The ingredients are simple although a couple of them you may have to search a bit for, but the end result is worth it--especially when you can say "I made it myself!"
Homemade Mozzarella Cheese
1 gallon whole milk (just be sure that it is not Ultra-pasteurized, any other kind will work, store bought, fresh from the cow (or goat))
1 tsp. citric acid*
1/4 rennet tablet*
2 tsp. cheese salt*
A big pot
Thermometer
Slotted spoon
(please ignore the mess in the background, we still haven't finished putting things back together after our wall project)
Place milk in large pot with thermometer.
Sprinkle 1 tsp. citric acid over milk and stir.
Turn heat on med-low and heat milk to 90 degrees, stirring occasionally.
While you are heating the milk, dissolve 1/4 rennet tablet in 1/4 C. cool water.
When milk has reached 90 degrees, turn off heat. Pour rennet over slotted spoon into milk and stir for 20-30 seconds.
Remove thermometer and let milk sit undisturbed for 8-10 minutes.
Milk should be like a thick gelatin. Cut the curd into a grid pattern.
Stir gently for a minute and then remove the curd using your slotted spoon into a microwave safe bowl, trying to leave as much of the whey (the yellowish liquid) behind.
Pour off as much liquid as you can without losing any curds. Heat in microwave for 1 minute. Stir, pour off liquid and heat for 35-40 seconds more. Stir and pour off any liquid. Cheese should start to stick together and look stringy. If the curds are not sticking together you can heat for 35-40 seconds more.
Once your curds are sticking together and you have removed most of the liquid, add your cheese salt. I usually sprinkle a little on, knead, and sprinkle more on until all the salt is incorporated.
After your salt is incorporated, heat the cheese for 35-45 seconds more until it is stretchy like taffy. The cheese will be really hot, so it helps to wear gloves to work with the cheese.
Pull and stretch cheese until it is shiny and smooth.
Now the fun part, deciding how to use your homemade cheese!
* Citric acid, rennet and cheese salt can often be found at local beer and wine supply stores or in some specialty grocery stores. If you cannot find it locally, you can order it online from New England Cheese Supply.
The first couple of times I made my own cheese I was sure I was doing it wrong, but I am always amazed that at some point it all seems to come together and I have cheese, so don't get discouraged. I discovered the brand of milk I used can really make a difference in the finished product, so if the first batch doesn't work out, try a different brand.
I will be sharing some recipes next week that highlight your homemade cheese.
767 comments:
1 – 200 of 767 Newer› Newest»I want to make this, how neat! :)
Thank you for all of the step by step pictures!!
{Sarah beth}
http://hislovingpresence.blogspot.com/
This looks amazing! Do you have any information on doing it without a microwave?
If you want to make it without a microwave, you can use the leftover whey or a pot of water and heat it up so it is hot but not boiling. To start you dip the bowl with the curds in the hot water and squeeze of the excess whey. As your curds stick together you dip the cheese in the hot water for a few seconds to warm it up. Your goal is to get the cheese up to about 175 degrees so that it will stretch. Use a ladle to dip the cheese in the water and be sure to wear gloves to prevent any hot water from burning you.
Thank you so much! I can't wait to try it!
oh so many things to make lol. what brand of milk do you use?
I normally use any local store brand milk. The biggest thing is to be sure it is the freshest milk you can get. Beware of "organic" milks that have been ultra-pasteurized. I have also made it with raw milk, it requires a lot more stirring. Let me know how it turns out!
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I love this! I can't wait to try it myself. I found you on pinterest and am so glad that I did. I am a fellow blogger that gets my kicks doing DIY stuff all the time. Stop by, if you get bored!
~Rebekah @ www.potholesandpantyhose.com
Found you via pinterest. I was wondering if we can substitute something else for Rennet. We are vegetarian so we avoid rennet, but its difficult to find a cheese without rennet, I would really liek to try this recipe if we coudl substitute rennet somehow. Thanks for the great tutorial
Here is an article about rennet. At the very bottom it discusses microbial rennet (or vegetable rennet) that is vegetarian. It also has a link to a place you can buy it if your local grocery does not carry it.
Oops forgot to add the link:
http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/cheese/rennet/rennet.html
Do you have an estimate how long this will stay fresh?
I'm italian and i can guarantee you this is not mozzarella cheese! First of all REAL mozzarella cheese is made from Buffalo milk, and not from cow...the process is much longer and it comes in the water in ball shapes, the texture is soft-elastic and a little savory in taste! I don't want offend anybody, because any Country has his own food specialties and there is so much american food i love, but the mozzarella made in USA taste nothing like the real one...it's a complete different cheese untasty and poor quality! i'm sorry but i want people to know mozzarella cheese is a very different thing!!!
Can't wait to try this with goat milk, thanks so much!
Are you kidding me? That is the type of cooment you left on this blog post. If you have nothing nice to say, move on. No need to ruin someone's day because you think you know everything.
Emily Starr
wow i have been polite, you are beeing rude now! i found "not nice" when someone doesn't call things for their own name! yours may be a cheese, but it's not mozzarella, and sorry if i thought to let you know! And i told you about it in the most polite way! It's like i would claim to make a cheesecake better than you can do using mascarpone cheese instead than cream cheese and telling everyone that's a real cheesecake!!! I know how a mozzarella cheese is...i know how it taste because i'm from Naples Italy, and mozzarella is a tipical local cheese! No one ment to ruin your day...sorry if you can't accept a polite and honest comment! it's a little funny when you tell me i "think to know everything" and then you call mozzarella a cheese that has really nothing to do with it! Non mentioning the part where you put it in the ice... In Italy you eat mozzarella (the real one...the buffalo one) when is still warm, and you save it at room temperature until you consume it during that day! I didn't mean to say something bad infact i really don't think i expressed myself in a inpolite way...i was honest i thought to let you know! (The only thing i should apologize, maybe, it's my english because i'm still learning!!!) I do the same when i see my friend claiming to be able to make cinnamon rolls or cupcakes in the wrong way and with the wrong ingredients! Sorry but that's not mozzarella cheese...you can call it like that if you like it, but it doesn't change the fact that it is not! i hope one day you will have the chance to grab a real mozzarella and enjoy the warmity, the taste and mostly ....the milk coming out everywhere messing your shirt...lol =) peace sister!!!
I don't want to offend anyone here, but not all mozzarella is made from buffalo milk. That is only a specific kind of mozzarella.
Mozzarella is an Italian Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG)[2] food product. The term is used for several kinds of Italian cheeses that are made using spinning and then cutting (hence the name, as the Italian verb mozzare means "to cut"):
Mozzarella di Bufala (buffalo mozzarella), made from domesticated water buffalo milkmozzarella fior di latte, made from fresh pasteurized or unpasteurized cow's milklow-moisture mozzarella, which is made from whole or part skimmed milk, and widely used in the food-service industrysmoked mozzarella
Sorry, that was copied and pasted and it got all smooshed together. Mozzarella di Bufala is the kind made from water buffalo milk but there is also Mozzarella fior di latte which is made from cow milk and is the common variety sold in American stores.
Sorry Mindy i don't know where you got this information, and i don't want to start a polemic about cheese...but "fior di latte" is a mozzarella type cheese, but is a different cheese and is not called "mozzarella-fior di latte" but simply FIOR DI LATTE, because you are right about something, there is also a type of mozzarella made with regular cow milk (not fior di latte) but it's considered of a lower quality, used for different culinary uses...when you talk about "MOZZARELLA CHEESE", in Italy, you directly refer to BUFFALO MILK MADE...because it's the supreme kind and it's eaten very fresh, when is just made and still warm! There is also another type of mozzarella called PROVOLA, witch is smoked BUFFALO MOZZARELLA, but when you simply use the term MOZZARELLA is direct to BUFFALO ONE! And still...i don't want to be rude, but also the lower quality of mozzarella cheese, the one made with regular cow milk (i'm still not referring to fior di latte because, i'll say it again, fior di latte is a mozzarella type cheese because is mozzato but it's a different kind of cheese and taste different, more smooth and softer...) doesn't taste like the one sold in american stores! The one sold in American stores is similar in taste to onother kind on italian cheese called Pizzottella or also similar in taste to Galbanino cheese, but trust me it's not mozzarella. Sometime you can find regular cow milk-made, mozzarella cheese IMPORTED from Italy but i'm talking about the lower quality, (not fior di latte obviously) and you can also find buffalo mozzarella IMPORTED from Italy but because of the travel is never fresh and mozzarella cheese is good for maybe 2 days then is doesn't taste fresh anymore!!!
so then, are you a master cheese maker? I am pretty sure that no one CARES whether this is true Mozza or not....I'm excited about the process and the fact that I have done it myself.
I bow to your expertise....I just really don't care. LOL
BTW...you really don't come off as smart and knowledge, you sort of give off an ignorant vibe....sorry
well i'm impressed that people using the word "ignorant" to referring to other people are always the rudest ones!
I'm sorry when people are not able to get a honest comment, i didn't say anything bad, i'm better that that...i don't need to offend someone to get to the point! i simply expressed my opinion cause master of cheese or not i come straight from souther Italy (Naples) where mozzarella is made....i have seen it made with my own eyes...i found it a little offensive when a special local product is compared with a low quality cheese who doesn't even remind the taste of it....we have low quality cheese as well in Italy but we don't tag it with the wrong name!!! just saying...keep eating cheddar calling it mozzarella...you free to do that...it's not about knowlegde, i'm sure if someone in italy makes a cheesecake using the wrong ingredients, you would tell him "dear that's not the right way and you should know that's not a cheesecake"...what's wrong with that? do you need such a poor defence as offending people to tell them they are wrong? in fact even your wikipedia explain it in the wrong way...! lololol wow...thank God that's a free Country where anyone should be free to express his own opinion...enjoy your cheese guys, witch surely is not mozzarella, (i'm sorry it really is not) i wish you all to have chance to taste it one day, you would feel like you are in heaven =D !!! i'll go to join the "ignorantes" like me who knows the real taste of mozzarella cheese and don't get offended buy someone else opinion ..."evviva la Mozzarella di Bufala Campana" grazie a Dio io l'ho provata e sono cresciuta bella e sana grazie ad essa! mi ci faccio una risata sopra che e' meglio...i can afford argumentation (thank God) with no need of offending people!!! =) peace to you all...
Luanajeromy,
I for one, appreciate your comments, and I'm so sorry everyone jumped down your throat.
My husband spent two years in Italy and now that we live in Idaho, I've been trying to figure out how to make good mozzarella since we *cannot* get the good stuff he remembers locally. I lived near Little Italy in NY for a while as well, and haven't found anything that resembled the good mozzarella I could get there, either.
Your comments helped me realize this recipe, while well explained and probably still worth trying, won't produce what we've been searching for. So, again, thank you.
thank you for beeing so nice to me! i clearly said in a comment above, there is so much food in Usa i love and i'm trying to learn how to make it...i would love to tell the story when i tryied to make my first stuffed turkey...what a mess i made!!! This recepie seems fun to try and probably it's also a good taste cheese, i was just trying to make people understand it's not mozzarella cheese 'cause its' made in a different way, it looks different and surely taste different! Sorry if i showed some italian pride about our specialties! glad to read that someone got it in the right way, not as a bad comment but simply as a precise definition! Thank you again, please forgive my english i'm still learning!
the real italian mozzarella is not made like that,i can upload a video for you to watch how they make it in the real caseificio.
true i agree.i'm italian as well and i come from the place where the mozzarella started,and it is not like this.unfortunately
is not that,but really the mozzarella is not made like that,i dont think is an offence if a true italian says that.
I'm vegetarian....have you tried to make this without the rennet?
This cheese will not work without rennet. When I make cheese I use liquid organice vegetable rennet. This is made from plants and not calf stomach like the traditional animal rennet.
This looks fun. I am going to try it.
This looks fun. I am going to try it.
You can substitute apple cider vinegar for citric acid and junket tablets from the grocery store for rennet. for 1 gallon of milk I would use 1/2 cup of vinegar and 1/2 junket tablet. I used to make this all the time when we shared a cow with a friend.
Your englishis great - I thought you explained it all really well! Thanksagain ;o)
Calm down, Emily, I don't think they were trying to be offensive...they were just stating the facts. They would know since they are from the country that INVENTED mozzarella...
Do NOT substitute Junket tablets for rennet. Cheese rennet is 80% chymosin and 20% pepsin. Junket is 80% pepsin. It isn't going to work well.
Luana,
Thanks for the info about what u know about real cheese. But don't worry about how it's made here in America. Just leave everyone here alone.....we don't need ur rude comments. Thanks anyways.
You're joking right? This person made cheese from scratch, was nice enough to post it so others can be inspired and try it themselves, and you're upset they didn't go milk a buffalo?
So call it "American mozzarella" and stop complaining. Geez. "This is not authentic mozzarella...blah blah blah." Chances are, then, that the stuff we buy at the grocery store isn't either.
Well said "that crafty bitch" lol. I appreciate the recipe since i have not ever seen a buffalo
When did Italy have buffalo? I don't remember my great grandfather telling us he milked buffalo there when he made cheese.....
Thanks for posting this! I am excited to try it with my kids. It's the easiest cheese recipe I've seen.
I found this on Pinterest and thus stumbled on your blog. I am putting it in my blog list.
Thanks for posting!
I can't wait to try this!
People get too defensive. I wouldn't expect an Italian cheese to be remotely close to what is made in Italy when made in my kitchen. I am glad I have never had authentic mozzerella so I don't know how crappy ours is! ;) Leave the Italian alone! She is defending her country's amazing food. Who cares?
Thank you, Luana. I appreciated learning something new!
I will new trying this American version of mozzerella soon!
Hey, guess what? It's CHEESE, not a person, a country or a religion.. its CHEESE.. my word people, kids are dying, soldiers are fighting and people are dying of diseases... And ur whining about cheese... Wow
Thank you for posting this. I'm so excited to try it, however I have one problem. We don't have a microwave. How would you suggest heating the curds? Perhaps a double boiler approach?
We try not to eat any dairy, but fresh mozz has such a soft spot in my heart. Will have to track down ingredients and give this a try! thanks for the step by step and pictures to guide us :)
Tiffany
Transfer of Health
Healthy Recipes and Wellness Tips
Maybe your great grandfather didn't live in the country? A journal we found from a distant Italian ancestor has two references to buffalo milk and making mozzarella cheese.
Also, to everyone else jumping all over this poor woman, a brief search on the internet verifies that real mozzarella is indeed made from buffalo milk. Water buffalo, not regular bison we're used to: http://homecooking.about.com/od/cookingfaqs/f/faqmozzarella.htm
I don't think this Luanajeromy person was rude at all, English is not her first language as she stated in another comment below. I'm ashamed of my fellow Americans for treating her so rudely when all she was trying to do was help.
Wikipedia states that there are a couple different kinds of mozzarella: from buffalo milk and cow's milk: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozzarella
If I were the blog owner here, I would not allow this attack on the Italian woman to continue. But maybe she just likes all the hits from the Pinterest users.
OMG, read all the comments. You have the perfect screen name for such a rude response, congratulations. This person's first language is not English, she was trying to be helpful, and, I might add, stating a fact. Use google and you'll find that mozzarella is indeed made from milk from a water buffalo as well as cow's milk.
I found her comment helpful since I was trying to find a recipe to reproduce the cheese my husband enjoyed while living in Italy. I was glad to know this was likely not what I was looking for, though still a neat recipe.
Holy cow, and you sound like a child.
She's actually stating the truth, my husband lived in Italy for two years as well. I cannot believe how everyone is treating this person who was simply trying to help.
I cared, I was looking for a specific recipe to recreate the cheese my husband enjoyed in Italy, it was very helpful to know that this recipe would not recreate what he remembers, though it's still looks like a cool recipe.
I'm not a vegetarian, but I have seen are vegetable-based rennets.
Can you substitute lemon juice or something for the citric acid? I see below that someone has used apple cider vinegar, but it seems that lemon juice would be a better substitute. Any idea how much?
The rude instructing the rude.
Nice.
So, is English not your first language, either?
I was wondering that too, since the store where I buy rennet was out of citric acid.
I think you could, but it would affect the flavor.
When I went to buy rennet the other day, the only I could get was vegetable based.
What I want to know is where you got milk for $2.39! It's $2.87 at the cheapest place we can find, and other than that it's usually $4.09 or $3.88 But maybe it's because this was posted a year ago.
Fiorella anche io ho gentilmente spiegato che non e' fatta in questo modo, e che non mi sembrava giusto lasciar pensare alla gente che questa fosse mozzarella, ma sono stata aggredita...per fortuna qualcuno di buon senso ha capito che non avevo nessuna intenzione di offendere ma di rendere a Cesare cio' che e' di Cesare...che stavo facendo una puntualizzazione difendendo un prodotto speciale di casa nostra, e non un offesa...e che la mozzarella VERA non puo' essere fatta a casa in mezz'ora, che il risultato potra' pure essere un formaggio fatto in casa ma non la mozzarella. Alcuni hanno avuto un arroganza ingiustificata perche' cosi' come difendo i prodotti tipici di casa nostra nelle loro ricette originali, difendo anche i prodotti degli Stati Uniti (in cui vivo da 5 anni) quando qualche amico italiano tenta di replicare nel modo sbagliato una cheesecake, un muffin, un cinnamon roll etc..etc...
I agree with Jessica! I am planning a culinary trip to Italy next year so I appreciate the knowledge Luanajeromy and fiorella bring to the subject. I can't believe how upset people are getting over cheese! :) Can't wait to try the "real" mozzarella in your homeland!
Ps. Luanajeromy- I am learning Italian - do you have skype? I would help you with your english if you would like to help me with my italian! Ciao!
I have the same issue. Would love to know a solution!
I know this sounds crazy, but I DON'T own a microwave oven. What should I do to substitute this step?
Ok, mine kinda came out rubbery. What's the reason for this, and is it just he milk? To try this I didn't buy expensive milk. I just wanted to kinda try something before I perfect it!
Wow! It amazes me how rude people can be. I'm not sure who the people are that are picking on this poor lady who is trying to share her knowledge of cheese from her own country, but it saddens me to see that this is how we represent the US. I was raised to respect people and I've noticed that people are becoming ruder and ruder all the time.
ultra pasturized/lower fat milk? From what I heard that'll do it.
Will this work with skim milk?
Costco near us has it for $1.78. Makes the $50 membership fee worth it. Butter is the same price per pound.
Hmm. Mine didn't work at all. Things I may have done wrong: accidentally heated to 100 degrees, incorporated salt too early, continued heating and pulling because it wasn't getting stretchy (heated in the microwave about 5 times, but salted after the second time), and then gave up and dumped it into the ice water. It's the consistency of cream cheese, only saltier. I may have answered my own question, but what do you think might be the problem? I really want this to work!
I love to learn new things about food. "authentic" Italian mozzarella comes from water buffalo milk. We Americans tend to make copies of everything so I'm not surprised that we make a cheese that is sort of like the authentic kind but cheaper to make and slap the same name on it. Think about any time you've traveled and found a food that was remotely similar to something you've always known to be a certain way but it's a cheap imitation. Didn't you just say, "well this isn't the way I know this food to be"? I laugh when anybody calls wonder bread "bread." Yikes, I am a home bread maker and mine is real bread. So I'm with the woman from Italy who tried to teach us something. Thank you to her for that!
Heat the whey in a pot on the stove to about 175F and dunk the cheese in there to soften it
Heat the whey in a pot on the stove to about 175F and dunk the cheese in there to soften it.
Great post and I LOVE your welcome statement. I live by Proverbs 31 myself... Blessings to you and thanks for the great info...
OMG AMAZING!! Cheese is almost as important as Bacon in our house and Mozzarella is SO a fav! Have you tried making it with a lowfat milk? Just curious
you DO realize that rennet is made from the stomachs of baby cows. defenseless baby cows.
mmmm, enjoy your delicious cheese.
There is also vegetable rennet - readily available and works just as well as animal renent.
I am glad that since the cow was slaughtered for it's meat, that we find ways to use all of the other parts. It would be very sad to waste.
First of all respect this country that is accepting you here
Second go learn English
Third nobody cares about your cheese knowledge the recipe is good enough for us
And please take yourself out of this post
Im so glad the butcher does something with all those calf parts i don't want every 6 months when we slaughter a baby bull.
I saw on another site that heating the milk higher than 96 degrees can affect the rennet. Maybe it was the high heat.
This was my first time making cheese and it came out perfect! I only used 1 tsp of salt (non iodized fine sea salt) but will use maybe 1/4 tsp more next time. Thanks for the recipe!
Didn't you mean to say DELICIOUS baby cows?! :P
Buen dicho! No hablo italiano pero te entiendo! Usted solamente nos explico que es un queso mozzarella verdadero! Gracias! Thank you for the fact stated! I didn't know that real mozzarella is far better! I will need to travel to Italy to experience it for myself!
Thank you so much. I cant wait to try this. Is there something you can do to age it or perserve it. Is this the type of cheese you can dip in wax to lengthen its holding time. Its only my husband and myself and would like to eat half / save half.
veal is baby cow meat, and yes it IS very delicious! Thanks for the heads up!
my mother used to make cheese with powdered milk some 40 years ago like this.
I am featuring you on my site on Monday July 2. I am going to go get all the items and make some fresh mozzarella. Thanks
You had to buy a bunch of other stuff like a gross rennett tablet so it cost you more than that. Just buy a slice of cheese and use your time taking a walk to burn the fat off.
What happens if you don't add the cheese? I find most cheese is too salty . . .
What happens if you don't add the salt, I find most cheese is too salty>
2 tsp in a lb of cheese is likely less than commercial cheese and shouldn't be noticable
you really miss the point of making this yourself don't you?
Dang why do people have to get all bent outta shape!
THANK U to the woman from Italy who shared her knowledge. I'm not surprised that we Americans make things incorrectly because they make Mexican food incorrectly all the freakn time!! Here in California people think that if it has avocados and tomato you can call it "authentic Mexican food". And they add cheese to everything that we don't usually add cheese to such as, TACOS!!! Most taco stands in Mexico do not even have cheese as a condiment!
Wow, you're kind of a dick, aren't you?
I really want to try this...just store in a fridge in ziploc? How long can you store it? Sorry, if this seems like silly questions but this will be my first attempt at cheese making :)
I don't feel like I'm being a dick. I'm still going to try this recipe! I'm actually pretty pumped about it I'm just say'n that the woman from Italy didn't do anything wrong by clarifying things.
The cheese looks freakn good and unfortunately I can't tell the difference between authentic motz cheese and the stuff we buy so this recipe will more than suffice! Thank u blogger for sharing the recipe!!
Im Italian and I agree totally!
Nothing like the true Mozarella and a good Parmiggiano... They are unique!
Im Italian and I agree totally!
Nothing like the true Mozarella and a good Parmiggiano... They are unique!
Im Italian and I agree totally!
Nothing like the true Mozarella and a good Parmiggiano... They are unique!
Citric Acid can also be found at your local pharmacy. They keep it behind the pharmacy counter as it is used in some medications. Just tell the pharmacist you need some and they will sell you a jar.
Wow, I'm really interested in trying this with powdered milk now. Is her recipe similar to this one?
Are there alternatives to using rennet, which is made from the stomach lining in cow and goat stomachs?
there are vegetable rennets
I think its a great idea. Cant wait to try it. Homemade is much better than store bought. At least you know who made it.
LOVED THIS!!! Your tutorial was awesome, and the cheese really is amazing! I had no idea it was so easy! I just blogged about you and this post! Here's the link to check it out! :) Thank you so much for sharing this! I also pinned it! http://natsprat.blogspot.com/2012/06/pinspired-homemade-mozzarella.html
You are my grandson's hero. He loves mozzarella, and I make homemade pizza a lot. Now I can make the cheese to go with the pizza!! Thanks!!
I tried this recipe today, and while the taste is right on, I could not for the life of me get the texture right. My mozzarella never got stretchy. I microwaved for the same times, but when I would try to stretch it, it just broke. It resulted in a blob of very tasty but ugly cheese :) Any ideas what I did wrong? Was it too hot/ not hot enough?
Looks really good and easy. I only pay $.98 for milk so that would be so worth it to try.
You are in America now. She didn't say Authentic Italian mozzarella. Just mozzarella. "when you talk about "MOZZARELLA CHEESE", in Italy, you directly refer to BUFFALO MILK MADE" - "IN ITALY" is the key here. You are in America! Not Italy!
Thanks for the lesson on cheese, but you also need to accept that you are in America now, and someone who refers to mozzarella doesn't automatically refer to"the buffalo kind".
You want to microwave it until it gets to 135 degrees. Sometimes it takes microwaving it a few times to get it there. Sometimes I have to give up after mic-ing it 4 or 5 times, because i missed something and it's not smooth and shiny but more stringy. So I shape it best I can and put it in ice water. The temp is what you're looking for though.... the hotter it is, the easier it will be for you to shape it.
Can this be made with lactose-free milk? I am lactose intolerant, but would love fresh mozzarella for my pizza.
I'd like to know the answer to this as well because my husband is very lactose intolerant & I am also, moderately and we use lactose free milk
I was told unless you are vegan or what not to use the animal rennet because the vegetable will add a sour taste to the cheese since the cheese has a mild flavor to begin with.
I can't thank you enough for this recipe. I made it last weekend and it was fantastic. I found all the ingredients I needed at rebelbrewers.com they have a store front not far from my house, so stopped by on my way home friday and for $13 I have all I need to make pounds and pounds of this stuff. I used this batch and made 2 beautiful prosciutto, moz, and basil pinwheels.
And thank you for the detailed instructions and pictures. Just when i thought I'd screwed it up real good, it all came together! Also, I took the whey, brought it to 200 degrees, added 1/2 cup of vinegar and got about a cup of ricotta. kept almost all of the whey and froze it to use in soups. I've also heard that whey is very good for your skin. I'll let you know how that goes. :)
again, thank you!
Hi Dana,
Cheesemaking.com sells organic vegetable rennet tablets.
Do you have any recommendations for those of us that do not use microwaves?
I tried this twice and just couldn't get it right. I used Junket tablets, could that have been the problem? The texture just never got stretchy, just very grainy and crumbly. Very frustrating since I'm usually pretty competent in the kitchen.
wow!! thanks so much for the diy!!
I am writing and adding my "2cents worth" from Texas. I pay $6.00 a gallon for raw whole milk from a local dairy that has so many ridiculous government fees attached to everything he does. But I willingly support him! Actually, them. It's a family. And great post!!!
This looks wonderful!!! But I don't use microwaves .... What or how can I make the cheese without using a microwave? Please help.
I also would like to know how to make it without a microwave
I don't mean to be rude, but how can you use a computer, and not a microwave? Honest question.
Some of us just do not use microwaves. Don't own them. Hope that helps Jules!
http://www.cheesemaking.com/includes/modules/jWallace/ChsPgs/9Mozz_NoNuke/index.html
or
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Relish/How-to-Make-Quick-Mozzarella-Cheese-Without-a-Microwave.aspx
Hope that helps everyone!
I choose not to use a microwave because of the ways that it molecularly changes the food and, depending on what you are microwaving, it can add carcinogens into the food. Also, without a microwave, it greatly reduces the amount of processed food that is brought into the house. Additionaly, it forces a family to make healthier meal choices beyond the convienient "nuke it" options.
I'm really going to try this recipe. Cheese is soo expensive these days espically in Canada.
Is there any way you mite know how to make american white cheese?
My Mother-in-law was afraid of her microwave for the same reasons. And Ironically she died from cancer of the lungs. There are so many things much more dangerous out there than microwaves. Avoiding them doesn't keep cancer at bay. WOW I miss her so much.
You can submerge the curds in warm/hot salted water . Start kneading the curds together.
Thanks for your comments alg and Terri T. I don't use a microwave either. I love slow food, not fast food.
Don't even get me started on using "rennet," but I do love the simplicity of this recipe. Had no idea it could be so easy.
I totally agree!
the pros usually on tv on even if you look it up on youtube, which are alot of italian people who make it use giant bowls of hot water to heat up the cheese once it starts to form. I would look it up online for some videos on that instead of having to heat it up in a microwave.
can this be made with a lowfat milk?
Is the finished product like a baby mozzarella or more like a cured shredding type?
DE-LICIOUS... SO easy!! I am AMAZED at how wonderful and fresh it taste. Like you, I thought for sure it wouldn't turn out, but true to your word it was easy and unbelievably good. Thank you so much. I doubt I will EVER buy store bought mozzarella again.
So far I have used it on pizza and in a fresh tomato, basil and mozzarella salad.
Sadly, no.
Terri,
A microwave oven DOES NOT change the molecular structure of food!!! The micro waves excite the water molecules found in all food and beverages and causes them to heat. There is no real difference in this verses heating things on the stove or in the oven. There has been absolutely nothing to substantiate the claim that a microwave adds carcinogens to food. I had been hearing these outrageous claims from my friends when I decided to research how microwave ovens work for myself. It was very enlightening.
Cooking itself molecularly changes your food, thats why we cook it...
can this be made with soy milk?
Wow, this is amazing! I love Caprese so I need Mozarella at home. i have never thought about making it by myself but it looks easy.
Thanks for sharing this, I would love to make one!
I don't do microwaves either. You can do a hot water bath on the stove top. Takes a little longer but worth it IMHO.
HELLO, MADE THE CHEESE TODAY AND OUR'S DIDN'T EVER REACH THE TAFFY STATE. WE DISCOVERED WE DIDN'T USE DISTILLED WATER. OOPS! OUR MOZ. LOG IS ROLLED AND IN PARCHMENT PAPER IN THE FRIDGE. STILL PRETTY SOFT THOUGH. WILL CHECK IT IN THE MORNING AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
NOW WE ARE MAKING RICOTTA FROM THE WHEY AND IT TOOK FOREVER TO REACH 200 DEGREES WITHOUT BURNING IT. I GOT THAT RECIPE SOMEWHERE ELSE AND IT WASN'T AS DETAILED AS YOURS. READING OTHER RECIPES, I PUT 2 & 2 TOGETHER AND AM HOPING I MADE RIGHT DECISIONS, BEFORE IT WAS TOO LATE LOL! I LOVE DETAILED TEACHING! THANKS SO MUCH.
I AM SAVING THE WHEY AND STRAINING IT FOR BREADS, SOUPS AND STEWS, SMOOTHIES AND BREAD MAKING TO REPLACE MY LIQUIDS IN THOSE RECIPES. I AM HOPING THAT IT'S STILL GOOD FOR THAT AFTER MAKING 2 CHEESES FROM THE ORIGINAL GALLON OF MILK.
SORRY FOR BIG PRINT BUT DISABILITIES I HAVE AT THIS END= NO YELLING! HAHAHA. THANKS SO MUCH IT'S BEEN FUN! HOPE IT TASTES TERRIFIC! HUGS~~~
Where is the water in the cheese recipe ????????
I do not have a microwave....what can you do instead of heating with microwave?
There is vegetable rennet also, if it's the animal rennet you have a problem with.
no, renin is an enzyme that reacts with dairy only. http://www.veganreader.com/2009/06/25/vegan-cheese-recipe-make-your-own-dairy-free-cheese/ go here for a vegan cheese recipe.
what is cheese salt? is it just the same as normal salt? thanks
I am so excited to make mozzarella with this recipe...just waiting on some ingredients to arrive that have been ordered. Question for you: the Rennet I've ordered is Liquid Animal Rennet. Any idea how much of this should be used in place of the 1/4 tablet?
Thanks so much!
looks like water is used in dissolving the tablet then soaking the log. I'm guessing Karen is referring to the dissolving step.
I used vegetable rennet which on the container says to us half as much as regular kind. 1/4 tsp for 2 gallons. so I used 1/8 tsp. I would say for rennet to use 1/4 tsp.
you can also use kosher salt
this video may help / / http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au3q4SukY4E#
I agree with the Italians. It is not real Motzarella. I think they just don't want people to be miss lead. It should be called homemade cheese. I live in TX, made cheese growing up. It is not the same-doesn't mean it's not good, but not the same.
Not *Quite* On the Mark...
Okay, gave it a shot today. First time attempting. Didn't have rennet tabets, but followed the directions on the animal liquid rennet for 1 gallon of milk. I used whole milk (not ultra-pasturized) from Walmart. Everything looked on track until the microwave/salting time. I never did achieve the consistency desired. Turned out more like a loose ricotta. I microwaved a few extra times, draining until it was not giving up liquid, but still didn't hit the mark. The flavor isn't bad, but consistency is not at all close to mozzarella. I have the 'blob' in the refrigerator, hoping it will become more solid. If nothing else, it'll still be good sprinkled over salad...or perhaps pizza...or even in a lasagna. We'll see.
Any ideas on what might have gone wrong? Will adding the salt too early affect the outcome? Thanks!
Thank you! I discovered the animal liquid rennet had instructions on the side of the bottle, I halved the amount (1/4 tsp) for one gallon of milk. I appreciate your response. :)
Well said Anonymous , I am sorry to say That there are so many people in this beautiful country , that are rude and ignorant and instead of taking the opportunity to learn from others, they condemn and criticize. Thats too bad for them. Thank you to the woman from Naples for teaching me about Mozzarella and thank you to the person who posted this recipe.
This recipes sounds really good and I plan on trying it soon. I love caprese salad and fresh moz is so espensive. Have you tried making the little balls of moz that you can get in the deli to make marinated moz in a salad?
the ricotta results are from the milk - best and easiest cheese you want to start with raw (unpasteurized) milk. You can still get great mozzarella from the milk you used, it just takes longer and more work to get that liquid out. Repeat over and over until you get right consistency
Pot, kettle, black. Nuff said! Geeeze!
Why are your panties in a scruff over someones post that is informative,you neex to take a dep breath and show some class.not be an ass!!
I liked your post. But any one with half of brain would know this is not true mozzerella it saddens me that people just add in there own thougnts of the toneof voice when reading a text. Which is what Emily did she got her panties all in a bunch and I let her know it!
Can you can this cheese with a pressure canner? If so at what temp and gauge setting?
Can you freeze the mozzarella?
I read the post about "real" mozzarella" and thought it sounded rude and condescending. If it was meant to be informative, it could have started with a compliment to the original poster. This method does produce a tasty cheese i.e. " a cheese by any other name will still taste as good". So what are my options? Make this fraud mozzarella with inexpensive and available ingredients or fly to Italy? Julia Child wrote her famous cookbook with American taste and supermarket in mind. Nothing wrong with that. Back in the day, there were no San Marzano tomatoes and other " authentic" ingredients in America.So an Italian American cuisine was born out of what was available.
Rikki Carroll has been in the news for years with 30 minute mozzarella kit. Should we sue her for misleading the American public? This post irked me because someone claiming to be Italian thinking that they are an expert so now feel they have to inform us ignorant Americans. BTW, I am of Italian descent and proud.
How important is the salt? My husband had a kidney transplant last year and is supposed to eat a low-sodium diet, so I was wondering about that, and also if using less salt (if it is really important) would still turn out ok.
Good Grief.
Saw it on Pinterest...TOTALLY going to try this.
Dude... this was never declared authentic, so leave ur uptight oppunions to yourself! You sound like my arrogant hipster inlaws!
We had a Naturophathic MD tell us NOT to microwave our food... How would you process the cheese without microwaving it? Do you know of a store brand that works ok because finding a cow here is not an option?
I bet if you put the curds in a cheese cloth to drain for a bit before microwaving that would help with consistancy. It would drain most of the liquid and make it easy to wrap up and squeeze any access. It would be worth a shot.
I am guessing the microwaving is to help remove access moisture. I have seen many recipes that just use cheese cloth for this step. Actually this is the first recipe that I have seen that uses a microwave. Using a cheese cloth just takes longer and you have to ring it out now and then. I would google it.
WOW - that's impressive!
followed the recipe exactly but when the step came to cut the curd into a grid pattern it was still completely liquid. anyone have any ideas?
Any other alternative method besides using a microwave? I don't own one and don't intend to purchase one.
Me too does not do anything in a microwave - dear author, please respond with cheese cloth trick and how to work it.
don't can cheese.
can you use another acid?
I don't use a microwave due to killing the nutrients in food. I love this but how would I do it the "old fashion" way?
I am interested how you do this with cheesecloth as I don't have a microwave either. Thanks!
Also, where do you buy cheese salt and rennet tablet?
Keep a pot of water simmering on the stove. As the cheese cools, put it back into the water to warm it back up, remove, continue kneading. Repeat until shiny and smooth.
http://gottesbellefarm.blogspot.com/2012/05/mozzarella-tutorial.html Here is my sisters blog showing you how to make moz without a microwave.
I don't own a microwave. Can I heat the cheese on the stove during those steps?
what can i use in place of rennet?
Tried looking in the comments for an answer to my question, and couldn't find it but sorry if I am repeating a request for information already given, but what is the best way to store the finished cheese and what are the longest storage methods (and the time periods)?
http://www.cheesemaking.com/OrganicVegetableRennet.html
Actually, most rennet today is engineered, to say nothing of vegetable rennet, so unless it says "organic" or "all natural," it's most likely created in bulk and has never seen a cow, sheep or goat so do your homework before you start on your "poor defenseless baby cow" routine. Why don't YOU remember where it came from next time YOU call dominos. Cheese is cheese kiddo, whether you made it yourself or bought it, it all comes from animals. If you don't approve of cheese or are vegan, move along, this recipe is not for you.
That's interesting! I've had shelf brand (generic) mozzarella that was rubbery. I bet it was the milk. I know generic cheese companies use substandard milk.
what if I dont have a microwave? yes its true.....and I dont miss it.
I know your post was a month ago, but I want to address your question. According to everything I've read, very little rennet, even "animal" rennet is mass produced and never saw a calf, goat or sheep. It's made in a lab unless of course it says all natural, organic, or says right on the package that it is from the animal stomach. My suggestion would be to read the labels to be sure.
Do you know how to make it without a microwave? I don't mind it taking more time, but I won't use a microwave.
Go to this site for instructions on how to make it without a microwave. http://www.cheesemaking.com/
Omg! It's amazing to me how a simple cheese recipe instigated an international 'incident', animal cruelty debates and a rousing rumpus regarding the evils of microwaving. And here I thought I was just finding a fun new recipe! I appreciate and support everyone's right to an opinion.. But remember that just because we don't agree doesn't require hostility. Thank you all for teaching me something this evening. I just wish I could remember what recipe I originally started reading about! Lol
Thanks for the post!!! Can't wait to try this!!!
Can you use something other than rennet?
Can you used milk that has soured?
Can you use fat free milk?
All salt, rennett, and citric acid can all be purchased on amazon from a beer and cheese making company. I just looked.
Thank you so much for sharing this! You made it look so easy! I'll be trying to make it this weekend. I'm sorry you have to deal with all the negativity! Thanks again for your post! You rock!!!:))
Wanted to let u know I freeze cheese all the time. Just cut a few pieces up and store in baggies then in a freezer bag. When you want some cheese just pull out a baggie and place in fridge to defrost. Doesn't take very long at all. Hope this helps.
I freeze cheese all the time.
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