Hello again:
I am still having trouble getting my curd to a "clean break". I've read about flocculation and tried this, but my curd is still low volume, lumpy and more like riccotta. My 30-minute mozzarrella use to always turn out. It no longer turns out. I am using new rennet (double strength vegetarian from cheesemaking.com) I'm using Ricki Carols recipe...still my cheese won't form a clean break curd. The curd sinks to the bottom of the pan.
I ran across another link in this forum when reading about rennet, and found this information
INOCULATE THE MILK: The evening before you plan to make cheese, warm 1 gallon of the freshest milk to 20oC (68 o F) in the sterilized pot. Thoroughly blend in the inoculum of 2-3 tsp buttermilk or 1/3rd cup yogurt as starter . Cover the inoculated milk with the sterilized lid. (The function of this inoculation with bacterial starter is to have the milk fermenting bacteria make lactic acid which lowers the pH so that the rennet will be able to act on the casein.)
INCUBATE OVER NIGHT: Let sit at room temperature (R.T.) overnight (20-22oC).
WARM THE MILK: The next morning, warm milk up to 30 oC (take care not to burn it). Meanwhile, dissolve ¼ tablet of Rennet in ¼ cup cold water . (This pictures shows a whole tablet being added to water).
ADD THE RENNET: Add dissolved rennet to the warmed milk , stir to mix thoroughly. Cover, let sit undisturbed for approximately an hour. Be patient. Do not disturb the milk until it has coagulated.
I'm wondering if my milk is not the correct ph to be adding rennet (for what ever reason!). Does anyone else inoculate their milk the night before? That's not at all what Ricki's recipes say.
I'm in need of suggestions/help. My hard cheeses which I never had trouble with, are not setting up with a clean break like they use to. I do have different goats and their milk must be very different. It's fresh milk from our farm.
Thanks,
Judy