Hello From Oregon

[Panther Dad]

Just started with this cheese making. I've made beer and wine with success. Now it's time to do cheese. I've tried two batches so far. Both were Provolone. The first batch I used Junket rennet. this batch did not set solid enough to work. I went to my local beer/wine and cheese supply house and got some veggy based rennet. tried again and had the same results. Gonna try a different milk in the morning. It's got to be the milk. If this is the wrong train of thought let me know.

[wharris]

you might try some Calcium Chloride if you are using homogenized milk.
There is a thread here

Or Animal-based rennet. 

[Cheese Head]

Hello Panther Dad in Oregon USA and welcome to the forum.

As Wayne says, if you are using store bought pasteurized milk then you normally need to add Calcium Chloride back in to get an easier/better curd to form. That said, my first 10 or so cheese making batches were without CaCl2 and I just needed to add a little extra rennet.

Another possibility is dilution, rennet is super concentrated stuff, you have to dilute it in some water first and you have to stir it into th milk thoroughly (I whisk it in). If not it will nail up in the local area of the milk that it first comes in contact with resulting in poor curd formation.

If neither of those two are it then how about amount or quality of the rennet you are using?

[Cartierusm]

Welcome. You can get Calcium Chloride at any wine or brew making shop. Read the thread and that should steer you right.

You won't ever get a perfect curd from Store Bought Pastuerized/Homogonized Milk. Get you get raw milk in your area, from maybe a whole foods or a farm?

[Panther Dad]

Thanks for the info i'll get some calcium C  before trying again. I can see were this can become very addictive and I haven't even had success yet.
LOL

[Cheese Head]

Cartier, while I haven't used raw milk so I can't compare, must last two cheesemakings (Camembert & Feta) have had great curd sets with store bought 1 US gallon whole pasteurized homogenized cow's milk, CaCl2, & whisking in diluted rennet as above . . .

[Tea]

Good morning Panther Dad and welcome to the forum.  Great advice you have received so far.
Just a question as to why you are starting with a provolone?  It is not one of the easier cheese to start with, that all.  I was wondering if maybe you should start with a simpler softer cheese, and understand the curd, and how it reacts, before launching into what you are trying.
Anyway, what ever cheese you decided to try again, would love to hear how thing went.  Hope you get a good curd set this time.

[Panther Dad]

I have this way of starting with the tough stuff once I am successful everything else is easy. I just wish i had a cow out back.  I'm also starting with a cheese I really like the taste of and will know if I did it correct or not. This is one of the friendliest forums I have been involved with. The information I have received from all of you is so appreciated. Every one seems to have a great respect for each other. I've been to some sites for different hobbies were you ask a question and you get so many people just being mean. Keep up the good work. I'll do my best to follow the lead.

[Cartierusm]

I couldn't agree more Panther. This and one other forum I'm on are the only ones where people are civil.

[Tea]

Thanks Panther Dad, that is very encouraging to hear.  Cheese Head has worked very hard in getting this forum up and running, so that is a huge encouragement for him to keep up the good work.