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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Pasta Filata (Pulled Curd) => Topic started by: MrsKK on April 01, 2014, 02:25:16 PM

Title: Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
Post by: MrsKK on April 01, 2014, 02:25:16 PM
This is how I made mozzarella yesterday - I think this is the easiest cheese I've ever made. I did not even stretch it - a friend says she just presses her mozz and it melts nicely anyway. I didn't even press mine. When I grated some and melted it under the broiler, it turned out gooey and tasty, just how I like mozzarella.

Note:  I made this using whole raw milk.  If you have a pasturized milk that will form a decent curd when CaCl is added, you'll probably be able to replicate this recipe.

Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese

4 gallons milk (I used raw cow's milk - not sure how or if this would work with p/h milk)
1 1/2 cups yogurt
3/4 cup store bought buttermilk
1/8 tsp powdered calf rennet (or whatever your brand of rennet recommends for this amount of milk)
3/8 cup kosher salt

In a double boiler, warm milk to 90* F. Whisk yogurt with buttermilk and enough warmed milk to make it pourable, then whisk into kettle of milk.

Turn off heat and cover. Maintain temp while acidifying milk for 1 hour. Dissolve rennet in 1/4 cup cool water. Gently but thoroughly stir rennet into milk for about 20-30 seconds. Use skimmer to stop the motion of the milk. Check in about 45 minutes for clean break and, if achieved, cut curd into 3/4 inch cubes.

Let curds heal for ten minutes - allow to rest without stirring. Use a skimmer to gently lift curds and cut any that are large into smaller pieces. Turn heat to medium-low and allow to come to 105* F, about one hour. Occasionally stir gently if you wish, but I did not, as I did chores during this time.

Ladle curds into a cloth-lined colander. After draining for an hour or so, toss with salt and continue to drain overnight or 6-8 hours.

This made 5 lbs of mozzarella, so any that won't be used within a week will be frozen - I don't grate before freezing because I've found that it all lumps back together again anyway.

I will still stretch this curd if I want it for gift giving or for eating fresh, but for cooking purposes, I don't see the need.
Title: Re: Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
Post by: Spoons on April 01, 2014, 03:13:08 PM
... and here I am always worried about getting a good stretch and not miss that 5.2PH sweet spot...

This cheese probably doesn't have the shinny and stringy quality of a typical mozz, but it sounds to me it could be described as a "Farmhouse Mozz" -ish .

I'll definitely try this sometime! Is it a good table cheese or just for melting? I'll probably even give it an overnight light-medium press. How much salt did you use?
Title: Re: Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
Post by: MrsKK on April 01, 2014, 09:56:14 PM
3/8 cup kosher salt, as listed in the recipe.

To use fresh, I would stretch it, as I stated at the end of my post, but for cooking purposes I will not.

Title: Re: Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
Post by: janij on April 01, 2014, 11:35:19 PM
What is the salt for?

I will try this!  I too use only fresh raw milk.  It sure make cheese making easier.
Title: Re: Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
Post by: Spoons on April 02, 2014, 03:51:15 AM
3/8 cup kosher salt, as listed in the recipe.

Ok, I admit I had a blonde moment  ;)
Title: Re: Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
Post by: MrsKK on April 02, 2014, 02:39:50 PM
What is the salt for?

I will try this!  I too use only fresh raw milk.  It sure make cheese making easier.

Flavor, and it also helps to pull more whey out of the curds. 

Fresh, raw is so awesome!  Do you have your own dairy animals?
Title: Re: Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
Post by: janij on April 02, 2014, 03:48:49 PM
I had a blonde moment as well.  I missed salting the curds when I read it.  Yes, I am milking 2 right now.  I have a total if 6 jersey girls.
Title: Re: Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
Post by: MrsKK on April 03, 2014, 08:30:58 PM
Nothing like that Jersey milk!  I'm sharemilking with a new foster calf and making as much cheese as I can before the calf is big enough to take all the milk.
Title: Re: Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
Post by: janij on April 04, 2014, 04:01:10 PM
I have one due in the next couple weeks.  Fingers crossed for a heifer and then hopefully share milking for the summer.
Title: Re: Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
Post by: MrsKK on April 04, 2014, 07:17:06 PM
Both cow and the two year old heifer are due in October.  The cow (Jersey) is bred to Angus and I'm hoping for another bull calf out of her.  Her daughter is half Angus - a lovely girl, but truly too big for our small property.  I bred her to Milking Shorthorn in the hopes of getting a brindle heifer.   Brindle or not, I'm hoping for a heifer to raise as our replacement to the cow, as she's going to be 8 this year.  Can never tell how long they'll stay productive.

I sure love this life!
Title: Re: Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
Post by: janij on April 04, 2014, 08:12:05 PM
I sure love it as well.  I totally understand you on how long you will have them and how long they will be productive.  I lost a jersey cow this fall.  I bought 2 replacement jersey heifers that are bred to an Angus.  Both are due late May early June.  I am not sure what I will do with all the milk this summer, but I am sure I will find something to do with it.  Make mozz to go with tomatoes and basil from the garden probably!

I hope you get your steer and you heifer this fall! :)
Title: Re: Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
Post by: MrsKK on April 06, 2014, 01:59:59 AM
:)  Sure wish we could thumbs-up individual replies...but since I can't, you'll get one for your profile!
Title: Re: Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
Post by: janij on April 09, 2014, 05:31:22 PM
Thank you!  I made this cheese on Sun and stretched it this am.  It is YUMMY!!!!!  Thank you.  It was a very easy cheese to make.  Can I ask you one question about it.  Why did you let the curd drain an hr before salting them?  Mine knitted together and I had to tear them apart to salt and mix.  Was wondering if there was a reason or if you could salt them after you drain them when they are still not knitted together.  Thank you again.  I will be making this a lot more often. 
Title: Re: Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
Post by: MrsKK on April 09, 2014, 10:50:35 PM
The hour was because I got busy with something else, so I had to tear the curds apart, too!

You wouldn't have to wait an hour, I just wrote out what I did.  I'm so glad this worked well for you.  I'm probably going to make another batch later this week and I'll stretch some of it to give away and some will just go straight to the freezer.
Title: Re: Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
Post by: janij on April 09, 2014, 11:20:19 PM
I may try adding lipase next time, just to see what difference it makes.  And I may try molding and lightly pressing it.  I love that it is so easy and I can do it the night before.  We eat a lot of queso fresco.  It is easy and my husband loves it.  But I miss a cheese for everyday use that has more flavor besides feta.  I should make more cheddar, montasio, and manchego, but I always fall back to the easy ones!  So this one will be a nice addition to my repertoire.
Title: Re: Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
Post by: Spoons on April 10, 2014, 12:12:41 AM
I may try adding lipase next time, just to see what difference it makes.

I made mozz with lipase twice. The flavor kicks in several days later and only so slightly. On my second lipase make, I vac sealed the mozz to try to preserve it longer and let the lipase do it's job. It didn't make much of a difference.
Title: Re: Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
Post by: MrsKK on April 10, 2014, 08:59:49 PM
I've noticed the same thing with lipase as well.  I think it truly needs an aged cheese to show its true character.

If you are looking for flavorful cheese that doesn't take a terribly long culturing time, janij, you may want to try Lancashire.  Tasty and creamy texture at 6 weeks, a kickin' cheddar flavor by three months.  But, due to its high moisture content, it needs to be eaten by about three months...or it can be vacuum sealed and stored in a regular fridge to slow it down.  But mine rarely are around long enough to worry about that.

Mozz and Lancashires are my "hold over" cheeses that help me get through the wait for ageing on the others.
Title: Re: Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
Post by: janij on April 11, 2014, 03:42:57 PM
Thank you both for your input on the lipase.  I guess I will just save it for other longer aged cheeses. 

I will try Lancashires tonight.  I got milk this am, so I have plenty for a batch.  When I first stated making cheese, I tried all different kinds.  Was always trying something new.  I think I got stuck in a rut.  So I will be anxious to see how this turns out.

Oh, we are having the easy pizza cheese today on sourdough pizzas!!