A long, long time ago I bought a cheese making kit off of Amazon. And as The Girl and I were cleaning out the kitchen cupboards the other day we came across the box and peaked inside.
Holy Canolies… everything was still in it.
So we she made cheese! Yay!
If you have never made homemade cheese before, not freak out. It’s really not that hard. If a teenager can make it all by herself, than so can YOU!
First of all, I would totally recommend buying a kit. That way all you have to do is worry about buying a gallon of milk and following the printed directions. But if you are a rebel, here’s how to make it.
Recipe – How to Make Homemade Mozzarella Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 gallon milk {I used 2% – Make sure your milk is NOT Ultra- Pasteurized}
- 1 1/4 cool water {chlorine-free is recommended}
- 1 1/2 tsp. citric acid
- 1/4 rennet tablet
- 1tsp. salt
Instructions
Step #1 – Dissolve 1/4 rennet tablet into 1/4 cup of cool chlorine free water and set aside{FYI – we just used tap water}.
Step #2 – Mix 1 1/2 teaspoons citric acid into 1 cup cool water and pour into your pot and stir like a crazy person.
Step #3 Pour milk into a large stainless steel pot and heat to 90 degrees while stirring.
Step #4 – Remove the pot for the stove top, add the rennet mixture and stir for about 30 seconds. Then cover the pot and let it sit for 5 minutes undisturbed.
Step #5 – After 5 minutes your mixture should look like floating cottage cheese that has separated a little bit. You will then cut the curd with a knife {like into strips}.
Step #6 – Place your pot back onto the stove top and heat to 105 degrees while slowly moving the curds around with a spoon.
Step #7 – Take the pot off the burned and continue to stir the curds for 3 -4 minutes. Pour off the floating whey and using a slotted spoon to transfer your curds into a large glass bowl {you don’t want a bunch of excess liquid}.
Step #8 – Microwave the curds {in the glass bowl} for 1 minute.
Step #9 – Remove the bowl from the microwave, drain any excess liquid, shape into a ball and add 1 teaspoon of salt.
Step #10 – Place the cheese ball back in the bowl and microwave for another 30 seconds. Drain, stretch cheese {it must be 135 degrees to stretch properly} a few times and form into a log or ball.
Step #11 – Place your cheese ball in cool water and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then place the cheese ball in ice water and let it sit for an additional 15 minutes to cool down.
Step #12 – Eat fresh or wrap in an airtight container {or saran wrap} and place it in the refrigerator for later.
To get your own Cheese Making Kit, head on over HERE to Amazon and snatch one up before they are all gone.
- This kit includes 8-ounce citric acid 8-ounce cheese salt 10 tablets of vegetable rennet 1 yard butter muslin 1 thermometer 1 recipe booklet
- With this kit you can make mozzarella cheese in just 30 minutes
- Everything included except for the milk
- Great fun for the entire Family and your friends will love it too
- With this kit you can make +/- 30 pounds of cheese
Go HERE to get cheesy!
Bren says
so cool!
Lissa says
This is awesome! Trust it to you to learn how to make cheese just from regular store-bought milk. *shakes head* Ok, my question is: how much cheese did one gallon of milk make? Just for cost comparison purposes…..
Connie says
Leesa,
Not sure how much cheese she got from 1 gallon or milk but recently found a great source for milk. Safeway makes their brand down by 50% about 3 days before the Sell by Date. If your family drinks lots of milk this is a terrific price. Paid just over $3 for 2 gallons!!!
Ask you local store what time of day they do mark downs. My store is 3 – 4 p.m.
Mavis says
Eeek! I forgot to weigh it. I think 1 pound.
Jane says
This is great! I think I need to try it!
deb says
I know this is an old post but you can save the “whey” and use it in place of milk in baking or water for cooking. I made ricotta cheese (also super easy) and I’ve been using the whey for pancakes and baking. It’ll keep for about two weeks I think in the fridge. They said to use it in bread making too.