Author Topic: Mozzarella help!!  (Read 5247 times)

bruce

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Mozzarella help!!
« on: September 19, 2009, 02:17:29 PM »
New guy here! I just can't seem to get it. I'm using the recipe from this forum http://www.cheeseforum.org/Recipes/Recipe_Mozzarella.htm and I've tried a couple others as well (all the 1 day process). I use a brick oven to cook an authentic Italian style pizza. I make my own dough, sauce and hopefully soon my own cheese so 30 min moz is out of the question. with that said, I read somewere in this forum that the rennet should be added when the ph is 6.5. The milk is at 5.7 out of the jug??? The exp. date is 10/01/09 and I bought it 2 days ago (today is 09/19/09). I tried a test piece at every ph level from 5.3 to as low as 4.4 and every thing in between. I've tried other brands of milk as well. I'm using junket rennet tablets which takes about 2.5 - 3 hrs to setup @ 95* (because I'm using mesophilic starter instead) and that's adding about 25% - 50% more rennet than the recipe calls for. When I try to spin it just falls apart. I bought a ph meter to make sure I was getting to the right ph before spinning. So 8 gallons of milk later I don't seem any closer to cheese than I was before starting this wonderful endeavor. Help appreciated!

Thanks,
Bruce.
« Last Edit: September 19, 2009, 02:24:21 PM by bruce »

MrsKK

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Re: Mozzarella help!!
« Reply #1 on: September 19, 2009, 09:58:58 PM »
I don't understand why the 30 minute mozz is out of the question?  Because it isn't "authentic" enough?

While it isn't the best mozzerella in the world, it is a good recipe to start with, as it gives a good idea of how mozzerella works.

How long are you ageing your curd before spinning it?  I've never used a pH meter - I use Fankhauser's recipe in the Junket rennet box, ageing the curd anywhere from 6 hrs to overnight and always get it to spin nicely.  Cultured mozzerella isn't something that can be rushed.

Edited because a lightbulb just came on...

You say you used mesophilic culture - which isn't made for high temperatures.  Thermophlic culture is used for the high temp cheeses, while mesophilic is for low temp.  If you don't want to spend the money to buy more culture, try making it with yogurt as your culture.  Fankhauser's recipe in the Junket rennet box really does work.








« Last Edit: September 19, 2009, 10:04:50 PM by MrsKK »

bruce

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Re: Mozzarella help!!
« Reply #2 on: September 19, 2009, 10:59:09 PM »
MrsKK,

Thank you for the reply. I understand that mesophilic works at a lower temp, but I thought by lowering the fermentation temp from 105* to 95* should compinsate. Let me post the recipe here I used and you can see exactly what I was doing. This recipe is from John (ch) youtube posted here: http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,47.0.html
Written directions are as fallows:

Heat large pot of fresh milk to 87*
Add about ½ cup of butter milk and let sit for about an hour.
Add rennet and stir thoroughly.
Let sit at room temp for an hour.
Check that the middle has coagulated.
Cut the curds every 1/2” in both directions then stir to break up any large pieces.
Very slowly heat the curds to 97* while stirring constantly.
Let heated curds sit in a warm place overnight. In the morning, test a small hunk to see if it stretches.
Put a small piece in some very hot water and stretch it. If it stretches, its ready to finnish.
Drain the whey saving about 2 cups. Mix whey with 2 cups of water and ¼ cup of salt.
Heat large pot to 185* and add the hot water to the curds.
Take out a large spoon of curds, place in a bowl with some water and form into a ball (like pizza dough).
Place ball into a large bowl of ice water.
When balls are firm, place them in the water, whey and salt solution for 12 to 24 hrs.

Waitawa Farm Cheesemaking

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Re: Mozzarella help!!
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2009, 06:41:58 AM »
Mrs kk has a great recipe for mozzarella, after inconsistent results with other recipes, I tried hers and it is really good- now I never get a failure

MrsKK

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Re: Mozzarella help!!
« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2009, 08:37:46 AM »
Even though you compensated the temperature for part of the process, the cheese still has to be heated up for the stretching phase.  That's where the mesophilic culture can't hold up.  I don't remember the exact temp that the curd has to reach before it gets stretchy, but I think it's somewhere around 140-150*.

Here's the link to the recipe that Waitawa is referring to:  http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,1452.0.html#msg10890

In reading the thread that you linked, I see that you don't want to use citric acid, as it isn't as natural as you would like.  However, that method is a great learning experience, IMHO.

And there are good reasons that there are specific ingredients called for in cheesemaking - substituting mesophilic for thermophilic doesn't work here.  However, you CAN normally substitute buttermilk for mesophilic culture and yogurt for thermophilic.  I personally don't buy cultures anymore and get great results with my cheeses.

Give this one more try, using the ingredients asked for.  I think you will find that it turns out great.

bruce

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Re: Mozzarella help!!
« Reply #5 on: September 20, 2009, 04:02:38 PM »
MrsKK,

I really appreciate the help and I can see that I'm going to have try the 30 min moz. I hate to flame anyone but I have to say one thing, when someone makes a video such as john (ch) with out ALL the required info to successfully make mozzarella, it is very frustrating and discouraging for a beginner. The video was inspiring to me to try making moz as he made it look so easy. Anyway, I'll post the results later today as to how it comes out.

Thanks again,
Bruce.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Mozzarella help!!
« Reply #6 on: September 20, 2009, 10:25:51 PM »
Bruce -
I understand your frustration but John didn't make the video he was using it to show how someone made mozzarella. It's more of a technique not a recipe.

cmharris6002

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Re: Mozzarella help!!
« Reply #7 on: September 20, 2009, 10:40:07 PM »
Yep! John wrote this right under the video,
Quote
Probably worth reading written directions albeit different recipe for making Mozzarella located in this forum here.

I think it can be helpful for some people (like me) to see the process even if it is not the recipe I am using.

Aside from the 30min. recipe Mozzarella is not generally considered a 'beginner recipe'.

I hope your next Mozzarella comes out nicely for you, but it can take awhile to get the hang of it.

Christy

bruce

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Re: Mozzarella help!!
« Reply #8 on: September 21, 2009, 03:38:04 AM »

My apologies to John (ch). I assumed you produced the video on youtube. But as far as the cheese effort, success! It turned out that the problem was using homogenized milk. I found this website http://www.essortment.com/all/makemozzarella_rkpy.htm where someone took the time to explain that homogenized milk doesn't work and that you can use fat free milk with a little heavy cream and you're in business. Btw, the recipe on the sight mentioned above was a lot easier to fallow. No offence MrsKK but I fallowed yours and the milk coagulated before I could get the rennet to mix in thoroughly.

Thanks again for the replies,
Bruce.