Mozzarella is a very popular cheese made famous by its usage in pizzas. This stringy, white cheese is known to have originated in Italy and is usually available in vacuum-sealed packs at your grocery store. It is also one of the few cheeses that can be made easily at home without any professional tools or setting. Making a batch of fresh mozzarella at home is any day better than spending money on store-bought ones. Since it can be used in a variety of Italian dishes, it is always handy to have some delicious mozzarella in your pantry. The next time you are making your own pizza, why not start with preparing mozzarella cheese itself. Listed below is one simple method of preparing mozzarella cheese at home.
Complexity Level: Basic
Time Required: 30 minutes
Resources Required:
- 3.8 litres pasteurized whole milk
- 1/2 tea spoon liquid rennet
- 180 ml distilled water
- 2 tea spoons citric acid powder
- 1/2 tea spoon + 2 table spoons of salt
- A large pot
- Sharp knife
- Large and medium sized bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Slotted spoon
- Thermometer
- Rubber gloves
- Colander
Instructions:
1. Making the curd
- Simmer a large pot of water till it reads about 180F on the thermometer.
- Meanwhile, add the liquid rennet into 1/4 cup of the cooled distilled water and stir until dissolved. Keep it aside.
- Add citric acid powder to the remaining 120ml of water and stir until well dissolved.
- Place the gallon of pasteurized whole milk into a large pot and add the water with citric acid into it, stirring gently. There would be some curdling, but not to worry.
- Heat this mixture on medium-low heat till it shows about 88F on the thermometer. Remember to keep stirring in between to prevent the milk from burning. Use a whisk or spatula to do the same.
- Once the required temperature is attained, add the dissolved rennet mixture to the milk and stir carefully for about 30 seconds.
- Cook the mix over low heat till the thermometer reads a temperature of 105F.
- Take the pot off the flame and allow it to rest for about 15 minutes, undisturbed.
- This would allow the curd to separate from whey.
2. Removing the whey
- Using the knife, cut the curd into 1 inch squares and keep them aside for 5 more minutes. It would help if you can hold the curd with a ladle while you are cutting.
- Get the colander ready by placing it over a bowl and transfer the curd. The bowl would collect all the whey draining off the colander.
- Transfer this whey back to the pot and place the colander of curd into the pot of whey in order to maintain its temperature.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the curd and fold it over to aid in the draining of whey.
3. Mould the cheese
- Transfer some simmering water from the pot into a bowl.
- Divide the cheese into convenient workable sizes and then place them into the bowl with the hot water, making sure they are completely covered.
- Press together the curd and fold it in the hot water, wearing rubber gloves to not let the hot water burn your hands.
- The cheese should be stretchy and begin to form a rope. Keep pulling and grabbing one end of the cheese rope, roll it under itself and try and make a ball.
- Meanwhile, mix 2 cups of the whey with 2 tablespoons of salt and some ice and make a brine for the cheese to rest in.
- Once you have made all the mozzarella balls, place them into brine to add flavor and cool it down to room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do I store mozzarella cheese?
Storing mozzarella cheese is easy. Just remove the cheese from the brine, wrap in a plastic cover or place in an air-tight container and refrigerate up to one week. If you plan on freezing it, then divide the cheese into convenient sizes, remove any moisture by draining out the liquid and then wrap them tightly in tin foil or freezer ready wraps. Place this into freezer bags or in air-tight containers and store in the freezer for up to 6 months, maintaining a temperature of 32F.
Quick Tips:
1. The longer you leave the mozzarella cheese in the brine, the saltier they will be.
2. Make sure your work surface and all the utensils are sterilized as the cheese goes bad very quickly if exposed to bacteria.
3. If you are not able to grate the fresh cheese, then refrigerate for a while and then grate it. It would be more firm.
Things To Watch Out For:
- When you thaw mozzarella, it could become dry. To avoid that, remove the wrap and place inside a regular plastic and let it thaw at room temperature.
- Since mozzarella cheese can go bad easily, check for moulds or rotten areas before packing.
