# mozzerella



## au natural (Mar 8, 2004)

Help! I have been trying to make thirty-minute mozzerella. I've tried 4 times. All I get is ricotta. It tastes great but it isn't mozzerella. Could someone help me? :shrug: I found out that I have clorine in my tap water so I tried spring water and well(artesian) water and it still comes out as ricotta. What can I do? Does it just not work with goat milk? Anyone have any suggestions? TIA


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## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

It'd help us if you could post the recipe and steps you are taking . Have to see where if any mistakes are made.
Personally I've stopped doing the 30 minute stuff and make traditional, it takes longer but comes out much better.


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## au natural (Mar 8, 2004)

Thanks suzyhomemaker09  Can I post the recipe here? I believe that it is copywrited...It is Ricci Carroll's recipe.


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## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

As long as you are not copying verbatim I'm pretty sure there would be no copyright infringement


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## au natural (Mar 8, 2004)

Thanks. 
First I added the citric acid to the cool water to dissolve. Then I added it to the milk as it was warming to 90*. Then I added the rennet(dissolved in cool water) mixing gently. Brought it up to 100*. It then turned into ricotta. It never looked like soft curds. I tried microwaving, but all that did was release more whey. I've tried different water, but to no avail. Any suggestions?:shrug:


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## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

I looked at the recipe to refresh my memory...

http://www.cheesemaking.com/includes/modules/jWallace/ChsPgs/1Mozz/Index.html

I don't see that she's raising temp to 100 after adding rennet. 
What sort of rennet are you using? Junkett is not really suited for this use.
Do you have a good thermometer that's properly calibrated..if you got it too warm when you put the rennet in it could have caused a failure.


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## au natural (Mar 8, 2004)

I bought the book (Home Cheesemaking) with a dairy thermometer from her. I actually got a kit, but I can't remember what it was called. The rennet was in the kit. In the book it says to heat to 100-105* and the curds will form.
I clicked on the link you put in and looked at the pictures. I am not even getting the firm curd that she shows. It seems to be ricotta right then. 
Do you think that by heating the milk to 100* I'm "killing" it?


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## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

I'd not think so...you are storing your rennet in the fridge?
Possibly let it sit longer to see how it develops.curd formation is not a heat thing , it's a time thing. After the rennet is added it should coagulate and form curds.
What sort of milk are you using?
And how old is the rennet?


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## au natural (Mar 8, 2004)

I will try and wait longer to see if I can get the curds to form. As for the rennet , I got the rennet about two weeks ago with my kit and I keep it in the freezer. The milk is fresh raw goat milk, two days old. Thanks for all your help.


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## ann fr (Feb 14, 2007)

I've had this happen when I added too much citric acid.


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## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

that is a possibility as well..but the rennet shouldn't be kept in the freezer


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## marusempai (Sep 16, 2007)

So, I have the exact same problem with the citric acid thing. All I get is ricotta. I have since switched to using yoghurt or buttermilk to acidify my milk, and it works like a champ. Still can't get moz to turn out right, but you know, at least I am getting appropriate curd, I have just been screwing it up in the subsequent steps. :grit: So anyway the point was, don't be scared to try the non-citric acid kind of cheese, you might actually have less problems that way.


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

We looked at the website a few days ago. How much cheese do you get from a gallon of milk? Do you leave the cream in or skim it first?


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## HollyBearFarm (May 25, 2008)

Ed, I leave the cream because it makes for a higher yield of cheese and (I think) a nicer flavor. You would especially notice a flavor difference if you are using cow's milk. You absolutely can make mozzarella with skim milk, but I don't think it tastes quite as yummy.

I get about a pound per gallon of cheese.

Stacie


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

i am also having an issue with my mozz. i had it all nice and stretchy, looking good, thought i'd heat it 'one more time', and now it is less opaque, and lost all stretch. did i over heat, and ruin?? this is the second time this happened. 

i also think the OP has too much citric--i did that once too. i added less, and my stuff came out very good. 

i also get about a pound of mozz per gallon, then get a cup or so of ricotta on top of that.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Curd is definitely a timing thing.

I've never failed with this recipe:

Warm milk to 90ÂºF, 
add 1 tsp citric acid per gallon of milk and 
2 oz of Thermophilic culture for each gallon of milk. Stir well. 

Add 1/2 tsp rennet to 1/8 cup cool water for each gallon of milk. 

Add to the milk and stir for 1 minute. 

*Let set for 45 minutes or until the curd gives a clean break. *

Cut the curds into 1/2" cubes and allow to set for 15 minutes. 

Drain the curds into a cheese cloth-lined colander. 

Hang cheesecloth for 1 hour to drain or until it stops dripping. 

Put the bag in the colander and the colander in the pot with a cover and put in the refrigerator for 24 hours. (this is the developing acidity step that makes the cheese stretch better) 

Heat a bowl of water to 170ÂºF, take the curds from the cheesecloth and slice in 1" slices. Put the slices in the hot water and allow to melt, using two SS spoons work the curds by pressing them together, knead them in this way until they loose shape. The curds should stretch out when you hold them up under their own weight, stretch them until they become bright and shiny and stretch easily. Make a ball out of the curds and put them in a bowl of ice water to cool. Place in a brine solution for 1 hour or to taste.


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

did heating mine up just once more ruin the stretch?


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## oberhaslikid (May 13, 2002)

Iam making 2 batches on the stove as we speak.
I place 1 gal of milk in a SS dutch oven.
I add 1 1/2 tsp of mrs wages citric acid
bring it to 88 degrees.
once I reach temp, I add the liquid rennet ( mix 15 drops in 1/4 cup water)
stir once around and let set 15 minutes and let set up.
Then cut the curds in to cubes.Slowly turn the heat on and let it raise to 108. the cubes will shrink I slowly stir to keep from sticking and then let set for 10-15 min.Then drain in colandar lined with tulle doubled.once drained then I place in Pyrex bowl and heat 30 seconds in the microwave.take out and start working with plastic spoon.Untill I can handle it once in a ball I drain off extra whey and cover the ball with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.


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## HollyBearFarm (May 25, 2008)

Chewie, I don't think you can ruin the stretch by overheating it. Are you heating in the microwave? If you are, you might want to consider doing your stretching in the whey. I get much nicer cheese doing it that way.


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## Tallabred (May 23, 2008)

au natural said:


> Thanks.
> First I added the citric acid to the cool water to dissolve. Then I added it to the milk as it was warming to 90*. Then I added the rennet(dissolved in cool water) mixing gently. Brought it up to 100*. It then turned into ricotta. It never looked like soft curds. I tried microwaving, but all that did was release more whey. I've tried different water, but to no avail. Any suggestions?:shrug:


I found that if I add the citric acid at 55* and the rennet at 90* that it comes out perfect. I got ricotta when the temp was closer to the 90* when I added the citric acid. You have to follow Ricki's instructions exactly.


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## au natural (Mar 8, 2004)

Success!!! :dance: It worked! I am so excited! It didn't make very much cheese but it looks and tastes perfect. Thank you all so much for all of your help and suggestions.:happy:


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## netandtim (Oct 30, 2007)

Au Natural

Congrats on your sucess.....:happy:

For those of us still struggling w/mozz can you share which of the tips and instructions you following to make yours work?

Thanks, 
Net


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Mine looks great when it's first done, but turns to plastic when refrigerated.

I've been reading this evening about a slower method of making mozzarella.

Has anybody done the mozzarella method that's more like cheddar, but without the pressing and aging?


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

i also wondered if micro did some damage to the cheese. sometimes it works great, sometimes it looses it's stretch. if it looses stretch, it also becomes a diff. color, a sort of off white and is less opaque. 

i did some the fias co farm way and that was some fantastic cheese! only it took forever to make!


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