Author Topic: Made my first cheese(s)! 30-min mozzarella!  (Read 3638 times)

biondanonima

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Made my first cheese(s)! 30-min mozzarella!
« on: June 14, 2009, 08:47:02 PM »
Okay, so the title sounds way more exciting than the cheese actually was.  :D

I did the 30-min mozzarella yesterday as my first cheese using a gallon of pasteurized, homogenized milk from the grocery store.  I wasn't expecting much given that everyone here says the 30-min version generally turns out bland and rubbery.  Well, mine turned out a little bland and rubbery!  I'm also not sure I ever really got it to stretch the way it was supposed to - it stretched a bit, but never really got shiny or to the consistency of taffy.  It tasted pretty good warm, but once it cooled off it was just very plasticky.  I noticed during the microwaving process that I was losing a fair amount of milky liquid, which I'm sure was the butterfat (aka flavor) being squeezed out of the cheese.

Anyway, it was fun, but I think I'll try the long recipe next time.  I also made whey ricotta and regular whole milk ricotta, with much better results!  Yay cheese!  I can see why you guys are so addicted to this process!

MrsKK

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Re: Made my first cheese(s)! 30-min mozzarella!
« Reply #1 on: June 14, 2009, 11:26:18 PM »
Even though 30 minute mozz can be disappointing, it is a good cheese to start with.  It is okay for pizza, too, but I usually use it in combination with parmesan and cheddar, as my family likes a LOT of cheese.  The mozz does stretch and goo nicely when it is melted.

sounds like you are getting addicted, too!

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Made my first cheese(s)! 30-min mozzarella!
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2009, 01:29:02 AM »
Good for you biondanonima! Congrats!

I think the 30 minute mozzerella woks better if you dip the cheese in hot whey to stretch it instead of the microwave. Now that you tried that maybe you'll want to try the cooked version and try adding basil or dill or other spices you like.

Ariel301

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Re: Made my first cheese(s)! 30-min mozzarella!
« Reply #3 on: June 25, 2009, 02:55:41 AM »
Congratulations!

I struggled with mozzarella for a while and wasted a lot of milk (fortunately our backyard is full of little furry milk-factories lol) to end up with a grainy, non-stretchy, non-melty, bad-tofu-flavored mess before I finally got it right. Now I have to make it once a week or more, because it all gets eaten up!

I haven't tried the 30-minute version. I'm afraid of doing it in the microwave.

How much cheese did you get out of a gallon of store-bought milk? I'm curious how that compares to using raw home-grown milk. I get about 1 1/2 pounds per gallon on most cheeses, plus a varying amount of ricotta from the whey.

mike_i

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Re: Made my first cheese(s)! 30-min mozzarella!
« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2009, 05:37:39 PM »
I get about 1 pound of cheese per gallon of regular milk. For some reason I get a little less yield when I use raw milk, but the raw milk gives the cheese flavor.

Mike

biondanonima

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Re: Made my first cheese(s)! 30-min mozzarella!
« Reply #5 on: June 29, 2009, 08:49:33 PM »
I definitely get more than a pound of ricotta out of a gallon of milk, but I think the mozzarella was around a pound, maybe a little less - I didn't weigh it.  I haven't had a chance to make mozzarella again yet but I am totally addicted to the homemade ricotta - so much better than store bought!

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Made my first cheese(s)! 30-min mozzarella!
« Reply #6 on: June 29, 2009, 11:55:08 PM »
With store bought milk I usually get between 14 and 18 ounces of mozzarella and between 8 and 12 ounces of Riccotta.

With raw milk I usually get between 16 and 20 ounces of mozzarella and between 18 and 22 ounces of Riccotta.

embalyst

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Re: Made my first cheese(s)! 30-min mozzarella!
« Reply #7 on: August 07, 2009, 04:24:37 PM »
I tried the 30-minute mozzarella using the Ricki Carroll recipe just last weekend.  I was a little disappointed in the result as well.  I used store bought whole milk which had been pasteurized and homogenized.  I'm not sure I did the processing correctly toward the end though.  I think I kneaded it for too long in between heatings, and ended up not getting the final temp hot enough for good stretching.  It ended up a little shiny, but not all that stretchy.  Also, the cheese, once cooled, was pretty much flavorless, and a little bit spongey.  The other recipe in the Ricki Carroll book says it should be done with Farm Fresh cow's milk.  Anyone tried that recipe with regular store bought milk?  If so, how did it turn out?

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Made my first cheese(s)! 30-min mozzarella!
« Reply #8 on: August 08, 2009, 03:31:04 AM »
You can use store bought milk just use calcium cloride with it.

One o the important things to remember when doing mozzarella id to get it very hot before you kneed - and wear gloves!

BauerHaus

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Re: Made my first cheese(s)! 30-min mozzarella!
« Reply #9 on: August 09, 2009, 09:07:28 PM »
Salt to taste equals more salt then Ricki recommends for me and my family in her moz recipe. Try doubling the salt. Those of us new to home cheese are still getting our cheese tasting skills from store bought cheeses and most include higher salt levels.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Made my first cheese(s)! 30-min mozzarella!
« Reply #10 on: August 09, 2009, 09:32:17 PM »
Agreed salting it very subjective as well. I swear my son puts salt ON salt but I like it light.

MrsKK

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Re: Made my first cheese(s)! 30-min mozzarella!
« Reply #11 on: August 10, 2009, 06:42:30 AM »
I make a cultured mozzerella.  The recipe calls for pouring hot water over the curd to heat it for stretching, but I used a gallon of whey with 1/2 cup of salt added for the most recent batch of mozz I made.  It turned out nicely salty, just like we like it.

I've always had a tough time figuring out how to salt mozz until now.