30-Minute mozzarella ...the newbie trials continue

[tananaBrian]

Hi,

  2 weeks ago, I bought some cream line pasteurized-only milk (for $$$) at the local hippy store (my favorite type!) and successfully made 30-minute moz ...maybe not quite as stretchy as it could have been, but definitely stretchy and it made nice prosciutto rolls for the holiday.  Several days later, I tried cultured moz and it was a complete failure ...the curds formed underneath the whey as though they were heavy or something, but the top layer was kind of 'shredded' looking and felt like liquidy yogurt, but the curd firmed up as it got deeper.  THAT trial was a miserable failure, rock hard rubbery result that turned to stone when placed in a cool brine ...and I tossed it.  Probably should've dried and grated it at least, but I was disappointed.

  Next, I decided that my first goal should be to discover a good and consistent source of milk that would be good for cheese making.  I decided that I'd make 30-minute moz every weekend with a new type of milk until a) the knowledge and experience level becomes high enough to succeed consistently, and b) I discover a good cheese-making milk.

  This weekend, I used whole pasteurized/homogenized milk from the Matanuska Dairy in Palmer/Wasilla, Alaska since I live in Wasilla and figured their milk would be fresher.  The recipe called for 1-1/2 teaspoons of citric acid per gallon of milk ...and I got a few small curds forming immediately when I added the citric acid solution to the milk (at 90 F).  This did NOT happen with the cream line milk, so I wonder if the homogenized milk is lower in pH?  Also, after the rennet had been allowed the required 5 minutes to work, the curd looked and felt like a mass of cottage cheese (like in M1.jpg and M2.jpg in this thread: http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,3448.0.html).  In reading the mozzarella help section at makingcheese.com, it sounded to me like the milk may have been ultra-pasteurized, or close to it, even though the label did not state that.  I tried the 'fix' of heating it up to 110 F and letting it sit again.  The curd mass shrank and released a lot of whey, still looked like cottage cheese, and only slightly firmed up ...still not creating a single mass.  After reading the thread mentioned above, I now wonder if the milk was fine but the pH was too low?  In the end, nuking never progressed the curds into anything like moz, so I strained and drained, added basil flakes and salt, and will use on crackers and bagels.

Should I try this same milk again?  I'm wondering if the pH was too low and the real cause of the failure?  After heating in the microwave, it all became very milky and if anything broke down even further if that helps (soupy).  I have pH strips (litmus paper) from the local homebrew supplier, but man ...any pH anywhere near 5 or 6 sure looks like the same lemon yellow to me... I made sample solutions with varying degrees of vinegar (in water) and the papers stay very yellow until the acid gets quite low and the paper becomes a reddish orange ...a pH closer to 2 or 3, certainly below 4.  Hmmmm...

Hints?  Feedback?  Cut the citric acid by half and try again with the same milk?  Try a different milk?  Buy a pH meter?  I'll switch to making cultured mozzarella after I get the whole pH v. experience v. curds v. knowledge v. stretchiness thing more under control...

Thanks a mil,
Brian

[MrsKK]

I would guess that this was probably UHT pasturized milk, but I've never used past/homo milk for cheesemaking.  If you are going to try the same milk again and experiment with it, I would only do so in small batches, just to avoid waste.

When you tried making the cultured mozz, what recipe did you use?  did you wait for a clean break before cutting the curd and how did you determine that the curd was ready to be warmed and stretched? 

I don't use a pH meter, but have good success with mozzarella, using Fankhauser's "spin test" to see if the curd is acidified enough to stretch.  Here   is my recipe for making mozz and I have copied Fankhauser's spin test directions into the recipe.

Don't give up...you have honestly started with one of the most difficult cheeses to master.  Many people start with mozzarella because it can be eaten fresh, thus avoiding the delayed gratification of aged cheeses, but it isn't an easy cheese to make at all.

Hang in there!

[tananaBrian]

I'm going to contact the dairy and ask what temperature they pasteurize the milk at.  It could be that it's high-temp, but not quite high enough to have to say UHT on the label.  If they don't ell me, then I guess that might make me wonder if it weren't higher than I was hoping for, e.g. hotter than 145 F.  We don't have a lot of choice in milk suppliers up here in Alaska ...I hope I find a solution.

As far as my judgment on ripening and curding goes ...just figure it was wrong across the board and you'll be pretty close.  It took that first failure to wake me up and realize that maybe it might be a good idea to learn a bit more before charging ahead!

Brian

PS: Thanks for your link ...I just checked it out and found out it was the thread that I book marked earlier today!  I'm thinking of trying it next time.  Can't decide if I should stick to one method until I 'prove' a milk source and then branch out or not... I'll sleep on that though.  More later.

[dthelmers]

We've made mozzarella successfully with non-fat dry milk with cream added.
Dave in CT

[tananaBrian]

We've made mozzarella successfully with non-fat dry milk with cream added.
Dave in CT

Using the 30-Minute Mozzarella (Ricki Carroll) method?  Or cultured?

Brian

[dthelmers]

It was the citric acid method, but from 200 Artisan Cheeses, not Ricki Carroll's. My god-daughter did the working of the curd - I'm too ham-handed with it and mine comes out hard. The result was good, but a lot of work.
Dave in CT

[tananaBrian]

Ok ...I'm mule-headed and refuse to give up on something when it doesn't work.  I know that friendly and helpful people suggested that I start with a simpler cheese, e.g. the white cheeses or gouda etc, but it bugs me that Ricki Carroll's 30-Minute Mozzarella won't work for me.  My latest effort is described below, and troubleshooting or other hints/helps are welcome.  For a refresher, noting that I am very very new and haven't tried anything but Moz yet, here's what has happened so far:

1. Bought 2 gallons of cream line pasteurized-only whole milk from the local natural foods store.  This milk was shipped into Alaska and I never checked expiration dates.  First effort was 1-gallon and the 30-Minute Moz and a) the milk did not curd anywhere near as nicely as all the online videos and pictures show (I think they are from a mythical cheese heaven somewhere in the cosmos), but it did produce a reasonable Moz that we made prosciutto rolls out of.  Second gallon was used a few days later and was a cultured one ...result was a hard rubber ball not fit for a dawg ...threw it in the trash.  I decided to stick with the 30-Minute version until a) I found a good milk supply and b) I had more experience.

2. Tried pasteurized-homogenized milk from the local Alaskan dairy.  While it didn't say so, the milk appeared to be ultra-pasteurized based on the curd mess that resulted and the milky whey ...ended up draining it in a cheese cloth bag like ricotta, added salt and herbs, then used as a bagel schmear...

3. Tried some Lucerne pasteurized-homogenized whole milk from Carr's/Safeway and while not an entire failure, didn't produce a stretchy moz either.  Details below.

I wonder if my rennet is any good?  Why?  Well, several types of milk tried and similar results on most runs.  I figure the citric acid is a constant and doesn't age.  The only factor left is rennet ..noting that I have used very good temperature control on all trials, not heating too fast, stirring too much (based on videos by Ricki and others) etcetera.  My Ricki Carroll rennet test on fresh 1% milk took about 10 minutes to produce an 'ok' curd when it should've been good in 5 and the curds firmer...


This is the typical curd that I get after letting the rennet work.  Even on the cream line milk.  It's never like you see in the pictures ...all creamy, smooth, firm enough to get a clean break.  Waiting longer doesn't help...



Curds after cutting (tonight).  I cut them to 3/4" rather than 1/2" as instructed ...thought I might get a softer moz out of it.  Notice how the curd is still not firm and smooth, and is yogurty and a bit ragged along the cuts.  It is surrounded by clear whey though (an improvement over the UHP stuff), but wants to spin around in the pot while I'm trying to cut it ...not like the vids at all.



pH papers ...sigh.  Need a pH meter!  The bottom left is pure yellow from the brand new fresh milk, a pH of about 6.0 according to the chart.  The top end of the same strip is nearly the same color but has the slightest bit of orange mottling ...just a teensy bit.  This is all that changed after adding the citric acid.  Did I mention that a pH meter would be nice?  After cooking the curd at 105 F and stirring for 2-1/2 minutes, the pH was lower ...more orange, but not as orange as the 4.0 on the chart.  Maybe halfway between 6.0 and 4.0?  Maybe I should mention a pH meter would be a mighty handy device to own... sigh.



The curds after cooking at 105 F.  They are firmer, but broke up easily into what you see here.  They did shrink as expected and the whey is yellowish and clear.  I thought, "Hmmm ...maybe this will work?"



No such luck.  The recipe, with a 1000W microwave, calls for a total of 2 minutes and 10 seconds of heating, interspersed with 'folding' the cheese into itself to distribute heat evenly.  The cheese above was heated for 5-1/2 minutes, more than twice as long, and never did get stretchy.  You can see the texture ...not smooth, not shiny, no stretch at all.  I flattened it out and rolled it with prosciutto anyway...


So what's going on?  Several types of milk tried, same mushy curds every time... I'm going to buy some liquid rennet and try again.  And after the end of the year (we're traveling), I'm ordering a pH meter...

Thanks,
Brian

[MrsKK]

Your issues lie with Ricki Carroll, IMHO.  I've seen about 4 different versions of "her" 30-minute mozzarella recipe, between her books and her web site.  She tends to leave things out in her recipe, or seems to confuse one recipe with another.  Not good.

Also, I first ordered liquid rennet from her site when I was a new cheesemaker, too.  I only used it for a few months, but by the end of that time, it was already getting noticeably weaker.  I switched to using Junket rennet and had really good results in comparison, even though I had to use more rennet than typically expected.  But it was cheap and readily available locally, until a year ago when Walmart remodelled.

You have now used three different types of milk and I do think that some of your issues are related to the milk, too.  Cream-line milk is notorious for being UHT pasturized because it lasts longer on the shelf.  Even if it wasn't labelled as such, unfortunately.

Here is a link to Fankhauser's American Mozzarella, which is a pretty solid recipe for the citric acid precipitated mozz, IMHO.  I like the pictures he has along with his steps, although I have to say that the picture in the second to last step isn't great for what mozz should like like when you have finished stretching.  Mozz should be smooth and shiny, where that picture looks rough and lumpy.

You can use your current rennet rather than the Junket for that recipe, going by the label directions for how much to use per gallon of milk.  Use the third type of milk as explained above.  If it doesn't work, then your rennet probably is no good.  Hang in there and let us know how it goes.

[MrsKK]

Looking back at your photos, I can say you never did get a good clean break.  If you are going to use the same rennet and have plenty of it, try doubling the amount.  And give the curd longer to set up until you do get a good clean break.  If you are learning all of this through reading books and the Internet, it can be difficult to know just what you are looking for.  Step 9 of the link above shows it okay, but there should be a definite breaking away of the curd to either side of your finger, with only a few "crumbs" of the curd left on your finger or the knife when you pull it up.  Once you get it, you'll know it.

If you don't wait for the clean break, you won't get good mozz, no matter what you do.  I also have better luck with the 30-minute recipe when I stretch the curd in heated whey, rather than the microwave. 

I hope some of this helps.

[tananaBrian]

Karen,

  Thanks for your help!  I will try the link that you pointed out above, and the advice you've given.  I may make it sometime this week or next weekend ...OR... it won't get tried until we get back from our big Christmas trip (2+ weeks outside of Alaska for Christmas (not my preference)).

  I agree.  I have never yet seen a clean break, not with this rennet nor with any of the milks that I've tried.  Note that in the very first and the very last attempts, I allowed the milk to sit more than twice as long as recommended and it really didn't make any difference.  There's something fundamentally wrong here.  Maybe while down in the the Vancouver/Portland area over Christmas, I'll try to find a large cheese making supply shop and buy some fresh rennet.  I'm fairly certain that the local brew supply up here, the only place that has cheese making stuff, is a low-turnover kind of place on the cheese making supplies.  It wouldn't surprise me, for example, if my rennet tablets were stored at room temperature and several months old before I got them...

All the best,
Brian

PS: The prosciutto rolls that we made actually taste pretty good.  It's not mozzarella for sure, and it crumbles a little when sliced, but the texture and flavor is verrry nice.  It's got great mouth appeal, smooth and creamy, and has a rich buttery taste like a really good brie has.  I don't mind salvaging the failures... you usually still get something pretty good to eat.
 

[mainelycheese]

I am a relatively new cheese-maker myself, so bear with me here.

Did I read correctly that you added the citric acid at 90 degrees Fahrenheit?

If so, I think I have the solution to your problem.

I have made several successful batches as well as a couple of failed ones with Ricki's 30 minute mozz. The failures were when I added the rennet at a temp higher than 55 degrees. They never stretched properly.  Once I gave up on her recipe and followed my own "what works" one I had it licked.  You will notice I don't even cut the curd or let it rest. I can bang out a bunch of cheese in a short period of time. The lipase is optional, but is a big flavor enhancer.

Here is a rundown of how I do it.

30 Minute Mozzarella

1 gallon milk (can not be ultra pasteurized, so stick with a local brand)(sadly, most organic milks are UP)
1 ½ tsp citric acid dissolved in ½ cool unchlorinated water
1/8 tsp lipase dissolved in ¼ cup water
¼ tsp liquid rennet (I use the organic vegetable rennet)

Pour cold milk into a large double boiler. Immediately add your citric acid and stir well. Then add the lipase and stir well. It is very important that your milk be cold for this step. If the milk is over 55 degrees, the cheese will not stretch later in the process. So it is best to add this stuff immediately after you take the milk out of the fridge.

Heat the milk in the double boiler until it reaches 88 degrees. Add the diluted rennet to the milk and stir well. Continue heating the milk until it is just over 100 degrees. The curds and whey should be separating nicely as you reach 100. I usually go to 102.

Remove the pot from the stove and scoop all your curds into a microwave safe bowl. Drain off the excess way. Place the bowl in the microwave for 1 minute.

Remove the bowl from the microwave and drain off the excess whey. Knead the curds like dough and drain off any whey. Place back into the microwave. This time 35 seconds.

Remove and drain the whey. Back in the microwave for 35 more seconds.

Remove the bowl and drain the whey again. The cheese will be very hot at this point so this is where having the gloves will help you. At this point you can add salt if you desire. Somewhere in the range of 1 to 1 ½ tsp of non-iodized salt (sea salt, kosher salt). Work it into the cheese like bread dough. Then pick up the ball and start letting gravity stretch it. Pull it, fold it and work with it until it gets a nice smooth shiny consistency. Once it is shiny you can make it into a ball, braid it, or make it into bite size pieces. If you are working with it and it starts to break you can put it back in the microwave for a few seconds and continue to shape it. As you make the pieces drop them into ice water until they cool through. Depending on the size of what you are making that can be for as long as a half hour. This step will help them retain their shape. Or, just devour it hot.

[tananaBrian]

No, I add the citric acid solution (1-1/2 tsp in a cup of cool water) when the milk is at 55 F as instructed by Ricki.  I add the rennet solution (1/4 tab in 1/4 cup cool water) at 90 F, then let it sit covered for 5 minutes.  It's funny though, because in Ricki's video she puts the citric acid in as a powder and also puts in 1/4 tsp rennet directly too "just to show how easy it is" the proceeds directly to heating.  In her printed instructions, both online and off, she asks for a 5 minute rest after adding the rennet and then shows pictures of beautifully curded milk... thick, white, firm, perfect clean break.  That's where my results are always different than hers.  I'll try again next weekend and will likely either try the 2-Day Moz and or use the link from Karen above (Fankhauser recipe) as a change.  I'm determined to figure out what's wrong and what the variables are, and for sure, I'm going to step away from Ricki Carroll's until I achieve success and figure out why.

BTW, I wrote to the guy in the link above to ask why he uses Junket rennet (1/2 tab per gallon) instead of regular rennet (1/4 tab per gallon) and he said "What's the difference?".  Well, IS there any difference other than the strength of the rennet?  Hmmm...  Regardless, I'm going to buy some new liquid rennet and see how that works.  I suspect that mine might be getting old and weak?

Brian

[tananaBrian]

<snip>
Heat the milk in the double boiler until it reaches 88 degrees. Add the diluted rennet to the milk and stir well. Continue heating the milk until it is just over 100 degrees. The curds and whey should be separating nicely as you reach 100. I usually go to 102.
<snip>

Question:  Are you stirring as the milk is heated from 88 F to 100 F?  Seems like that would break up any curds that are forming?  How fast are you heating?  2 degrees per minute?

Brian

[mainelycheese]

Again, I think the problem lies in the temp of the milk when you are adding the citric acid. I use regular store bought milk. I add it right out of the fridge off of the heat. If you wait for your crappy thermometer to tell you it is 55 degrees, it is probably 60 by the time you incorporate the lipase and citric acid. Especially if you haven't calibrated your thermometer. Try it. My failures were all before I went to the straight to the fresh from the fridge method.

I don't mince degrees per minute, or anything. I just blow through it. My only failures were when I tried to follow what she has printed, and as another member mentioned, she has several different recipes that don't agree. I sometimes stir, sometimes don't, but as I mentioned before, I don't cut the curd. I like a firmer, drier cheese, as I typically make it into proscuitto rolls or pearls. I will be making some to take to my class in culinary school at the end of the week.

[Brie]

I frequently teach this class (and sell the cheese kits) and have found I need to print a different set of directions for participants just so that it will turn out for them. I have never found this cheese to form solid curds--always large ricotta-like curds. Nonetheless, the cheese will still stretch and turn into mozz if the heat and pulling-methods are followed. If it's heated below (or too much above) 135 degrees it will not pull. A very tricky cheese with pasteurized milk.