Making Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Food

HOMEMADE MOZZARELLA CHEESE

Steps:

• Combine 1/4 cup water and rennet in a small bowl; mix well.
• Combine remaining 1/2 cup water and citric acid in another small bowl; mix until dissolved.
• Pour milk into a large pot set over medium heat. Stir in water-citric acid mixture. Heat milk, stirring occasionally, until it registers 90 degrees F (32 degrees C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes.
• Remove milk from heat and stir in rennet mixture in a figure-8 motion for 30 seconds. Stir counterclockwise for 30 seconds to still the milk. Let stand, covered, until milk sets into curd, 5 to 10 minutes. Press edge of the curd gently with a palette knife or the back of a spoon to check for firmness.
• Slice vertically into the pot to cut curd into 3/4-inch cubes with a palette knife. Stir curds gently, but leave cubes mostly intact.
• Return pot to the heat; cook over medium heat, stirring curds gently, until temperature reaches 109 degrees F (43 degrees C), about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Ladle curds into a colander set over a large bowl using a slotted spoon. Press curds gently to extract liquid whey. Pour drained whey back into the pot.
• Heat whey to 185 degrees F (85 degrees C), about 5 minutes. Wearing gloves, tear off a piece of curd and place on a slotted spoon. Dip curd into hot whey for 5 to 10 seconds. Stretch, fold, and knead the curd. Repeat until mozzarella is smooth and elastic. Knead in salt and form curd into a ball. Repeat dipping and kneading process with remaining curd.
• Allow mozzarella to cool. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator.

MAKING FRESH MOZZARELLA CHEESE

Steps:

• In a large stock pot, add the water. Add enough salt to the water until it tastes like saltwater. Bring the temperature of the water up to about 120 to 130 degrees, until the touch of the water is like hot bath water. Place a colander in the water. Crumble the cheese curd into the water. Using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture until the curd starts to pull. Using your hands or a spoon, pull the cheese until it begins to hold shape. It's like pulling taffy. Do not over pull the cheese because the end product will be rubbery. It is like you are pulling taffy. If the cheese hardens to soon, dip the cheese back in the water and repeat the pulling process. After the desired weight is achieved dip the cheese in an ice bath. The cheese can either be stored in salted water or rolled in plastic wrap. If you want to flavor the cheese, add the flavorings during the pulling process. Rub your hands with the herbs and garlic and work them into the cheese.

HOMEMADE MOZZARELLA CHEESE

Steps:

• Pour the milk into a large deep pan and set over a low heat until it reaches 38C on a thermometer. Remove from the heat, add the yogurt, mix well, then cover with a lid and leave for 25 mins.
• Add the rennet, stirring very gently, then cover again and leave for another 15-20 mins.
• Remove the lid and check if the curds have coagulated and separated from the whey. Use a large whisk or a knife to break up the curds very gently to create pieces around the size of a hazelnut.
• Heat a larger pan half-full with water over a gentle heat to 40C. Put the pan containing the curds into the larger pan to create a bain-marie and check the water temperature frequently to ensure it stays at around 40C. Top up the water from time to time if needed.
• After 2 hrs 30 mins, remove the curds from the pan using a slotted spoon and leave to drain in a colander for about 15 mins. Cut the curds into small pieces and put in a large heatproof bowl.
• Empty the pan of water, then refill and heat to 85C. Pour the hot water over the curds and mix with a wooden spoon for 30-40 seconds. Strain off almost all the water and again, add water at 85C to cover.
• Fold and stretch the curd in the water using the wooden spoon. Keep working until the curds start to become elastic. Now work the curds by folding and stretching by hand (the water will be hot so wear rubber gloves) until they become smooth and elastic.
• Take smaller pieces of the curd and shape into balls. Immediately put in a tub of cold water and chill in the fridge. Can be kept in water, covered, and chilled for up to a week.

RICKI'S 30 MINUTE MOZZARELLA MAGIC ( HOMEMADE )

Steps:

• The Milk: Make sure the milk you use for this cheese is NOT ULTRA- PASTEURIZED--Homogenized milk will work fine. --Fresh farm milk will also work well but we encourage you to try with 1 gallon of store bought whole milk first.--Low fat milk will work but the cheese will be drier and less flavorful.
• You will need:--A 6 to 8 quart stainless steel pot. Aluminum or cast iron will not work.--A stainless steel or strong plastic slotted spoon.--A two quart microwave safe mixing bowl--measuring spoons--A thermometer which will clearly read between 80 - 120 degrees F.
• Prepare your work area: Do not prepare any other food while you are making cheese. Put all food products away. Move all sponges, cloths and dirty towels away from your work surface, wipe your sink and stove with soap and water. Finally use your antibacterial cleaner to wipe down all surfaces.
• Process: Crush 1/4 tablet of rennet and dissolve in 1/4 cup of cool un-chlorinated water and set aside to use later.
• Heat the milk to 90F and add 1.5-2 teaspoons of citric acid. This will bring the milk to the proper acidity to stretch well later.
• As you approach 90F you will notice your milk beginning to curdle due to acidity and temperature.
• When at 90F add your rennet (which you prepared in previous step) to the milk and stir in a top to bottom motion for 30-60 seconds -- then stop.
• Now turn the heat off (it may continue to rise as high as 105F or so).
• Let the milk remain quiet for the next 3-5 minutes during which it will form a curd. A longer set will result in a firmer curd.
• Cut the curds into a 1" checkerboard pattern and then scoop with a slotted sp0on into a heat proof bowl to be used in the microwave. (If the curd is too soft at this point let sit for another minute or so).
• You will now press this curd gently with your hand, pouring off as much whey as possible. Reserve this whey to use in cooking or making ricotta.
• Microwave the curd on HI for 1 minute. You will notice more whey has run out of the curd. Drain off all whey as you did before.
• Quickly work the cheese with a spoon or your hands until it is cool enough to touch (rubber gloves will help since the cheese is almost too hot to touch at this point).
• Microwave 2 more times for 35 seconds each and repeat the kneading as in the last step. Drain all of the whey off as you go.
• Knead quickly now as you would bread dough until it is smooth and shiny. Add salt near the finish.
• At this point the cheese should be soft and pliable enough to stretch like taffy.
• It is ready to eat when it cools.
• Form it into a ball and drop into ice water to cool and refrigerate.
• When cold you can wrap in plastic wrap and it will last for several days but is best when eaten fresh.