Author Topic: Coagulated, Rennet, Cow, P&H - No Curd Formation  (Read 3278 times)

hojalata

  • Guest
Coagulated, Rennet, Cow, P&H - No Curd Formation
« on: October 16, 2010, 01:33:31 PM »
I've tried to make feta 3 times now with no success.  I have been using pasteurized (not ultra), local milk from the grocery store.  I follow the directions of the recipe to a "t", but NO curds form.  The milk stays as liquid as it ever was.  I even bought new rennet, thinking somehow my rennet went bad, but I had the same results with the new rennet.  I haven't used chlorinated water.  I thought maybe it was the milk, but wouldn't even too-pasteurized milk form SOME curd--just too soft? This was just nothing-- still complete liquid with no separation.  I have wasted $18 now on milk that I had to put down the drain. :-(  If anyone has any suggestions, I would be happy to hear them!

hojalata

  • Guest
Re: Coagulated, Rennet, Cow, P&H - No Curd Formation
« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2010, 01:38:22 PM »
I should add, I did add calcium chloride before the rennet. 

hojalata

  • Guest
Re: Coagulated, Rennet, Cow, P&H - No Curd Formation
« Reply #2 on: October 16, 2010, 01:40:49 PM »

Sorry, also, I have tried both tablet and liquid vegetable rennet. 

tnsven

  • Guest
Re: Coagulated, Rennet, Cow, P&H - No Curd Formation
« Reply #3 on: October 16, 2010, 03:15:57 PM »
So sorry for your problems!

What recipe are you using?
What is the temp on the water you are dissolving your rennet in?
What cultures are you using? Are they fresh & active? Perhaps your milk acidity is not building fast enough?
And don't throw the milk away. You could still drink it!

I'm sure someone else will pipe up here soon! Hang in there! You'll figure it out!

Kristin

linuxboy

  • Guest
Re: Coagulated, Rennet, Cow, P&H - No Curd Formation
« Reply #4 on: October 16, 2010, 03:46:32 PM »
Also, what is your milk temp and how are you stirring in the rennet?

hojalata

  • Guest
Re: Coagulated, Rennet, Cow, P&H - No Curd Formation
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2010, 02:41:06 PM »
Hi everyone,
Thanks for your help. I was heating the milk to 88 degrees.  I have good news though. I tried again, using raw milk I got from a friend.  The recipe worked!  Apparently it was the milk all along...      I appreciate everyone's responses. 

akoz16

  • Guest
Re: Coagulated, Rennet, Cow, P&H - No Curd Formation
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2010, 05:19:05 PM »
I am having kind of the same problem. I made cheddar last we and today i am making monterey jack. Both times  my curds were both very soft and did not hold any shape. i am following the directions.
i add the rennet to cold water, add the calcium chloride before the rennet. stir the rennet up and down for 1 min.  dont know what i am doing wrong. any ideas?

RenaissanceM

  • Guest
Re: Coagulated, Rennet, Cow, P&H - No Curd Formation
« Reply #7 on: October 17, 2010, 06:29:58 PM »
Personally some of the critical mistakes that I have done in the past involving rennet was:

1) sterilizing the rennet container which I was using to pour it into the milk in chlorinated water. Even a trace of chlorine can deactivate the enzyme. I boil my measuring cups now.
2) I use calf rennet powder and when I would mix it with water I was overly agitating it. Apparently over agitation (or even worse foaming from over-agitation) can reduce the effectiveness of the rennet.

Generally the acidity and temperature is a big factor in coagulation time. Lower ph and higher temp (max effective 100 deg F) will greatly reduce the coagulation time.

MattK

  • Guest
Re: Coagulated, Rennet, Cow, P&H - No Curd Formation
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2010, 04:18:46 PM »
My 2 cents on rennet...

In my lmiited experience, I have found vegetable rennet to be less effective than animal-based rennet. I don't know if animal rennet is more durable and can withstand any 'abuse' of temperatures/chlorine/age better...or if it is simply a more effective curd-former. Whatever the reason, using the same materials and methods, I get FAR better curd formation with animal than vegetable.

-MattK