# Kroger's milk - ultra pasteurized??? Mozz is a flop



## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

I'm trying to make mozzarella cheese for the first time and so far...it's a flop. Heated milk to 88 (with 2 tsp citric acid in distilled water). Added 1/4 rennet tablet (dissolved in distilled water). Covered and let sit for probably 45 minutes now. Looks like ricotta cheese....not firm enough to cut by any means. 

Should I try heating it again to 105? Or could the milk be ultra pasteurized and not work? How can I tell...can't see anything on the label?


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Well, I heated it back up to 105, let it sit another hour. Still looked like ricotta...never did form curds.

Dumped it into a colander and drained what I could. Put it in the microwave and heated it up, and tried kneading it. Was like kneading cottage cheese.

Finally gave up and nuked it long enough to make it melt. Then stretched it like taffy until it got too brittle and started breaking, so shaped it into a ball. 

:nanner:Viola! I think I have mozzarella cheese! It tastes good, and is firm enough to cut, so I'll count this as an almost-success.


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## homemaid (Apr 26, 2011)

I've only tried to make it once and mine was a flop.... It never got to where you could cut it at all......


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## Maverick_mg (Mar 11, 2010)

It's the milk. Ultra pasteurized milk will not make good cheese, it's the reason you can't use organic milk to make cheese. You can buy calcium chloride to add back into store bought milk, still not ultra pasteurized, and it helps. You can make cheese without it but I does make it easier.


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Here's how it came out. And it even tastes good....except I think it needs a bit of salt.


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Here's how it came out. And it even tastes good....except I think it needs a bit of salt.


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