Mozzarella Cheese Making Recipe (https://cheeseforum.org/Recipes/Recipe_Mozzarella.htm)
but can you think to make mozzarella at home?
I would like to see.........
OK tonipas, took me 1 month but yes I did make Mozzarella using this recipe, and you can see the records and pictures posted here (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php?topic=39.0).
Well mozzarella has been my nemphis, but... I finally made it yesterday. Yesss ;D
The recipe that I used is almost identical to this one with a couple of minor changes.
1. My recipe said to turn the curd every 15 mins, pouring off the excess whey each time for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
2. To check it the curd is ready for stretching, cut off a small piece of cheese and put in the hot water. My recipe said 70c. Allow the cheese to heat up and work it with you thumb and forefinger then try stretching. If it is elastic, then it is ready for the next step. I found that it was best to do this in the water, don't take out the cheese. Also they recommended using thick gloves, and it is easier to work with your hands than spoons.
3. When cheese is ready to stretch, cut into very thin pieces and place into water. I found that the water needed to be brought back up to 70c, so I left the cheese in the water while it heated, which also heated the cheese sufficiently.
4. Mine went into an ice cold water bath first for 1 hour, then into a 20% brine solution. For a 10lt cheese it said brine for 4 hours. As I used 5lt (incase it didn't turn out again) I soaked for 2, but for me it is too salty, so probably could have soaked for 1hr.
I made this before, but I couldn't get my curd to stretch. I am wondering now, whether I had the water hot enough, and whether I left the curd in long enough. As I didn't have gloves I too worked this with two spoons, so not sure that I worked the curd enough.
Anyway, just stoked that I finally made it.
Looks good Tea, my only try failed and I haven't tried again as not too fond of Moz anyway (except as sliced with tomatoes. My understanding is it's all about the pH. I also burnt my fingers trying to need it without gloves, I tried oven mits made from silicon but that didn't work at all. Good to see your success!
Made this again yesterday, if for no other reason but to prove to myself that I could do it again, apart from the fact that the kids had polished off the first lot, and it worked fine. Bought myself a pair of thick gloves, and I was able to work the curd beautifully. Not sure how long the curd is to be worked for, but it was lovely and stretchy, and stretched to almost a yard in length, and still held together.
So happy ;D
Well congrats, you must have really got the pH in the right spot!
Well I didn't check the ph on this lot. Did with the last (first) batch, and even though I had the correct ph I was still having trouble getting it to stretch, which is why I think that the correct temps while trying to stretch is just as important. I remember what the cheese should stretch like from that batch, and when the second batch was stretching like the first, I decided to put all the cheese in and have a go. So I guess by default, I had the correct ph. I only have papers, so I am by no means getting an accurate ph level, just a general reading.
In my book it says that provolone is mozzarella with lipase added and matured for a few months, during which time the cheese becomes firmer and develops a stronger flavour. No other instructions.
So I have made this and wrapped in plastic and am storing in the esky. The cheese is fairly moist, and I was wondering should it be stored unwrapped? There are a couple of spots on it that look like they might be mould starting, so I am going to get some brine into them.
Just not sure if I am doing this right, and any help/advice would be much appreciated.
Reg, if I can get this to work, I am going to approach my butcher and ask if he will smoke a couple for my when they next smoke. Hoping they will oblige.
morning Tea. cold smoking your cheese is easier than you think. you could rig up a cold smoker out of a cardboard box if you have to. let me see if i have any photos here then we can get them posted for you to see
reg
That would be much appreciated thanks.
Reg just checking in with you about the provolone. When I checked yesterday there is a fair amount of moisture coming off it. That didn't happen with the mozz, which was just wrapped too but stored in the fridge. Is that normal? I have put some kitchen paper down to soak up the drips. Doesn't smell off or feel slimy, just moisture.
morning Tea. have never made any of the Italian cheeses yet but i would think that the moisture dripping off would be normal. seems to me that they tie and hang provolone to dry.
will look it up in one of my books later and get back to you
reg
Oh Ok, my mistake, I thought you had.
I do remember seeing a provolone hanging in a photo that I've got, but I would have to wrap it in something I think, as I don't think it would hold it's own weight at the moment.
Thanks for the info though, I will have to look into this.
pretty sure they hang the provolone in cheese cloth. i do love provolone
reg
I decided yesterday to get the provolone out of the plastic wrap, washed the outside, and gave it a brine wash, and covered it in cheesecloth. As it's form is already set, hanging it will probably break or crack it at this stage, so have left is in the esky on a rack.
Still smells fine with the lipase smell just prevalent. The outside feels a little firmer this morning with no feel of wetness.
Hopefully it will continue well drom here.
good stuff, can't wait to hear about the outcome
reg
The most frustrating part in all this is we only have, for the most part, store bought cheeses to compare our's with, and most of them are commercially made processed stuff.
I bought some provolone to try a couple of months ago, and it had less flavour, I would venture to say almost no flavour, than my mozz, and was very soft and milky. Very disappointing I thought all round. So not really sure what the end product should look like.
Checked my provolone this morning and the outside is starting to get a drier rind to it. Of course I realise that I brined it again, but I guess I am not really sure just what I am shooting for.
I would think that a smoked provolone would have a drier harder rind than usual, right? Maybe the cheesecloth that I am wrapping it in should be moistened to keep the outside softer???
Any help would be much appreciated.
morning Tea. i think that mozz and provolone are two different cheeses, at least that is my experiences. i had the opportunity to try a home made provolone right from Italy that was pretty impressive. hard rind on the outside comparable to the Alpine style cheese and the inside was semi soft i guess i would call it. flavour was definately provolone, outstanding actually. they told me how long it had aged but i really don't remember. think it was in the 9 month time frame. they told me the rind was rubbed with oil every so often
this winter im going to try my hand at it.
reg
Well I only have one recipe and it said that provolone was mozz with the addition of lipase and matured for 2 or more months. So that is what I have done, but from there it doesn't tell you how to store it, or it a rind forms, or anything.
You said that the rind was rubbed with oil? I am asuming that would be olive?
With summer comming on I am hoping that I can reach at least the two month mark before the cave fails me completely. Otherwise I might put it in the fridge and see if I can age it longer in there.
yes that was olive oil that was used but im assuming that any oil would work. i believe the theory behind the oil use is two fold, sealing to keep out unwanted mold growth and second trying to keep the rind from forming deep into the cheese. this is just a guess though. who knows it could also be used for flavouring
reg
Thanks Reg, I wasn't sure that I wanted the flavours of EVOO so I used light olive oil. I haven't done this before so it will be interesting to see what happens.
oops here is what happens when you handle camembert cheeses, before attending to the other cheese first.
Also even though this has been wrapped and oiled it is drying at an uneven pace. There is a crack on the underside of this cheese.
I have reoiled and left open at this stage, but I may end up having to use this cheese, if it looks like it is not going to age well.
After not quite a month of aging I decided to open the provolone yesterday, as I was not sure it was doing what it should have been doing, as I have nothing here to compare it with.
Was really pleased with the results, the rind was chewy, not hard, but that would probably have come with more time, and the cheese was a completely different flavour to the mozz, which was also encouraging. The cheese it's self was still quite soft, and pliable, with a lovely even consistant texture. This one was a definate crowd pleaser.
Next time I am going to measure and weigh the cheese before I age, as I am positive that it has shrunk and lost weight with aging.