Hello TOby and welcome.
Not for cheese but you can use it to add a tangy flavor to your summer sausage or other tangy non fermented sausages.
Ingredients
1 gallon skimmed milk
1 Junket Rennet tablet
1/4 cup fresh cultured buttermilk (the starter)
Procedure:
1. Set out milk for 1 hour at room temperature.
2. Heat the water until the milk reaches 72°F (22°C) then stir in the buttermilk.
3. Cover the milk and put the pots in a place where you can maintain a temperature of
between 72 to 80°F (22 to 27°C) so the milk can ripen. Don’t stir it, move it, look at it or
touch it at all for 12 to 18 hours!
4. Test it for coagulation. You are looking for a clean break. Insert a clean knife straight
down near the side of the pot, and then gently pull the curds toward the center of
the pot. If the curds pull away cleanly from the sides it’s ready to cut the curds. If the
milk is not properly coagulated wait another 8 hours and test it again.
5. If the milk hasn’t coagulated after 48 hours the starter isn’t any good and you need
to throw away the milk and the starter. Go to page 22 and learn how to test you
starter cultures!
6. Next we cut the curds into 5/8 inch cubes as illustrated on page 23. Let the curds sit
undisturbed for 4 minutes.
7. After 4 minutes stir the curds for 1 minute by raising the bottom curds to the top.
Continue heating and stirring for 1 minute every 4 minutes making sure the curds are
heated evenly and don’t stick together.
8 Slowly raise the temperature 1° per minute until the temperature reaches 110°F (38°C)
increase the heat of the whey stirring every 2 minutes, to 110°F (38°C). This should
take about 5 minutes.
9. Once the whey reaches 110°F (38°C) it should be firm enough, if not go to 115°F
(46°C) or as high as 120°F (49°C).
10. Test the curds for firmness but gently squeezing a curd between your fingers. The curd
should not break easily. To test curds place a teaspoon of curds in a glass of ice
water to chill. Remove the curd and compare it to what you know from
commercially available products.
11. When the curds are firm enough place a colander in the sink and line it with several
layers of boiled cheese cloth. Use a clean cup and scoop out the whey until it
reaches the same level as the curds then pour the remaining curds and whey into
the colander. Let the curds drain for 2 to 3 minutes.
12. Empty the hot water from the pot and fill it with cold water. Grab the corners of the
cheese cloth and make a bag out of the cheesecloth and dip the curds into the
cold water to rinse and cool the curds. Raise and lower the bag making sure all the
curds are rinsed and cooled for 3 minutes.
13. Drain the water adding fresh water and a tray of ice cubes. Rinse and chill the curds
for 5 minutes. Make sure all curds are chilled. Remove the bag and place it in the
colander. Let the curds drain for at least an hour shaking the curds occasionally to
keep them from matting.
14. Taste the curds to determine if you wish to add salt. If you do decide to add salt, put
the curds in a bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon of salt.
15. Cottage cheese can also be creamed by adding 1/4 cup of milk, cream or half and
half and stirring. This should be eaten fresh and is ready to eat as soon as it is
completed.