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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Pasta Filata (Pulled Curd) => Topic started by: mozsticks on October 19, 2013, 02:15:55 AM

Title: Moz Cheese on October 20th
Post by: mozsticks on October 19, 2013, 02:15:55 AM
hello all.

I'm still new to making cheese, and have been out of the loop for a while due to an ungodly amount of work. Now that I have a little more time, I was going to get back into cheese making by starting out with Hybrid Mozzarella. I have made this cheese before, and it has turned out pretty good, but I would still like to perfect it.

I will be making it in a couple days, but I would like to know how best to go about describing my process on here, in order to get the best advice. Should I do a timeline of steps taken and measurements? or just give a recipe? etc.

Once I make the cheese I will post results in this thread as well.

Thanks for the help!
Title: Re: Moz Cheese on October 20th
Post by: Spoons on October 19, 2013, 05:06:29 AM
As much info as possible would be good, especially if you keep track of PH markers.

Good luck with the cheese!
Title: Re: Moz Cheese on October 20th
Post by: mozsticks on October 19, 2013, 03:10:11 PM
then I will be very thorough in my log.  :)  .... one problem I have though is my PH meter is a cheap 50$ one... its pretty touchy, and im sure its inaccurate. the last couple times I made cheese I just used the hot iron test instead. I just don't have 300 bucks to burn on a nice PH meter right now. ill take some pictures too.
Title: Re: Moz Cheese on October 20th
Post by: mozsticks on October 30, 2013, 12:59:33 AM
Hello all

I made my cheese a couple weeks ago! It didn't quite turn out the way I wanted though  :-[  . It turned came out sort of hard (like string cheese) while I was trying for more of a softer mozzarella. I didn't add calcium chloride this time (because im using raw milk, and believe that it was the reason my cheese was hard last time). It also tasted a little bland compared to other moz iv had before, maybe I didn't brine it correctly? I did get a lot of ricotta out of the leftover whey from the curd though, and that turned out great! (but I was still trying for a good mozzarella not a great ricotta. lol)

Below is my list of ingredients, as well as my time log for the cheese making process. Any advice would be greatly appreciated for tweeking this process to make a better tasting, and softer mozzarella.

Thanks for all the help!

Ingredients
Milk: 4 Gallons raw milk
Culture: 1/4 tsp TA 61, 1/4 tsp MA 16
Acid: 3 tsp citric acid diluted in 1/4 cup non chlorinated water
rennet: 1tsp single strength rennet tablet (1/4 of a tablet), I think this is vegetable rennet, since it is in tablet form, I don't think its animal rennet.
Salt: Heavy Brine (2.52 lbs of salt for every gallon of water)

Time Log
Start time: 5:00
5:00] Filled vat with 2 gallons of Raw milk
5:05] Prepping milk. placed vat in sink with hot water, 106 F. Wait until milk reaches 96F
5:10] Milk Temp = 86.8F (photo)
5:20] Milk Temp = 88.8F. Replaced water with warmer water
5:30] Milk Temp = 89.3F.
5:40] Milk Temp = 90.7F.
5:50] Milk Temp = 91.2F. replaced water with warmer water
6:13] Milk Temp = 97.3F. Sprinkled Culture on top of milk
6:18] Milk Temp = 98.2F. Stirred in Culture for 5 minutes
6:30] Milk Temp = 95.4F. Added a little warmer water to bath.
6:50] Milk Temp = 96.4F. Started prepping 4 gallons of cold milk with 1/4 cup acid solution in seperate pot.
7:05] Cold milk with acid solution mixed in was added in with warm milk in large vat. Milk temp after stiring for 5 minutes = 85.0F
7:15] Milk Temp = 89.5F (photo)
7:25] milk Temp = 91.2F
7:35] Milk Temp = 91.3F
7:50] Milk Temp = 91.2F.  Transferred vat to stove top on low in prep for rennet addition.
8:00] Milk Temp = 94.2F.  Added rennet.
8:20] Milk Temp 95.7F
8:30] Milk temp 94.9F
8:45] Milk temp 95.2F
9:00] Milk temp 95.0F.   Cut the Curd
9:30] Milk Temp 115F. Stirred curd while warming to current temp. Let sit for 15 mins
9:45] Curd mass Temp 105.2F. Drained whey from curd into warm colender. placed warm moist cloth on top. Letting sit for 15 mins
10:00] Curd mass passed stretch test, separated into 4 equal parts, then individually stretched and shaped them by pouring very hot water over the mass.
10:30] Placed cheese in heavy brine
12:45] removed cheese from brine, wrapped in cling wrap and placed in fridge
END

Title: Re: Moz Cheese on October 20th
Post by: Spoons on October 30, 2013, 02:15:00 AM
Not sure why you added the citric acid. The TA061 and MA11 are strong enough acidifiers. Maybe that would be the culprit. Not sure though.

Another thing, and I might be wrong here, but maybe TA061 is the wrong thermo for a soft mozz but ideal for a harder mozz? maybe try some TA050? And maybe just use thermo? Again, I'm really not sure about this one. Maybe someone more experienced can comment on this one.
Title: Re: Moz Cheese on October 20th
Post by: mozsticks on October 30, 2013, 02:55:58 AM
well the reason I added the citric acid is so that it wouldn't take me 18 hours for the ph to get to where it needs to be. I believe that's why its called "hybrid" mozzarella. because its in between a traditional (culture acidified) and quick (acid coagulated). I haven't really experimented with different cultures yet. so I'm not very informed on what the difference between different cultures translates into cheese. But I may try that next time. thanks  :)
Title: Re: Moz Cheese on October 20th
Post by: mozsticks on October 30, 2013, 11:48:36 PM
The coagulation time was about an hour. Perhaps a longer coagulation time would make the cheese softer?
Title: Re: Moz Cheese on October 20th
Post by: Spoons on October 31, 2013, 04:10:03 AM
Standardizing coagulation time by floculation point is a safe and calculable way to do it. A 45-minutes or 1-hour set time can give different results each time. Give floc a try.
Title: Re: Moz Cheese on October 20th
Post by: mozsticks on November 01, 2013, 08:19:25 PM
thanks. ill definitely try that