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How to Make Great Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

by mikemwa on April 6, 2008 Table of Contents intro: How to Make Great Fresh Mozzarella Cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 1: Equipment you will need: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 2: OK First things First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 3: Pour in the Citric Acid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 4: Heat milk to 88-90 degrees F. Stirring occasionally. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 5: At 88-90 degrees turn off the heat and stir in the Rennet solution for 15-20 seconds. step 6: Wait for a clean break. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 7: Cut the Curd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 8: Let the Curds set undisturbed for 5-10 minutes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 9: Apply low heat and heat to 108 degrees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 10: Turn off the heat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 11: Drain the Curds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 12: Pour the Curds into the smaller bowl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 13: Heat the Curd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 14: Squeeze the Curds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 15: Microwave again. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 16: Stretching. OK Here comes the fun part. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 17: Work into a ball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 18: CHEESE!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 19: Final notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Customized Instructable T-shirts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 3 3 4 5 5 5 6 7 7 7 8 9 9 9 10 11 12 12 12 13 13 13

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intro: How to Make Great Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

This has been Revised a little bit because some people have had a little trouble with the original. Even I had a few bad batches. The main differences are the times in the microwave. Follow the instructions carefully and you should end up with an almost 100% foolproof batch of Mozzarella Cheese If you like fresh home made Mozzarella Cheese then try out this Instructable. If you have never had fresh Mozzarella Cheese, try it out any way. There is a world of difference between the packages stuff you buy in the store and the cheese you make yourself. It will only take a couple hours out of your life but it will be well worth it. There are a lot of recipes on the internet but a lot of them seem to skip an important step or 2 or don't really explain it well enough, so I have made many batches through trial and error combining things that I have learned and experimented with (so you don't have to) and come up with this recipe that seems to work real good. There are also a lot of recipes out there saying make Mozzarella Cheese in 30 minutes. Realistically, it ain't gonna happen if you want to do it right. Plan on it taking about an hour and a half to 2 hours. As you make more batches you can cut it down to maybe an hour or so. I use whole milk for mine but you should be able to use skimmed, 1%, or 2% milk also. If you have access to farm fresh milk your even better off and I'm jealous. You can also use goat, buffalo or camel milk.

step 1: Equipment you will need:

Equipment: 1. At least an 8 quart pot either enameled or stainless steel. (Do not use aluminum, cast iron or other reactive pots) 2. Thermometer. (A candy thermometer will probably work but a good digital thermometer is much better for accuracy.) 3. A couple measuring cups or something to dissolve the Citric Acid and Rennet in. 4. A big strainer to strain the Curds from the Whey. 5. A long sharp knife to cut the Curds up with. 6. A slotted spoon to stir the Curds and dip them out with. 7. Large bowl for the drained off Whey. (Glass is best) 8. Small bowl to put the Curds in. (Glass is best) 9. Microwave Optional: 10. Nylon netting for draining Curds. (I use this with the strainer. You can get this stuff at most fabric stores. It is just nylon netting. Get the plain white and probably not the colored stuff) 11. Plain white cloth if you want to make Ricotta Cheese with the Whey that is left over. 12. Small strainer to dip out the curds. Ingredients: 1. 1 gallon Milk. Let the milk set out either in the gallon container or in the pot until it gets to about 50 degrees. (I have only used whole milk, although you can also use 2% or skimmed milk. Do not use ultra-homogenized milk though. If you are lucky enough to get milk fresh from the farm, that's even better) 2. 1 Rennet tablet crushed. (The Rennet tablet is used to coagulate the milk. You can also use liquid Rennet if you can get it. You can get The Rennet tablets at a lot of specialty or smaller stores and it is usually in the pudding aisle or in the Ice Cream section with the chocolate, nuts and stuff. About $2.00) 3. 2 teaspoons Citric Acid divided. 1 teaspoon is dissolved in water and the other one is sprinkled directly into the milk. (The citric acid is what gives the cheese it's stretch. Get it at some health food stores for around $4.00 for 4 ounces or at a pharmacy which can cost $12.00 to $14.00) 4. 1/2 cup water divided in 2. (Do not use chlorinated water. Bottled water is fine.) 5. 1 - 2 teaspoons salt.

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step 2: OK First things First

1. Pour 1 teaspoon Citric Acid into 1/4 cup unchlorinated water and stir. Crush the Rennet tablet and pour it into the other cup of unchlorinated water. The Citric Acid should be dissolved by the time you have to use it. Most of the Rennet will be dissolved but there will still be some residue left. 2. If you haven't done so already, pour milk into your pot. Make sure the milk is around 50 degrees when you pour in the Citric Acid

step 3: Pour in the Citric Acid.

1. Pour the dissolved Citric Acid in the milk and stir for 1 minute. 2. Sprinkle the other teaspoon of Citric Acid in the milk and sir for another minute. You will probably see the milk start to curdle very shortly.

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step 4: Heat milk to 88-90 degrees F. Stirring occasionally.

This is not an error. You are not trying to pasteurize the milk. If you get it too hot or too cold, the Rennet will not make curds. Use a low heat so it doesn't go past the 8890 degrees. It should take about 10-15 minutes.

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step 5: At 88-90 degrees turn off the heat and stir in the Rennet solution for 15-20 seconds.
Cover the pot with the lid and LEAVE IT SET UNDISTURBED FOR AT LEAST 15-20 MINUTES until you can get a clean break. I usually let mine set for 15-30 minutes. Time is not critical here as long as you get the clean break.

step 6: Wait for a clean break.

This is what a clean break looks like. When you poke your finger into it and move for an inch or so and lift it out, the Curd and Whey should separate shortly. If it is still liquidy (Is that a real word?) and sticks to your finger let it set a while longer.

step 7: Cut the Curd.

Cut the Curds into 1/2 inch cubes from top to bottom as shown. Then do the same thing at a 45 degree angle.

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step 8: Let the Curds set undisturbed for 5-10 minutes.

Just let them sit there.

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step 9: Apply low heat and heat to 108 degrees.

Apply low heat and stir the curds occasionally to keep them separated until they reach 108 degrees. This will take about 15 minutes. The Curds will shrink and start to sink as the Whey is expelled from them.

step 10: Turn off the heat.

Turn off the heat and continue stirring every few minutes for an additional 20 minutes. The Curds will keep shrinking.

step 11: Drain the Curds.

Drain the Curds into a strainer or colander and let set for about 15 minutes. Either use a small strainer to dip them out or just pour into the big bowl through the large strainer. Let the Curds drain until no more Whey comes out of them. This might take 10 - 15 minutes. You can either dump the Whey or save it to make Ricotta.

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step 12: Pour the Curds into the smaller bowl.

Pour the Curds into the smaller bowl and break them up with your hand a little bit.

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step 13: Heat the Curd.

OK here comes the tricky part. Place the Curds in the microwave on high for 30 - 45 seconds. If you have it on too long you will cook the Curd and it will turn to mush. Better a couple shorter cycles than one that's too long. The Curds will start to separate from the Whey. I have an 1100 watt microwave. If yours is a different wattage you might have to adjust the time.

step 14: Squeeze the Curds

Using the slotted spoon or your hand GENTLY squeeze the Whey from the Curd. Pour off the Whey.

step 15: Microwave again.

Microwave again for 15 - 20 seconds and pour more Whey off. As you are gently squeezing the Whey out work it into a ball also.

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step 16: Stretching. OK Here comes the fun part.

Microwave again. Put back in the microwave for another 20 seconds. Add Salt. At this point if it's warm enough it should start to become pliable and stretchy. YEAH!!!!. Grab 1/3 to 1/2 and lift. It should start to stretch under it's own weight. If not put it in the microwave for a few more seconds. As you work through the stretching process also knead it like bread a couple times. If necessary microwave occasionally until your cheese looks like the last picture.

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step 17: Work into a ball.

At this point knead it like bread dough into a ball. If it breaks apart on you just put it in the Microwave again for a bit. As soon as it is nice and smooth and shiny it's done.

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step 18: CHEESE!!!!!!!!

You now have some Great Home Made Mozzarella Cheese.

step 19: Final notes.

Before I perfected this recipe I was getting 12-14 ounces of cheese. Lately I get about 16-18 ounces. It probably depends on how much you work it. Wrap in plastic or put in a Zip lock bag and refrigerate if you can keep from eating the whole thing right then and there. That's when it is at it's best. It should keep in the refrigerator for at least 6-10 days. I keep my fridge set just this side of freezing so things keep a lot longer. With the left over Whey you can make great Ricotta Cheese. If you would like to check that Instructable out go to: http://www.instructables.com/id/Great-Ricotta-Cheese-From-Whey Do you like Pizza? Check out my Quick Simple Individual Pizza Instructable at: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-Quick-Simple-Individual-Pizzas/ There you have it. Try it out and let me know how it works out for you. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions leave me a note here or email me at mikemwa@sbcglobal.net. If you liked this Instructable (Or even if you don't) Please rate it. Enjoy

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Comments
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Sep 17, 2008. 7:47 PM REPLY

corey_caffeine says:
one note: you can use your favorite vinegar instead of rennet it's the acidity you need

farmerlor says:

Sep 16, 2008. 4:16 PM REPLY If you use powdered milk, you can skip the calcium chloride altogether. It is used to help curds set up in homogenized store milk. Using dry milk will set curds like fresh milk. For an even richer flavor, and if you aren't worried about the calories) add a little heavy cream to your milk while warming. We sold our last milking cow last year and powdered milk is the only adequate substitute I've found for making cheese. Aug 6, 2008. 8:15 PM REPLY

cory2 says:
I can't get it stretchyyyyy!!! I used lemon juice in place of citric acid I was told that would do the trick but now I am thinking not??? any ideas?

mikemwa says:

Apr 25, 2008. 1:45 PM REPLY OK Everyone. I can't handle this any longer!!! I have decided to take my life into my own hands and be a Guiney pig (not sure on the spelling) for everyone else. Tom's comment has finally driven me over the edge. I have read many articles also on using Calcium Chloride and they pretty much say the same thing as Tom's post. For the last month I have tried finding the stuff around here with no success. I've tried Stores, Health food stores, Pharmacies and anything I could think of without ordering it off the internet. After reading Tom's post I decided to run down to my neighborhood Auto Zone Store. They had Prestone Driveway Heat Concentrated Ice Melter. It says it has Calcium Chloride but mentions nothing else. I figured if nothing else I will be using it up next winter. When I got home I called Prestone and talked to a girl there. She said it was just Calcium Chloride with maybe less than 1 percent Potassium in it. Anyway, I am making a batch of Mozzarella as we speak. If you don't hear from me in a long time (or ever) it was the wrong stuff or it worked ssoooo good that I am in the kitchen making batch after batch after batch. Otherwise I will post my results as soon as possible. ******WARNING!!!!'' If you decide to try this, try it at your own risk Until we find out this is the real stuff******* This stuff comes in a 9.5 pound plastic jug. It takes 1 teaspoon per 1 Gallon of milk. Off the top of my head math tells me this stuff could take up to 23 years to use up. I will keep you updated. Mike

Toffy says:

Just found this site, it is terrific. Ive been reading all the posts about the Calcium Chloride...I know you don't want to order over the internet..but here is a site for the Pickling. Might be another place to look locally, in pickling supplies or that grocery section. http://www.bulkfoods.com/search_results.asp?txtsearchParamTxt=4231&txtsearchParamCat=1&txtsearchParamType=ALL&txtsearchParamMan=ALL&txtsearchP This second link has a great description. http://www.bulkfoods.com/calciumchloride.htm I hope this helps you out.

catlantis says:
http://www.leeners.com/mozzarella.html

May 23, 2008. 2:15 PM REPLY

Sells calcium Chloride. Trying to find a more local place for it that does not involve swimming pools or auto parts shops.. perhaps home brew places.. But that site has it

argon says:

May 14, 2008. 7:00 PM REPLY Does anyone understand why chlorinated water is bad for rennet, but putting calcium chloride in is ok? Won't this effectively chlorinate the water? BTW, if you don't want to do the whole road salt thing, stores that sell home brew equipment (like Oak Barrel Winecraft in Berkeley, CA) often have both citric acid and calcium chloride in stock.

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tomlevine1 says:

Apr 27, 2008. 12:59 AM REPLY Mike, you are a braver cheesemonger than I! Pouring Prestone Ice Melter in your milk for a more satisfying curd! There's xtreme sports, and now we have Xtreme cheesemaking. I can't wait to hear how this additive improves (or does not improve) upon your efforts. So assuming we will not be writing your epitath from this experiment, looking forward to hearing about your results.

mikemwa says:

Apr 27, 2008. 8:35 AM REPLY Well Tom, I'm still alive and kicking. Other than the third arm I have coming out of my forehead I feel fine. But seriously. I did try it yesterday and used 1 teaspoon dissolved in water like I have seen mention in some recipes. Unfortunately it didn't seem to make much or any difference. This was one of those batches that didn't quite turn out. (Yes I do have my fair share of them too) It just wouldn't get to a good stretchy point. Like I say when it does it will be like magic and you will know it. I am doing my best to make this foolproof and will continue to do so because when it works it is the tastiest stuff you ever ate. There seems to be more variables to this than I thought when I first posted this Instructable. So for right now you have to leave my headstone blank.

tomlevine1 says:

Apr 27, 2008. 10:45 PM REPLY ...Phew! I was worried. I was picturing it, Mike, pouring your Calcium Chloride into your stockpot, with a big "POOF" of smoke coming out of your kitchen window...Sucha mad scientist. Glad to hear you're still with us. I totally respect your instructable, and your quest for the "foolproof" recipe! I'm in. I'm wondering more and more about the milk as the prime variable...Our friend Ricky over at Cheesemaking.com talks about "long haul" pasteurization, making a distinction between UP, UHT, and normal pastuerization, indicating that basically anything pasteurized over 174 degrees makes for inadequate cheesemaking. I'm wondering if in some regions of the country, milk is pasteurized the old fashioned way, under 174, making it cheese-worthy, whereas other regions, the milk is pastuerized using more 'modern' techniques, essentially producing a milk that has been heating above 174, and thus, not cheese-worthy. I was wondering if the Fosters Farms and Crystal milk sold out here in Northern California, for example, are heated above 174, even though they are denoted on the jug as simply "pasteurized". I emailed Fosters Farms...No response back yet, and it's been about a week...They're website does not specify, making me wonder. So, bottom line: Perhaps the milk is the prime variable? I did try to make this cheese using a gallon of nonfat milk, and a pint of heavy whipping cream, to attempt to facsimile a "cream on top" milk using store-bought ingredients...Didn't work out...The whipping cream is "ultra pasteurized", perhaps that might explain it. Or it could of course be me, as I have not perfected the Mikemwa technique yet, although I am still in high speed pursuit... There have been other recipes for cheese-worthy milk concoctions I've seen around the internet, one used dry nonfat milk with whipping cream. Haven't tried that yet. In any event, glad the Prestone De-Icer didn't do ya in!

mikemwa says:
Tom,

May 3, 2008. 10:25 AM REPLY

Check this site out. He has many ways to make cheese milk. One of them was the same way you tried. It might have been the ultra pasteurization that was your downfall. There is a lot of other good information there plus other cheese recipes. I just wish I could get some of the ingredients he uses locally. http://schmidling.com/cheese.htm Good luck!

mikemwa says:

Apr 28, 2008. 5:35 AM REPLY This is starting to frustrate me. Where before it almost always turned out fine I'm now having more batches that just sit there like Cottage Cheese and will not start to stretch. That's not necessarily a bad thing because you can still use it and eat it like Cottage Cheese and it's pretty good. Just don't add much salt. You can still get the Ricotta from it too. It could quite possibly be the milk, although I'm using the same brands that I've always used. I'm wondering if I have been waiting too long or not long enough for the curds to set and drain the Whey out of them. I'll have to split a batch up and experiment with the timing. I've seen the recipes using 2 percent, and dry milk but haven't tried them yet. I did try one recipe that used Buttermilk and plain Yogurt that didn't turn out but what was left tasted like Buttermilk and Yogurt so I won't be trying that one again. I'm wondering if anyone else has had good luck with this and what they have done. Please chime in. If at first you don't succeed..... try try again.

tomlevine1 says:
Mike, maybe rather than it being an issue of the milk, it is an issue of measuring for proper acidity?

Apr 28, 2008. 10:38 PM REPLY

What I mean to say is that depending on how much citric acid, and how much rennet, and what kind of milk, and how long to cook the curds, and at what temperature, and for how long...These are all things that are different each time you or I cook a batch, even though we take great pains to try to keep as close to the Mikemwa recipe and as exact as possible... We measure temperature and time during this process, Maybe what's missing is also measuring for the proper acidity. I believe that in the original recipe for Mozzarella (before there was a microwave in the 'old' country), the cheesemaker would wait for the proper acidity to develop in order for the curds to correctly "spin", when dropped in 180 degree water. If you try to drop the curds into the water prior to that, the cheese wont spin, and no mozzarella...Our cheesemakers of old used various techniques to identify when the curds reached that magical moment, such as dropping a piece into the water and then squeezing it, or something like that...In modern days, I believe litmus paper can be used to measure the acidity of the curds to identiy when it has reached "spin" status. Maybe we could try modifying your modern-day technique to identify when the curds have reached this moment, and when it is ideal to begin the stretching process. What do you think?

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Let me elaborate. Check out this website: Heartland Cheese Recipes This recipe is the more classic style of using a "thermophillic" culture to ripen the milk, but that's not the part that is interesting. Let's say we replace that part of this recipe with the modern "citric acid and rennet" technique. Check out line 16. See how he's cooking the curds at 105 degrees until the acidity is 5.2 to 5.3? So whether it's a half hour or 3 hours makes no difference...If the curds do not reach this acidity, they won't "spin", whether it's in a pot of hot water, or using the Mikemwa Microwave technique. By experimenting with litmus paper, or some other method of measuring PH, you can identify exactly when the right moment is to proceed to stretching. Perhaps this is the part that has made the difference for you from batch to batch I wonder. Your success or failure in producing mozzarella clearly does not have anything to do with the milk or the lack of chemical additives, because you've succeeded in producing a recipe that works, most of the time. The trick is to figure out how to produce that gorgeous ball of mozzarella EVERY TIME! My thinking here is that there's one missing link in your recipe that is preventing you from achieving that. Perhaps measuring for acidity could be the missing link... Now, I have to start looking around Sacramento for litmus paper! Cheers, Sincerely Tom.

chrissl says:

Sep 15, 2008. 7:32 AM REPLY Hello Tom I purchased my ph paper at the sac state book store. It was about 5 bucks and it has lasted about 3 years. I buy my milk at whole foods and nugget markets. It is Strauss or Clover Whole milk it has not been homogenized..E-mail me if you have any other Q'sChrissl Apr 30, 2008. 6:23 AM REPLY I've read a couple places about putting a little but of the cheese in hot water and checking for the spin also, I just haven't tried it yet. I think that's a good tip that everyone should try first before doing the whole batch. I have to hold back on making cheese for a bit because I have some things I've been neglecting to do the last couple weeks because I was having so much fun making cheese. Let us know if you find that Litmus Paper and if it helps you determine when the cheese is ready.

mikemwa says:

tomlevine1 says:

Apr 18, 2008. 9:31 PM REPLY The question of "calcium chloride" has come up a couple times here in ye olde comments section of Mikes instructable. I have done a little research on the subject, and here's the skinny: 1) When milk is pasteurized, it apparently loses some calcium. This loss in calcium "allegedly" results in a less than satisfying milk for cheesemaking, having something to do with the proteins ability to bind. Are you struggling with producing a nice, thick, satisfying curd within 30 minutes of adding your Rennet and Citric Acid? Is it wet and sloppy? Does it fall apart when attempting to knead your cheese-dough? Does it turn into essentially a ricotta like mass of goo? Well, there ya go! The lack of calcium using "pasteurized homogenized" store-bought whole milk, might just be your culprit, allegedly. 2) To manipulate your store-bought "pasteurized homogenized" milk back to a satisfaction, the additive of choice appears to be "calcium chloride", a type of salt produced through the chemical combination of salt and chlorine, to get technical. This ingredient, believe it or not, is readily available and widely used throughout the Northwestern United States...If you've traveled into icy, snowy, moutainous regions of the Rockys or the Sierras, and you see a Caltrans truck up ahead spreading white, round particals on the ground...Guess what? It could be a number of chemicals, but one very popular one, is the very same ingredient used in cheesemaking...Time to get out of your car and grab a shovel. That stuff is none other than our super-top-secret additive, CALCIUM CHLORIDE! 3) Why is it used to de-ice the roadways of the Northwestern US? Because Calcium Chloride has an intense heating point at dissolution. In other words, add water, and this stuff gets HOT HOT HOT!!! So, it keeps the roads iced. Apparently, it's also happy for milk in terms of producing a better quality curd. Don't ask me why. 4) Where do you get it? Okay, now it's time to gross you out. Go to your local auto parts store, go check out the de-icer on aisle six, take a look at the ingredient. Does it say "Calcium chloride"? ewww. And they want you to put THAT in your milk? Possibly so. 5) Now, I do not recommend that you use this particular product to make your cheese, but based on my scouring the internet for info on the stuff, that's it. Don't take my word for it. Go to the DOW Checmical website, and look it up for yourself. 6) One other, very important point: If you do come across calcium chloride in its dry form (it looks like pellets), DO NOT HANDLE with bare hands, and especially, DO NOT PUT IN YOUR MOUTH. Calcium Chloride in its solid form will burn your hands, and will burn your esophogus, which means the ER for you young cheesemaker. Long and short: I'm somewhat reluctant to go buy calcium chloride at my local auto parts store for cheesemaking, but that's where it can be found, at least in one of its forms. Also, you can find it as an "electrolyte" in "Smartwater" brand healthwater. Road De-Icer plus tap water makes a smarter water? blech. Hope that helps? I know I know. It poses more questions than answers. I'd still like to get my hands on some of this additive, just not at NAPA Auto Parts. Perhaps the local wine-making and beer-making hobby store might have it? Sometimes they carry the stuff as well. Anyone else have info on how to get some CACI2 cheap and easy? Please share with the group! Cheers! t

http://www.instructables.com/id/Great-Mozzarella-Cheese/

rustaholic says:
So what if I try making this cheese and use whole milk that I can buy here at a health food store. It comes right from a farm and it is slow Pasteurized and it is not homogenized. Slow Pasteurized means it was kept at a lower temperature for a longer time.

Jun 10, 2008. 10:00 AM REPLY

mikemwa says:

Jun 22, 2008. 9:50 AM REPLY That should work out even better than the store bought milk. The only reason I haven't tried it is because it's a lot more expensive and harder to get in my area.

primal1 says:

Apr 27, 2008. 9:21 AM REPLY It may not be cheap but you can get calcium chloride at swimming pool supply stores. It may be easier to find down south where ice on the driveways may not be a problem but they definitely have swimming pools. It's used to increase the water hardness to prevent damage to plumbing.

tomlevine1 says:
Useful! Thanks for the suggestion.

Apr 28, 2008. 10:06 PM REPLY

Goodhart says:

Apr 25, 2008. 11:18 AM REPLY The reaction to water and water containing articles is because Calcium Chloride is very deliquescent and even worse in its anhydrous form.

tomlevine1 says:

Apr 27, 2008. 1:07 AM REPLY I don't know what "deliquescent" means...I feel like I'm in the doctors office, and he's talking in latin, and I think I have some horrible disease, then I say, "Doc, tell it to me in plain English", and he says, "You've got a pimple..." Webster says that "deliquescent" means 'tending to melt or dissolve', although the word "worse" in this post concerns me, and I'm now even more confused than I was pre-analysis. Goodhart, care to elaborate? You seem to know a bit about this material. Is it safe for use? Is Preston De-Icer safe to use for our purposes? I think that is the essential question needing an answer in this discussion. Appreciated, Tom.

Goodhart says:

Apr 27, 2008. 3:18 AM REPLY Tom, my apologies, I was referring to the more strict definition used by some chemists: deliquescent: the property of a substance that inclines the substance to absorb moisture from the atmosphere until it dissolves. An example of substances having this property would be water-soluble salts. This is noticeable even with normal table salt ( if it sits long enough, it will get damp and then wet). What I see as problems with Calcium Chloride ( CC ), especially anhydrous CC, is the possibility of not using the proper amount. I don't know if I would use the "grade" of CC sold as a deicer. Most likely it is not "food grade". The following link, is a company I know nothing about personally, as I have not had to obtain any food grade CC for a long time, so I am out of touch there. But this CC link has both pricing and use information. It does like a bit pricey :-)

tomlevine1 says:
Thanks Goodhart!

Apr 27, 2008. 10:20 PM REPLY

idontcare says:
Just wondering, is there a substitute for the rennet tablet?

May 31, 2008. 4:27 PM REPLY

http://www.instructables.com/id/Great-Mozzarella-Cheese/

mikemwa says:
There probably is but I don't think other things would be as good or easy as the Rennet. Why don't you want to use rennet?

Jun 1, 2008. 5:10 AM REPLY

idontcare says:
I don't want to use rennet because I am a vegetarian I have googled mozzarella cheese recipes without rennet, but I haven't found anything.

Jun 1, 2008. 9:05 AM REPLY

mikemwa says:

Jun 1, 2008. 9:49 AM REPLY The Junket Rennet is vegetable based not animal. I did call them to confirm it. Read somewhere in the comments and it is explained. Many people have been concerned about that.

idontcare says:
thank you, but why is it still called rennet?

Jun 5, 2008. 4:45 AM REPLY

mikemwa says:
I guess because there are different ways of making it and it does the same thing. Just like anything else.

Jun 5, 2008. 1:34 PM REPLY

idontcare says:
thanks for the information

Jun 6, 2008. 1:03 PM REPLY

primal1 says:

May 3, 2008. 4:25 AM REPLY This is a very interesting Instructable. I had left a comment about getting calcium chloride at swimming pool supply stores. However I've had some misgivings about that and using the ice melter product also. It may say only calcium chloride as the ingredient but it is not food grade and may have additional and unsavory (read dangerous) elements left in during the manufacturing process. They do not have to list anything else as it's not food. So my thinking is, or question, is why not use calcium supplement tablets found in any vitamin section as the calcium increaser? Also for the citric acid you could use Vitamin C tablets. If you read the label its pure citric acid. These are already food grade and easily available. Be safe.

mikemwa says:

May 3, 2008. 6:33 AM REPLY You beat me to the question on the Calcium Supplement. I was kinda wondering the same thing about a week ago. I'm sure it couldn't hurt anything. You would just need to crush it and dissolve it in water first. I don't have any Calcium supplements right now otherwise I would try it. Maybe I'll get some in the near future. I do think that the 2 things I mentioned the day before yesterday will make a big difference in getting the cheese to stretch though. 1. Don't use real cold milk. Let it set out a bit so it gets around 50 degrees. 2. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of the Citric Acid in water then stir it to the milk, then sprinkle the second teaspoon directly into the milk while stirring. There are probably many different formulas for Vitamin C tablets but the ones I have say Ascorbic Acid, Corn Starch, Cellulose Gel, etc.. No mention about Citric Acid. Some people have mentioned finding it in the caning section at the store. I have not found pure Citric acid so far. What I have found in that section has Ascorbic Acid as the first ingredient, Citric Acid as the second and a couple others afterwards so I really don't know if it would work.

andyrudy says:
I got our local pharmacy to order citric acid, granular form. Coming next day. 4 oz. is 16 dollars.

Jun 4, 2008. 1:58 PM REPLY

mikemwa says:
Good luck. That's what I used the first time until I found it at a health food store.

Jun 5, 2008. 1:37 PM REPLY

Sunkicked says:
Good Instructable my friend. I'm going to try this sometime in the near future to use with my Margherita Pizza.

Jun 4, 2008. 7:52 PM REPLY

mikemwa says:
Thanks

Jun 5, 2008. 1:36 PM REPLY

nightninja87 says:
couldnt u instead of microwave heat salt water till really hot and throw in the curds?

May 16, 2008. 6:18 PM REPLY

mikemwa says:

May 17, 2008. 12:57 AM REPLY Indeed you can. In fact that's what a lot of recipes call for. I tried it a couple times and it just didn't work for me. The Curds wouldn't come together in one big mass. I will give it a try again in the future though. If at first you don't succeed try, try again. Apr 29, 2008. 2:25 PM REPLY

Mr. TiKi says:

OMG I cannot find the rennet anywhere. Ahhhhhh I guess I'll try and order it online if I find it cheap.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Great-Mozzarella-Cheese/

greatpanda says:

Apr 29, 2008. 9:49 PM REPLY how's $1.50 a box? junketdesserts.com will sell you the stuff from mike used. I've found it in grocery stores sometimes, especially in the summer near the homemade ice cream mixes (rennet makes smoother ice cream, so Junket seems to be the main supplier of ice cream mix- go figure...). Health food shops can sometimes have it more easily available, but it can be in liquid form and a bit sneakier to find.

Mr. TiKi says:

Apr 30, 2008. 4:16 PM REPLY yeh I had seen it before but the shipping killed it for me. I called whole foods and they don't know what rennet is. I'll see if I try some other health food stores

nightninja87 says:
look in italian stores that sell italian stuff

May 16, 2008. 6:19 PM REPLY

austin says:
I found it at whole foods today in the baking section.

May 16, 2008. 4:55 PM REPLY

Mr. TiKi says:

Thanks for the replies guys. I was able to find it at a tiny health store.

May 21, 2008. 9:14 PM REPLY

mikemwa says:

May 12, 2008. 3:50 AM REPLY *****OK This is the Final, Updated, Revised Instructable***** Most of the instructions are the same. The main differences are the times. There are more pictures and more details. Follow these instructions carefully and you should have no problem making a good batch of Mozzarella Cheese.

mikemwa says:
(removed by community request)

May 3, 2008. 4:47 PM

mimmo says:

May 4, 2008. 4:05 PM REPLY SUCCESS !!! Just tried a second time and the mozzarella came out perfect, along with the ricotta. When I cut the curds, the "break" wasn't that clean, and I was concerned that it may not come out right. However, heating up in the microwave in small 15-20 second steps is what I think does the trick. I grew up in Italy and as a kid have fond memories of watching cheese being made, especially the fresh ricotta by sheppards, who used willow baskets. I recall the balls of mozzarella being sold in vats with slightly salted water, so next time I think I might try and store the mozzarella (if it lasts that long:) in a saline solution. - thanks for this Instructable !!

mikemwa says:

May 5, 2008. 10:57 PM REPLY I'm glad you had success with both of them. I think these shortened heating steps should make a difference for everyone. I just made an updated Instructable with more pictures and detailed instructions. It should be a success for just about everyone now. I will post the link in a bit.

mikemwa says:

May 1, 2008. 3:32 PM REPLY I made another batch of Mozzarella today and it turned out to be one of my successes. There are only 2 things I changed. Like I've said before I keep my fridge set just this side of freezing so things last longer. Today I set the milk on the counter for a while and it was about 50 degrees when I poured it into the pot. The other thing I did different was I used a whole tablet of Rennet like I have in the past and used 2 teaspoons of Citric Acid, but this time I dissolved one teaspoon in water then added it to the milk. The other teaspoon I sprinkled into the milk afterwards while stirring. The milk did start to curdle a little bit after a few minutes. Everything was the same as far as times and temperatures. I did do the spin test and it passed within the normal time limits. I'm not sure which step or if both made a difference but you might want to take both into consideration when you make your next batch. Also, I'm wondering if the Rennet and Citric Acid could be sent in an envelope through the postal service. It seems that some people are unable to find one or both of these. I might be willing to send some of this out if it is possible. I noticed that the Whey was clearer today than it normally is and I did get about 16 ounces of cheese but very little Ricotta this time, but that works for me.

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http://www.instructables.com/id/Great-Mozzarella-Cheese/