Homemade Mozzarella

[sacwoodpusher]

I have made homemade mozzarella. Here is how.....

1)I got the recipe from: http://www.cheesemaking.com/includes/modules/jWallace/ChsPgs/1Mozz/Index.html
2)The recipe did not work as published
3)I added 1/2 tsp of citric acid to the standard recipe after adding the original quantities of citric acid and rennet, and after that began coagulating rapidly I added another 1/4 tablet of rennet.
4)I was a little skeptical of the microwave method that they suggested....I guess I am a bit of a purist, but I tried it.

Final recipe:

2 tsp citric acid dissolved in 1/2 cup water
1 Gallon California Whole Milk from Crystal Farms
heat to 105 degrees
1/2 tablet of rennet dissolved in 1/4 cup water
Let temp rise to 125
turn off and scoop out curds into strainer
drain a bit
add 1/2 tsp sea salt and microwave for 1 minute
stir with spoon in a kneading fashion
microwave for 30 seconds
stir with spoon in a kneading fashion
repeat 1 more time if necessary to get a smooth shiny cheese ball
put 1/2 cup of whey, some ice, and water into a basket along with a 1/2 tsp of sea salt and refrigerate until time to use.

I think that the reason the recipe required extra citric acid and rennet is that California mandates that milk have an unnaturally high protein content. This is accomplished by the dairies with the addition of powdered milk. This is done because California politicians want to protect the state's dairy farmers by requiring a recipe for milk that is illegal in other states.

[Ev]

I've used that recipe and method with store-bought whole milk with poor results. Many times since then, I have used the same recipe with fresh raw milk with excellent results. I think it's very important to use the freshest milk you can find.

[sacwoodpusher]

I've used that recipe and method with store-bought whole milk with poor results. Many times since then, I have used the same recipe with fresh raw milk with excellent results. I think it's very important to use the freshest milk you can find.

Yes. The cheese making forum, cheesemaking.org recommends that calcium chloride be added at the beginning to correct for the pasteurization process. I also bought mesophilic starter, thermophilic starter, calcium chloride, lipase, good rennet, and a ph meter today. I joined cheesemaking.org, and found my book on cheese making.

I had to relearn making pizza in a wood fired oven. Now I have to learn to make mozz. I will plant lots of plum tomatoes, basil, oregano, and thyme. I want to be able to make a pizza from as scratch as it can be made. NOW.....I adamantly refuse to take this as far as milking the cow, or growing the wheat. I have grown wheat in the past...but we were liberated farmers, we had no dairy cows to milk twice a day. But I will talk to my milk inspector friend and see if he can find me a friendly farmer.