heated to a high temperature that kills the bacteria and cultures needed to make cheese. Raw milk or pasteurized milk is OK, and I prefer to get milk from an organic local source.)
Directions:
- Over medium low heat, bring one gallon of whole milk up to 55 degrees and add 1.5 tsp of citric acid (dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water), stir in thoroughly but gently.
- When the mixture gets to 88 degrees add 1/4 tsp of liquid rennet (dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water), stir in gently for about 30 seconds.
- Over medium heat, bring up to 105 degrees and keep it there for five minutes or until curds begin to form and separate from the side of the pot. The whey should be almost clear, if milky white, allow to heat longer.
- With a slotted spoon, scoop out the curds. Don some rubber gloves and gently squeeze out as much whey as you can with your hands forming balls of cheese.
- Place the cheese balls in the microwave (this is the faster method) for 30 seconds and then knead it, just like you would bread, squeezing out whey as you go. Repeat this step several times, until the cheese has a slightly glossy sheen to it and can be pulled like taffy. Add salt after the second kneading.
One of the best aspects of making mozzarella cheese is its simplicity, simplicity of ingredients and necessary equipment. All you will need is a pot large enough to hold a gallon of milk, a slotted spoon, some clean rubber gloves, and a kitchen thermometer. A candy thermometer is preferable to other types as you’ll want a large enough readout in the 100 to 110 degree range. This is the sweet spot for cheese, where you’ll want to hold the temperature of your mixture (once the citric acid and rennet have been added) so the curds can set, so a thermometer that’s easy to read in this range is optimal.
Source: Eat.Drink.Better.
Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites
|
