# Rikki's 30 minute mozzerrella



## minifarmer (Mar 28, 2008)

I have been making this with varied results. Should I be pasturizing my milk first? I've been using raw goat's milk. Sometimes I get a good curd, other times it's sloppy and gooey.


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

I happened on good mozzarella by mistake. I was trying for cottage cheese and didn't stir the curd like I should have. The curd matted and went to the bottom of the pan. When I tried to lift it up with a wooden spoon it stretched. I just kept stretching and dipping it in whey until it got to the stage I wanted. I usually inoculate my milk with yogurt as I like the taste better than buttermilk starter.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

My opinion on pasteurizing mozza is that it requires such high temps to 'stretch' that it virtually IS pasteurized by the time you are done making it. So I have never bothered.

Variable sets (for me) indicate either a lack of acidity or not enough rennet.
Maybe the rennet is old?
Maybe you are measuring inaccurately? (the milk/acid/rennet)

Oftentimes just letting the pot sit there longer will give you a good set.
If it is sloppy and gooey, try forgetting about it for upto 12 hours. 

That will give the milk time to really acidify and the rennet plenty of time to set up.

The very best mozza I have made was with buttermilk and forgetting the cheesepot for 3 whole days. 
We didn't die. :gaptooth: 

As soon as I began heating the curd it FELL into mozzarella (much like Linn describes).

Dont give up! You need patience to make cheese. 
It is so worth the wait.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Another thing. 

If you are sprinkling the acid powder directly into the milk, try dissolving it in warm water and then dumping that in instead. 
It takes a long time for it to disolve in several gallons of milk. 
Better to do that first before adding it to the pot.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I made this recipe last week- it ended up in curds-= hard and useless. I tried the microwave method. I did it again this week - and it is okay, but tastes 'off'. I was just excited that I got to the stretching point. Can too much rennet make it taste off? My rennet is double strength and I forgot that little point.


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## minifarmer (Mar 28, 2008)

I have made about 15 batches with varied results, but almost always loosing alot of the milk into the whey, and a small amount of cheese. I've tried Frankenhausen's recipe with a grainey result, I don't have ph testing strips, so don't know about the ph of my curd, but I can't seem to consistently repeat the good cheese I've created a few times.  I tried to pasturize the milk last night. This is what I did, with a slightly grainy texture, not the stretchy mozz texture I was wanting:

Heat milk to 185, hold for 5mins.
Cool to room temp. Add 1.5tsp citric acid dissolved in 1c cool water
Add 1/4 tsp animal rennet diluted in 1/4 c cool water, mix 30 sec.
ignore 10 minutes
cut into 1/2" curd
heat to 110
drain in collander
heat in micro for 45 sec.
stretch and drain off whey
heat in micro for 30 sec. add 1 tsp salt
stretch and drain off why, store

it tasted good with a nice yield, but wasn't stretchy but a bit grainy.


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## highlandview (Feb 15, 2007)

I've tried thirty minute mozarella and I can't get it to work.


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## April (Nov 28, 2006)

I like a much more tender mozz than the 30 minute recipe makes as is. But - if I keep stirring while I'm heating to 105 (after adding rennet) then the resulting cheese is very tender and lovely. It does cut the yield down a little bit it seems like, but I'll gladly sacrifice a little cheese for the incredible texture.


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## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

The issue with Rikki's 30 minute mozz recipe is that it doesn't take acidity into consideration...different stages of lactation have different amounts of acidity. Unless you have a Ph meter there is no way of knowing how acidic your product is...without that knowledge you are not going to be able to produce a consistent product.
Cheese making is extremely complex...( Boy don't I know it ) it's chemistry plain and simple. Without proper tools it's not always going to come out right.


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

gone-a-milkin said:


> My opinion on pasteurizing mozza is that it requires such high temps to 'stretch' that it virtually IS pasteurized by the time you are done making it. So I have never bothered.
> 
> Variable sets (for me) indicate either a lack of acidity or not enough rennet.
> Maybe the rennet is old?
> ...


ok, i know this is an old thread. i did a search. anyhoo, please tell more about how you did it with buttermilk and let it go for so long!! i keep getting 'mozz' that looks like white scrambled eggs. if when its suppose to be set and its still soft and mooshy looking, just forget it for hours? I SO want to make to-die-for mozz. have several times, just enough to tease me to keep trying!


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

IMHO Rickki's recipe is way too high in citric for farm fresh milk. You shouldn't need more than 1 tea per gallon to reach proper acidity.

Using a pH meter is helpful but once you get it right a few times in a row you should be able to see when the curd is right. It's like bread baking, you just need to get you hand at it and then it's easy peasy.

In my experience the acidity of raw milk fluctuating enough throughout lactation to make a difference in your mozz is a myth. Even on extended lactations, I don't need to very my recipe.

Mozz loves heat. Make sure you are at 90 or a little higher when you add the rennet. Bring it up to 105f or a little higher when you scald the curd. Now. for the stretching you really need to get the curd hot. If you can handle it with bare hands it is not hot enough. At least two heatings work really well becaust it is nearly impossible to get the interior of the curd hot enough heating once. Heat, knead, heat, stretch. Remember acidity is also built with heat, so you don't need to totally rely on the citric.

For those of you who haven't seen it, I have a pictorial on my blog Making Mozzarella


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## SoINgirl (Aug 3, 2007)

Make sure your thermometer is reading the correct temp. I was having trouble getting my curds to set right and I finally figured out it wasn't getting to the right temp.


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

CMharris, nice tutorial! A lot less complicated than the Fiasco farms one....
Will try your method, as we were having problems with Rikki's recipe too.


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

christy--I see you do not add lipase? and, do you think calcium clor. would help solid up my goat milk (raw) curds? do you use either of these ever?


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

I only use lipase for provolone. I use a thermophilic or farmhouse culture for a more traditional mozzarella flavor. 

I had a guy in one of my cheese classes a few years back that couldn't get his curd to set when he tried my recipes/techniques at home. After troubleshooting with him on every area of his cheese making I finally asked him what kind of alfalfa he was feeding his goats. He told me he couldn't get Alfalfa hay or pellets but his goats were doing well on grass hay. On a whim I suggested he try the calcium chloride since his does had such a limited amount of calcium in their diet. It worked, his mozz is perfect now.

My does are on free choice Alfalfa hay and I have never needed to add calcium chloride to my milk.


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

very interesting and a huge thanks for answering all my questions!

wellll, I used way less citric and tried again (I do have tons of milk, so now is the time to experiement!) and yeah, cheese, nice white, soft stretchy cheese! ahhh! 

so one gallon at a time, i'm seeing what does what. i'm in my worst clothes, the day to myself, making cheese (or chicken/dog food! lol!) 

do you know if lipase does anything to the curd? we do like a bit of it. and, if i dissolve my citric and rennet into water, can I use tap or does it have to be distilled? 

my goats are on full feed alf hay, noble goat 16 dairy pellet, onyx mineral, baking soda and occasional treats.

btw, I am REALLY loving your blog, its very good indeedy!


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

I'm glad reducing the citric helped  Lipase doesn't change the curd it is just for flavor. I use tap water with no problems. What kind of rennet do you use? I have use calf rennet from the dairy connection. I never cared for the veg. rennet, especially in mozz. 

You have the exact feeding plan as me  I'm glad you enjoy the blog!


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

for the rennet, sorry to say that's another issue for me. i've got 2-3 bottles and not even sure what's what. dumb, I know, but there it is. i'm sure some is veg, and I think some is animal. i'll get that calf rennet next time I need to order, I want to make it as easy on myself as possible. got the veg kind first as per the fiasco site, but we are not vegetarians so that doesn't really matter. one bottle doesn't say where it comes from, what kind, nothing! next time, I will write it all on myself, including the DATE! some is probably fairly old. 

just did another gallon, again, perfect cheese. beautiful white stretchy gooey cheese. ahhh. at least now I have something to show for all my milking efforts. and if I can produce it well enough, I won't have this backlog of 8 gallons in the fridges. oi! such satisfaction!


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

ok christy, I am trying your recipe. eeek! you know, it worked so well yesterday that I thought i'd try something else, right?! haha!

about your cheeses--i see you use a basket for feta, can that same basket be used for a cambembert type? I am not really wanted to get all those different types if I can get by with just have a couple that double-duty. right now I do have chevre molds that I made minin camb's in last night (i hope!).


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

> can that same basket be used for a cambembert type?


I'm not sure, I think the basket holes might allow the curd to seep through. I just use my camb mold...

I hope you like my recipe  Let me know how it works for you!


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## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

chewie said:


> ok christy, I am trying your recipe. eeek! you know, it worked so well yesterday that I thought i'd try something else, right?! haha!
> 
> about your cheeses--i see you use a basket for feta, can that same basket be used for a cambembert type? I am not really wanted to get all those different types if I can get by with just have a couple that double-duty. right now I do have chevre molds that I made minin camb's in last night (i hope!).



I have cam molds and feta baskets...they are not at all close to being similar.
The baskets are much too open for camembert. The curd is so soft and delicate as opposed to the tougher curds of feta.
I could see doing mini cams in chevre molds.


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

ok, thanks for the mold info. I'll just keep using my chevre molds for mini's then. anybody know if camb freezes well?

Christy--ok, got strips of curd, and when I put the hot water on a tiny bit, it stretches, sort of. rather rough and not real stretchy. I am assuming its not ready yet?? and its a bit squeeky, did i put too much rennet? (i was sure I measured?!) also loosing quite a bit of cream, working too hard?? but, i am getting a slight stretch, enough to eat some, oooooh, THAT'S mozz!!


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

and what/where are these 'heat resistant gloves you mention?? good grief this stuff is Hot!!


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

I use HEAVY DUTY dish washing gloves. They're blue and yellow.

When it is ready it will stretch!
Milky whey means that you cut the curd a little early.
Squeaky will often correct itself the next day.


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

got it, writing it down in my sidebars/notes. this stuff can still go on a pizza, the flavor is good! not plasticy, yeah! am sooo happy! i have to run to work for a while, i just want to stay home and do another batch, dang~

and, in cutting too soon--would I have maybe tried a cut and seeing cream oozing, stop for a while?


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

> and, in cutting too soon--would I have maybe tried a cut and seeing cream oozing, stop for a while?


No, you wont see cream oozing until you start to work the curd. Just make sure when you test for clean break that you have a deep clean break. If it looks a little weak under the surface wait awhile longer.


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

ah, got it. and it being a bit tough, this is because its lost a bit of that cream? its still better than the 30 mins stuff, not like plastic. flavor. and once grated, i am betting this is gonna make a killer pizza!


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

Yes, killer pizza!! It also lasts better in the fridge that the 30min stuff and freezes well. I grate mine in the food processor and freeze in zip-locks so I'm always ready to make pizza


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

THANKS so much christy, you've saved gallons of milk from being dumped, ruined and my being mad at myself! this is why i do this homesteading type stuff--the self satisfaction!! 
(ok, and fresh cheese is mighty tasty too!)


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## fols (Nov 5, 2008)

Chrisy - thanks from me also! This is the first time I was able to make mozz and have it work. I'm using goat milk also and the cheese turned out beautifully! Not much cream leaking out and it strecthed and shined up. I used ove-gloves covered with thin latex gloves and didn't have any problems with the heat. 
Thanks again- Diane


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

I'm so glad you're both having success! I always felt a little guilty because so many people have trouble with mozz and it's been my easiest cheese. 

I'm going to have to try the ove-gloves, great tip, thanks!!


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## blessingsfarm (Oct 11, 2011)

A couple of people mentioned the use of tap water in cheese making, and while I am by no means an expert, I have used the 30 min mozzarella recipe several times and the only time it didn't turn out I used tap water. Some people may be able to do this but I would say it depends on how heavily treated your water is.


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