Saw so many different ways to make this lol this is what i did with a 3 gal batch.
Warm milk to 86-88°F
Sprinkle ½ tsp/2.5 ml mesophilic-a starter
Set aside for 30 minutes
60 drops of rennet 1/4c water
After 1 hour or until clean break, cut into 0.5 in (took an hour and a half)
Stand 5 min, stir 5 min, stand 5 min, if curds do not sink, stir and stand again.
Drain 35-45% whey then stir for 15 min.
Add 25-30% start volume ~60C/140F to reach target35-38C/95-100F depending on final moisture content you want.
Stir for 15-30 min.
(this was from another thread that worked for me)For pressing under whey. I line my 7" hoop with cheesecloth and literally put it in my whey pot with the top of the hoop above the waterline. I then put about 1/3 of the curd in the cheesecloth/hoop and press pretty firmly by hand. I add the next 1/3, press, add 1/3 and press. I then pull the hoop, cloth, and curds out and drain for about 1 minute just to reduce the fluids. All without ever letting the curds cool down.
Press at 20 pounds for 20 minutes.
Turn and press at 40 pounds for 20 min.
Turn and press at 50 pounds for 12-16 hours.
In Morning, place in a saturated brine the next morning or place immediately in a saturated brine for 3-4 hours per lb
Pic is after the press at 40