PH question

[staciestitches]

I am new to cheesemaking. I have made mozzerella many times, feta, cheddar, and gouda. I was trying to make parm and after adding the rennet, it started to coagulate immediately. I think I overstirred the rennet, but I was wondering if the ph was too high. I added yogurt as a starter. 3 oz per gallon of milk. The PH of the raw milk was around 4 and the PH of the yogurt was around 6. I am using strips at this time until I can get a PH meter.  Was it possibly too acidic? I can't seem to find anywhere what the PH of a thermophilic starter should be, or what the ratio should be of starter to milk. I have Ricki's book and have been following this forum. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

[Tomer1]

I think you got it the other way around. the yogurt was perhaps around 4 and the milk around 6 (more toward 6.5-6.7).   the sticks are very unreliable, you might as well use a time based recipe.

What do you mean coagulated immediately?  how long after renneting did you start to set?
You likely added too much rennet rather then over stirred it.

[staciestitches]

Yes, you are correct. I got the numbers backwards. it was almost immediately after adding the rennet. The recipe i have says to stir for 5 min after rennet is added (this isn't Ricki's recipe). About 30 sec to 1 min after rennet was added the curds separated and it looked like a very dry cottage cheese minus the whey. I added 1/4 tsp to the recipe. It was liquid rennet.  I have not stirred like this after using rennet before. I would normally stir for 15 seconds and leave it alone.

[Tomer1]

After renneting, you mix up and down for 10 strokes and LEAVE the milk alone.  this is when connections are made and you cannot disturb the milk.

[staciestitches]

I figured that is what I did.  :(   Thank you for your help. I will try it again and not stir. My gut told me the recipes directions were wrong, but since I am new to this I thought I should follow it the way it was written. Live and learn. I am enjoying this new hobby. Have a great week.