Home-made mozzarella

[Bill/SFNM]

It seems folks on this forum go to great lengths to source the best ingredients for their pizzas. Anyone else make their own mozzarella? 

It would be nice to have a water buffalo in the back yard  .

Unlike many of you, I don't have a good local source for really good mozzarella, so a few years ago I started making my own using cows milk.   

Of all the cheeses, mozzarella is one of the easiest to make. The end result is probably more expensive than buying it (2 gal of milk= 1 to 2 pounds of cheese), but the flavor of freshly made mozzarella is a true delight - sweet and fragrant. After about a day, the flavor rapidly declines.

One advantage is that you can easily control the saltiness. You can also control the moisture content - I squeeze out as much as I can so that it holds up to high heat.

I don't always go to the trouble to make it from scratch, but it is always worthwhile when I do.

Bill/SFNM

[Settebello]

Bill,
Do you know why in certain articles about making your own fresh mozzarella they suggest letting the mozzarella rest 2 days before eating?  I am like you, the fresher the better.    I had a caprese at a local Italian restaurant last night, it had imported buffalo mozzarella so I took a chance.  It was horrible.  Old buffalo mozzarella seems to pick up a chemical taste after a while, not to mention that it turns to mush....but what I wouldn't give for a fresh ball right now from Campania!

[Steve]

A lot of us have tried making homemade mozzarella. 

I especially like making it using un-homogenized milk from a local creamery.

[Henrik]

Hi,
I just went through a search on the internet for advice on how to make mozzarella at home, and have just ordered lipase and rennin.

The search basically suggest more or less lengthy processes, and the importance of the proper pH for the coagulate to stretch properly.
The pH issue bakes down to either a microbial acidification or addition of citric acid.
The shorter process involves citric acid and manual knead of the cheese including microwave re-heating all done in 30 minutes, rather than a slower process of
drainage by gravity and "boiling" in brine before stringing, often on the second or third day.....so there seems to be many ways to mozzarella.

But how much does the process influence taste and properties in respect to pizza-performance?

I am very interested in hearing about how you make mozzarella, what makes it worth while, about ingredients and your method, and tricks you have learned en route.

Thanks

Henrik

[Bill/SFNM]

I've tried a number of different approaches, but prefer the longer method using thermophillic starter, rennet, and lipase. I think I can taste the difference on the final pizza, but you can especially taste the difference when eating it fresh, something I always do when I make a batch (fresh tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, EVOO, salt, pepper - mmmmmmmmmmm).

It can take less than a day to make. While stretching, I try to squeeze out as much moisture as possible so I don't have a puddling problem when baking. I do bake my pies at very high temps and I think this helps. Contrary to some instructions, I prefer to use freshly made cheese - it has a sweeter flavor.

The recipe I use is from "Home Cheese Making" by Ricki Carroll and I use unhomgenized milk. When I started making this cheese, I was pretty obsessive about  checking pH along the way. I've gotten lazy through the years and now go pretty much by instinct. But if you are just starting out, owning a a pH tester is a good idea.

Bill/SFNM

[kgbenson]

How does one come by unhomogenized milk?

Keith

[Bill/SFNM]

How does one come by unhomogenized milk?

It often goes by the name of creamline or creamtop milk because of the layer of cream on the top. I get mine at Trader Joes. Not all Trader Joes carry the same merchandise from the same source.

Bill/SFNM

[Randy]

It often goes by the name of creamline or creamtop milk because of the layer of cream on the top. I get mine at Trader Joes. Not all Trader Joes carry the same merchandise from the same source.

Bill/SFNM

For those of you too young to know, that is how milk was delivered to your door of your home.  Even now people our age might still shake a carton (then a bottle) of milk to mix the cream back in the milk out of habit.  At the family dairy if you had coffee in the morning you would grab a tit and pull you a squirt. Come summer time, the cream from the top of the milk vat made the very best ice cream.

[kgbenson]

I cannot seem to find it locally.  I have made Moz with "regular" homogenized milk, but wanted to try the unhomogenized product.  If anyone knows of a source in Columbia SC, drop me a note.

thanks,

Keith

Addendum: Never mind - I found two places with the stuff!

[Ed]

Keith,

I live in Columbia, SC as well.  Who carries unhomogenized milk?

Thanks,

Ed

[kgbenson]

14 carrot on 378 and rosewood market.  The farmer who delivers to them supposedly dropped some off today. 

Keith

[Ed]

Keith,

Thanks for the info!

Ed