Author Topic: Mozz success!  (Read 4006 times)

Dedicated to trying

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Mozz success!
« on: January 05, 2018, 11:36:10 AM »
Well after 12 weeks of trying, this week I finally had success! After 9 weeks of making my family eat creamy/pasty salvaged mozz failures (We are on a budget and nothing gets throwed out!) at 10 weeks a not so stretchy and somewhat rubbery mozzarella blessed our table. At 11 weeks, I upped the acid AND let it sit for 24hours - big mistake and it would not hold a form. (although the resulting ricotta like 'cheese' would melt)
But at 12 weeks it happened, curds perfect, stretch perfect, and taste -PERFECT :D
And the family was quite relieved... We celebrated with pizza!!! Yum. It melted. It was good and goey!
I now know what not acid enough looks like, too acid, not enough calcium, too hot, too much rennet, not enough rennet and  just about everything else looks like!  I can post the recipe if anyone is interested.  ;D 8)  I also have a dozen failed recipes just in case... >:D
Moral of this story is to keep at it, and eventually if you keep trying it will pay off.
thanks and greetings to all

-Dedicated (-and it paid off!)

mikey687

  • Guest
Re: Mozz success!
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2018, 11:57:14 AM »
Yes please! I'd like to know plus any tips you could give a complete beginner at mozarella.

We eat a fair bit of this but I've never got round to making it, would liek to give it a go, but was always suspicious it was a lot harder than I thought it was.

Oh and a C4U!

AeonSam

  • Guest
Re: Mozz success!
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2018, 06:19:06 PM »
Nice!

A AC4U. Just curious....Are you using a pH meter? It sounds like you're doing it by eye which is a great skill.

Sam

Dedicated to trying

  • Guest
Re: Mozz success!
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2018, 06:26:41 PM »
Sam, No ph meter :( Hard to get here where I live - but trial and error is free!
Would have been easier had I had some previous first hand experience to know what it should have looked like. Ill try to take pics next week of each step for all - hopefully next week goes just as well.
Recipe coming just as soon as I get a few minutes to go over my notes...

Dedicated to trying

  • Guest
Re: Mozz success!
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2018, 01:06:14 AM »
Ok, here is what worked for me after trial and ERROR.

6Lts Fresh Raw Jersey Milk
While cold, added 3tsp C.A. (dissolved in 1/2C purified water) Let sit almost 20 mins while sterilizing other tools. (at this point it curdled ever so slightly but not like when you add it to warm milk).
Added 1tsp dissolved powder rennet (1-10,000 strength). At this ratio it gelled in 1 min (but at 1/2 tsp - floc time is over 45mins so 3/4tsp probably closer). Let sit for 13 mins, cut into 3/4 in squares. By this time it had come apart from the edges and whey was rising. I removed whey down to below curd level progressively and let it sit cut for 1 hour. By this time the curds had begun to look like pillows (or marshmallows) instead of rough squares and had huddled together. I pinched it into about 3 sections and submerged them into they whey that been heated to 170F. Quick stretch and then rolled into balls.

Please let me know if anyone tries it by this recipe, curious to know how it works for others.
-Dedicated

Dedicated to trying

  • Guest
Re: Mozz success!
« Reply #5 on: January 11, 2018, 02:07:14 AM »
UPDATE

13th week... Success!!! :D
This week I used the same recipe, but with skimmed milk 2 day old -(non pasteurized). Ran out of CA at 2ts so added 3/4tsp more of ascorbic acid (AKA Vit C!), put it in at 70F then heated to 92 and added 3/4 tsp powdered rennet. Next week might try all A.A see what happens...
Floc at 3 mins, let sit total 16 mins from time rennet added, cut 1/2 in squares, sat +1 hour total time of about 1:30 until plunked whole mess of curds into 160F whey, stretched folded and put into square mold. ]
Tried salting before stretch, also dabbed salt water on top but has to be a better way to salt the mozz. Suggestions? Salt bath leaves it smooshy...

Let me know if anyone tries either recipe...
-Dedicated

Dedicated to trying

  • Guest
Re: Mozz success!
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2018, 08:19:19 PM »
* Update
I've since begun to add 3Tb of kefir to the cool milk and let ripen for a better overall flavor (lipase not avail here)

SpunkyAmos

  • Guest
Re: Mozz success!
« Reply #7 on: February 02, 2018, 08:28:47 PM »
thanks for your recipe and photos! 

I'm a newbie at cheese making, and just tried hard cheddar last night (see the cheddar sections with my photos).

I'd love to try your mozzy recipe.  I currently use a super easy recipe that isn't as involved (40 minutes start to finish), but it doesn't taste like much fresh.  So I always just freeze it, and then unthaw and grate for pizza.  Always melts and super good.  Find it on reformationacres.com along with lots of other great recipes!

thanks for your info!
Amy.

caciocavallo

  • Guest
Re: Mozz success!
« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2018, 02:42:58 PM »
UPDATE

13th week... Success!!! :D
This week I used the same recipe, but with skimmed milk 2 day old -(non pasteurized). Ran out of CA at 2ts so added 3/4tsp more of ascorbic acid (AKA Vit C!), put it in at 70F then heated to 92 and added 3/4 tsp powdered rennet. Next week might try all A.A see what happens...
Floc at 3 mins, let sit total 16 mins from time rennet added, cut 1/2 in squares, sat +1 hour total time of about 1:30 until plunked whole mess of curds into 160F whey, stretched folded and put into square mold. ]
Tried salting before stretch, also dabbed salt water on top but has to be a better way to salt the mozz. Suggestions? Salt bath leaves it smooshy...

Let me know if anyone tries either recipe...
-Dedicated

The trick to avoid smooshy moza in salt bath is to add some vinegar, it helps stabilize the ph level and the moza will always be nice and smooth. Just make sure not to put too much so that it doesn’t taste in the moza. In a 500 go container a little less than a teaspoon is usually enough. Cacio

Dedicated to trying

  • Guest
Re: Mozz success!
« Reply #9 on: February 27, 2018, 12:37:55 AM »
UPDATE

13th week... Success!!! :D
This week I used the same recipe, but with skimmed milk 2 day old -(non pasteurized). Ran out of CA at 2ts so added 3/4tsp more of ascorbic acid (AKA Vit C!), put it in at 70F then heated to 92 and added 3/4 tsp powdered rennet. Next week might try all A.A see what happens...
Floc at 3 mins, let sit total 16 mins from time rennet added, cut 1/2 in squares, sat +1 hour total time of about 1:30 until plunked whole mess of curds into 160F whey, stretched folded and put into square mold. ]
Tried salting before stretch, also dabbed salt water on top but has to be a better way to salt the mozz. Suggestions? Salt bath leaves it smooshy...

Let me know if anyone tries either recipe...
-Dedicated

The trick to avoid smooshy moza in salt bath is to add some vinegar, it helps stabilize the ph level and the moza will always be nice and smooth. Just make sure not to put too much so that it doesn’t taste in the moza. In a 500 go container a little less than a teaspoon is usually enough. Cacio

Great! Will try it this week, txs for suggestion

Snip

  • Guest
Re: Mozz success!
« Reply #10 on: January 22, 2019, 01:31:36 PM »
Tried it, works beautifully, thanks my first Mozzarella that feels, melts and tastes great!

Dedicated to trying

  • Guest
Re: Mozz success! (Update on things Ive learned since...)
« Reply #11 on: November 24, 2020, 04:41:33 PM »
Tried it, works beautifully, thanks my first Mozzarella that feels, melts and tastes great!


Just now read your post - better late than never, and so happy it worked for you! Thanks for leaving the note.

I read one of the comments saying their mozz has no flavor (Amy). Since that post I've noticed some things that can change / improve flavor depending on what you like. Whole milk (full fat) definitely makes a difference, and is more flavorful. Milk quality as well, the Jersey milk does well, where Holstein Ive noticed is a bit different or more bland - while still good. But I have also played around trying to imitate an artesian Italian Mozzarella recepie I saw once where they use the whey from the previous batch for culture and flavor which helps acidify the milk without adding C.A. Ive added Kefir, or yogurt, and they all add more flavor as well. Only thing to watch out for is they will also dramatically affect the recepie, so a ph meter will save you from ruining your batches in the persuit of modifying it to you taste. If you want to play around with flavor that way I suggest you get your buttermilk, or kefir yogurt etc, add to your batch, let it sit at least an hour or even a day or so (as if making a big batch of yogurt, keeping it warm). Keep testing with ph meter to make sure its not going too acidic. Target ph is 5.2 - 5.4 for good stretching mozz. Unless you add cups of starter and leave it for days it should not go too acidic too fast. Once you decide you done inoculating your milk, add your acid of choice (lactic, citric, etc) in very small amounts until you reach your target ph. Rennet, cut etc as normal.
I am attaching a few links that might help others understand the science behind the (deceivingly simple) mozzarella.

This one is very long, but a whole report on many different experiments all pertaining to mozzarella
https://scialert.net/fulltextmobile/?doi=ijds.2011.199.226

Fermentation of foods by Lactic Acid (Includes a list of each product and bacteria responsible for its success, including Mozz)0
http://textbookofbacteriology.net/lactics_3.html

Flowcharts of the cheese making process, from probably one of the best (or, the best) free books out there - University of Guelph
https://www.uoguelph.ca/foodscience/book-page/list-figures

This link helped me understand the simularity and differences of Mozzarella to Oaxaca, a cheese that I grew up on. At a very basic level you could say the difference comes down to (but not limited to) PH. Oaxaca is about 5.8ph which helps maintain its strings (firmer) when you pull it, (less melt-ability) whereas Mozz falls between 5.2 - 5.4. Refer to the scialert link for more detailed info on the ph and stretch on mozz! Its deep!
https://www.omnomcheese.com/recipes/oaxaca-cheese-recipe

And of course this forum is awesome. Thats why we keep coming back ;) Any other info anyone can share pertaining to mozzarella and/or whats they have learned?
Keep safe!
M