Author Topic: Another mozzarella failure  (Read 2585 times)

felku

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Another mozzarella failure
« on: February 28, 2015, 03:28:59 AM »
This was my 3rd attempt at mozzarella and like the other it was a failure. I was following linuxboy recipe with the exception of the heave cream(the only heavy cream sold here is ultra pasteurized) and I added some  CaCl because saw other members having success with it. I also made this time a mother culture. Everything was looking good until the step of waiting for the stretching. At ph 5.1 I was getting a little stretch but it was falling apart stretching, I decided to wait more until 5.0 and it was the same. Decided to wait 30 min. more and it seems it over-acidified because when trying to stretch  it was like becoming a mush.

 Not sure if try without CaCl or try to stretch all the curds when I get a little stretch. Anyone with my same problem?

Offline Danbo

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Re: Another mozzarella failure
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2015, 07:06:14 AM »
Don't give up... Not that Mozzerella has ever worked for me... ;-)

Stinky

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Re: Another mozzarella failure
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2015, 02:15:28 PM »
Well, last time I made mozzarella, I tested with a few curds and they got a nice stretch. So I figured hey. I tossed the curds into the hot water and started kneading and folding. They wouldn't really stretch, and fairly soon half of it turned to ricotta. So I had these round balls, with veins of firm mozzarella surrounded by crumbly ricotta. I think this might have been one of two things. Either I stirred too much and broke the curds too much. Or the more likely problem was that I, not thinking, poured my curds into the colander, so the first third or half shattered before I could stop and put the rest in with a slotted spoon.

felku

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Re: Another mozzarella failure
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2015, 03:54:50 PM »
In this attempt I got something similar to ricotta. Just to test I will try without CaCl  next time and see. It seems I will get broke with Mozzarella because I will not quite until get at least one success

Offline Danbo

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Re: Another mozzarella failure
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2015, 05:48:36 PM »
That's the spirit! :-)

KenK2

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Re: Another mozzarella failure
« Reply #5 on: March 03, 2015, 10:09:21 PM »
Failure?  You're learning something new each attempt...  Look at it as an "experiment!"

Stinky

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Re: Another mozzarella failure
« Reply #6 on: March 03, 2015, 10:20:27 PM »
I've never heard of CaCl negatively effecting a cheese.

Kern

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Re: Another mozzarella failure
« Reply #7 on: March 04, 2015, 03:07:56 AM »
Well, last time I made mozzarella, I tested with a few curds and they got a nice stretch. So I figured hey. I tossed the curds into the hot water and started kneading and folding. They wouldn't really stretch, and fairly soon half of it turned to ricotta. So I had these round balls, with veins of firm mozzarella surrounded by crumbly ricotta. I think this might have been one of two things. Either I stirred too much and broke the curds too much. Or the more likely problem was that I, not thinking, poured my curds into the colander, so the first third or half shattered before I could stop and put the rest in with a slotted spoon.

The first time I tried to make mozzarella it was a "cross" between cottage cheese and ricotta.   :P
The second time I tried to make mozzarella it was almost perfect - just like downtown!   ;D
The third time I tried to make mozzarella I splurged and bought some cream top low temperature pasteurized whole milk and made string cheese.  Ugh!   :o
There will never be a fourth time.   8) 

felku

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Re: Another mozzarella failure
« Reply #8 on: March 04, 2015, 03:13:02 AM »
I have always read to use CaCl in PH milk but also read that is not recommended for a Mozzarella. I saw some members using CaCl and had good results. I guess I can spare 1 gallon and try without CaCl and see if there is any change.  I was near to get a deal with raw milk source but the person back out. It seems getting better milk will be impossible here. So  I decide to make a few more attempts with 1gallon only instead of 2.

Sweet Leaves Farm

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Re: Another mozzarella failure
« Reply #9 on: March 04, 2015, 01:12:34 PM »
There is a reason I have a product called "Oops" Ricotta. My success rate is about 60%. I blame the goats fluctuating butterfat during the season. At the beginning it's 5.5%, at the end of the lactation, it's 6.5%. Good thing the shareholders like ricotta! Copious detailed notes really help narrow down the possible problems, and practice makes perfect!