Ingredients
- 1/2 rennet tablet
- 1/4 C water (cool and chlorine free—most bottled waters)
- 1 Gal. milk (skim, 1%, or 2%)
- 2 t citric acid
Instructions
- Crush rennet into a fine powder
- Add rennet to the water and stir to dissolve
- Pour milk into a non-reactive pot (no aluminum or cast iron)
- Place over medium heat.
- Sprinkle citric acid over milk and stir a few times
- Heat milk to 88º
- At 88º, add rennet solution and continue stirring slowly every few minutes
- Turn off heat when milk reaches 105º
- Large curds will appear and begin to separate from the whey (clear, greenish liquid)
- Using a slotted spoon or mesh strainer, scoop the curd into a large glass bowl
- If it’s still too loose, let it set for a few more minutes
- Press the curds gently with a spoon or squeeze with your hands
- Once you’ve squeezed out the liquid whey, you will be left with soft white curds
- Place the glass bowl in the microwave and cook for one minute on high
- Remove from microwave and press with a spoon (too hot for hands), squeezing out any more whey
- Keep pressing until cheese starts to cool
- Repeat twice more for 35 seconds each
- Cheese should be forming a ball, knead it until smooth
- Once it hardens, place back in microwave for 10 more seconds
- Repeat a few more times until cheese gets shiny and smooth
- You can add 1–2 teaspoons of salt while kneading
- Start stretching like taffy, pulling into a rope, folding over, and repeating
- Cheese should become stretchy, smooth, and shiny
- If it’s difficult to stretch, and tears instead, place it in the microwave for 10 more seconds
- Once the cheese is soft and pliable, gently roll it into a golf ball sized ball, or a log and serve
Ingredients
Categories
Cooking Method