Well folks, the frustrations are in full force at my home right now. I thought I had figured the mozzarella thing out. I make it about 2 times a week for the kids. It is known as "regular cheese" by my 2 year old. Not to be confused with "daddy's cheese" which is blue, camembert, gouda or anything else with what I like to call flavor.
Anyhow, I digress, my point is that I thought I had figured this out. My last 5 consecutive batches have been a total failure. No curd set after plenty of time, even with 3x rennet. I have adjusted the citric acid with no success. I have used new rennet with no success. altered temps and CaCl2 with no success. The curds appear as small little specks in the whey and never do come together. I suspect the milk except that I have tried 2 brands that have always worked well for me and are both failing. So, my question, is is there some variable I am not considering. Have some of you gone through a funk like this? Is the state of milk quality going to continue to decline until there is nothing left? Is it just me?
Well, that is more than one question but you get the point. I just don't know what to do.
I should add that I made a Stilton Saturday and I think I used the same milk so go figure. I think I will go back to gouda and camembert. They are so much easier for me than Mozzarella. :-\
Hi Ben;
I just went through a rough patch with all types of cheeses, replaced rennet, cultures, nearly pulled out all of my hair! Finally I thought to calibrate my thermometer. Duh! It was reading 10-12 degrees warmer than it actually was.
Good luck,
Pam
This is one reason I have 2 of many of my tools. 2 pH meters...
etc....
Here is my mozz method, pasted from my post on dairygoatinfo. I wish direct acidification never made its way to the home cheesemaker. It works commercially for a very specific cheese type, and it's neat to see such fast results from the get-go with a first cheese, but overall, I have many issues with citric acid used to make mozz, the first of which is lack of flavor. If you have any time at all, try my method. It's not the one I actually use any more because I have better tools (pH meter, etc), but it's foolproof. It's sort of a hybrid between the 30 min mozz and a classic mozz because I don't use hot whey in this recipe. It's similar to how Fankhauser does his cultured mozz, but without heating the whey.
Ingredients
1 gallon of milk
1/3-1/2 cup either yogurt or buttermilk. Must be fresh and active. This is about a 2-4% starter inoculation.
1/8 tsp of double strength rennet or 1/4 tsp single strength
half cup of very cold bottled or distilled water
a cup of salt
a sanitized bowl or container that floats on water
Process
Take the milk and warm it to 95F if using yogurt, or 88F if using buttermilk. Take a few cups of the warm milk and mix in the yogurt or buttermilk. Mix thoroughly with a fork, so there are no lumps. Add this mixture to the milk and stir up and down until it's dissolved. Take the rennet and add to the cold water, stir it thoroughly. Then add to the milk and stir up and down 10-15 times. This is to mix everything up.
Cover up the milk and go away for 5-8 minutes. Then come back and put the sanitized bowl in the milk (something like an empty yogurt cup works well). It should float freely. Push it every 30 second or so. When you push it and it doesn't go, the milk has gelled at the surface. This is called the flocculation point. Note how long it took from the time you added rennet to the time it gelled. Multiply this time by 3. Wait that total time out, starting from the point where you added rennet. Example, you add rennet at noon, it gels at 12:10. 10x3=30. You wait until 12:30, and then cut. Cut into 1-2" long strips and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Then come back and cut again, this time the curd should be about 1/2", about the size of peas. Use a whisk and gently cut if you want, or use a knife. remember to cut diagonally.
Start heating the curd, gently. If using buttermilk heat to 104 F from 88F over the course of at least 45 mins. If using yogurt, cook to 115-120F from 95F. Stir lightly as you cook so the curd doesn't stick together very much.
At the end of cooking, let the whole thing sit for 10-15 mins. The curd will settle. Take your hand and gently press into the curd to mat it together. Then drain off the whey. Take the curd and squeeze it together in the cheesecloth. Press it together. It should hold its shape. Then, put it all into a bowl. Now cover the bowl with a plastic wrap or something so it doesn't dry, and leave the ball of curd in a warm place, 100F for buttermilk, 110F for yogurt starter. Wait an hour. Come back and cut off a piece of the curd and drain off the whey thas has pooled around the curd ball. Put the piece you cut off in the microwave for 10-30 seconds (depends on microwave power). Pull on one end. Does it stretch? If it does, you're done. If not, flip the ball of curd and check back again in a half hour, then cut off another piece and nuke it. Keep waiting and checking every half hour until the curd stretches when you microwave it. Usually takes 2-4 hours. You could check less often, but until you're comfortable, check more frequently so you get it to work the first time and build up your confidence.
When the bit of curd does stretch, take the bowl with the curd in it cut up the curd into 1" chunks, and put it in the microwave. Start with 1 minute and try to fold the curd chunks together with a spatula. It should be hot and it should start to come together and be stretchy. Check the temp. Ideal temp is about 150F, or higher, up to 170. Keep folding the curd, and if necessary, heat in microwave again. Stretch with your hands if you want.
After you have the mozz ball made, take 4 cups of the whey and add a cup of salt into it and mix it in. It's okay if not all of it dissolves. Use less whey and salt if you want. Add some ice cubes to the brine. Plop the ball of cheese in it and wait for 5-10 mins, depending on how salty you want it. And you're done, wrap in something and refrigerate.
The natural and slow acidification produces a much superior cheese. With this method, even if your curds shatter, the mozz should still come out ok.
Linuxboy,
Thanks and as always you have been very thorough. I feel the same. I have had more problems with directly acidified mozzarella than all other cheeses combined. I like it because my kids love it and it is so fast to make. Knowing how problematic it is causes me to wonder why it is that this cheese is so temperamental. I would think that you get the acid to the correct reading, apply the correct heat, add good rennet and wait the right amount of time and you should have cheese every time. That is how other cheeses work after all. So clearly there is something different happening in the bacterial acidification that is not happening with the other. Just my thoughts out loud but does anyone know the answer?
The bad news is that I just ordered a whole lot of citric acid since I am about out and now I think I have decided to abandon this cheese. :'(
Quote from: Ben on March 03, 2010, 09:34:19 PM
So clearly there is something different happening in the bacterial acidification that is not happening with the other. Just my thoughts out loud but does anyone know the answer?
The bad news is that I just ordered a whole lot of citric acid since I am about out and now I think I have decided to abandon this cheese. :'(
Yes, it has to do with the type of acid and time. You see, what causes stretching is the slow weakening of bonds in the micelle structures and the negation of the charge on the outer k-caseins. I posted about this process before in one of Wayne's cheddar threads. When you dump a bunch of acid in, it instantly uses up the buffers in solution, neutralizes the charge on some k-caseins, and brings some caseins out of suspension (this is why you see small flecs after adding acid in). The rennet then cleaves the caseins, and while you heat and drain whey, those micelles can degrade quickly (because of low pH), and then when you're done, come together and stretch.
This process is rather drastically different in cultured mozz. In cultured mozz, you have a natural chymosin-helped coagulation, and a forming of the micelle matrix that is not degraded. Then you drain while the pH is still high, so even your curds shatter due to too much heat or crap milk, the casein micelles still bond. And it is then, slowly, as acid builds up that the inter and intra-micelle bonds break up, which enables the overall curd to stretch. You first have a solid mass of cheese with the cultured method before the acid acts severely on the curd.
Main point is that commercially, direct acidification works because the milk is much better suited for it. It's not processed as much. The vat size is different, which affects the physics. Sure, it's pasteurized, but in a controlled way, typically at lower temp, and the homogenization is different, and milk is fresh, and pH control and solids/fat control is exact, etc. If you used raw milk, I bet you could get very consistent results with using citric acid, but this is not the case with store bought milk.
You can use citric acid in lots of things. In jam, to acidify dishes when lemon/lime is not around, in drinks, as a sanitizer, etc. It's not money wasted :). Although it's a lot cheaper buying it by the 55 lb bag from the wine supply store. Last time I checked, it was $70 or so.
your problem might be temperature?
Linuxboy,
I would like to say that you took the words right out of my mouth except I had to look some of them up. ;)
This makes me wonder if there is a way to rethink this whole citric mozzarella. I wonder if I were add only some of the acid initially and then allow the rennet to work it's magic. After allowing the curds to firm enough to work then add the remaining acid and allow it to leach into the curds kind of like salting curds. If this works it would make for more consistent results. Question is if the acid will leach into the curds once set. one of these days I will have to try it.
SueVT, I think my temp was right on. I checked my calibration today and found it to be good.
I'm with LB. I hate citric Mozz. It has no flavor and is usually a frustrating failure for beginners. Especially without a pH meter.
I do my cultured Mozz a little differently. I mix everything up around 7:00 in the evening, rennet, cut, heat, etc. Then I drain the whey to the level of the curds, let it sit for two hours, then place everything in the frig. The cold temp slows acidification, but by the next morning it is always ready to stretch.
I do mine similar to Linix but chill it in the fridge like sailor for only few a hours (unless it's very late).
I do mine similar to Sailor, but rinse the curd with cold water then allow it to sit at room temp overnight before stretching.
I've never had trouble with the citric acid method, but I also use raw milk. It is pretty tasteless, so now I only use it when I'm out of mozz and desparately want pizza for supper. It still stretches well.
MrsKK - Why do you rinse?
From the very beginning of this year i had changed the milk i use for all my cheeses. Now i use the milk pasteurised at 96C. It caused couple of faluers with the citric acid mozz. It forced me to make cultured one and i succeed. But me and most of my friends prefer that citric cheese for it's taste of fresh milk. So i tried several times and the last two attempts showed how i can do it now.
I add 50 g of citric acid dissolved in 600 ml of cold water to 20 l of milk at 14 C (57.2F). This is critical. If the temp is higher the milk starts to curdle immediately and there will be no gel after renneting.
Immediately after adding acid i add rennet. I use microbial rennet from Meito Co. Japan. I double an amount recommended by manufacture. This rennet don't yields bitter taste even when overdosed.
Than i heat double boiler to 37C and let the milk sit for 1.5 h. After that time i get a clean break at milk with the temp about 24-25C. Than i cut as linuxboy first for stripes and so on.
Than i heat the mixture stirring very gently up to 33 C during 1 h, take the mix out of double boiler leave the curds for 10 min undisturbed and drain. pH at draining 5.3-5.4.
Curds mat at solid block and i stretch it adding hot whey (75-80C).
Pfff... to much english typing at once...
I hope it help, Ben. Don't give up! And ask questions. May be i missed something :)
Pavel,
I will not give up the war just yet. At the moment I have them on the run. :D.
Tonight I changed to a third brand and had success even with a low yield. I had spoken with the dairy who produced the other milk, or rather I spoke to the guy who actually runs the line and the equipment that makes the milk. He assured me that there had been no change in their process or milk supply. I believe him, but clearly something has changed. I believe there are so many small variables in this cheese that it is very easy for a processed milk to be no good for it. It could possibly be as simple as the diet of the cows. For now I am happy again and can put back on my cheese maker badge which I had shamefully removed.
I to have noticed the curdling that begins around 60 degrees. I imagine by adding rennet before it happens you are trying to form the curd before it begins to separate. What happens if you leave it at about 60 degrees (16 C) for renneting? Does it even work that cold?
Sailor,
Do you use thermo in yours?
I'm sure you will win, Ben. Nice to here you cheer up and keep on trying :)
I never tried to wait for curd set at such a low temp as 16C. But i guess it is possible to get a clean break at that temperature and it should take about 4-5 hrs.
I rinse because I jury-rigged my recipe from Fankhauser. I believe that rinsing allows you to leave the curd at room temp overnight without it getting too acidic. As my fridge space can be limited (between gallon jars of milk and myriad dozens of eggs), that is a bonus to me.
Good job Karen! I often in winter set my pot in the basement near the door or on the kitchen porch if it's not expected to freeze. Sometimes I just put it in a picnic cooler and pack snow around it. I have 6 coolers on my porch all winter long for curing and such.
Quote from: Pavel on March 04, 2010, 03:20:46 PM
From the very beginning of this year i had changed the milk i use for all my cheeses. Now i use the milk pasteurised at 96C. It caused couple of faluers with the citric acid mozz. It forced me to make cultured one and i succeed. But me and most of my friends prefer that citric cheese for it's taste of fresh milk. So i tried several times and the last two attempts showed how i can do it now.
I add 50 g of citric acid dissolved in 600 ml of cold water to 20 l of milk at 14 C (57.2F). This is critical. If the temp is higher the milk starts to curdle immediately and there will be no gel after renneting.
Immediately after adding acid i add rennet. I use microbial rennet from Meito Co. Japan. I double an amount recommended by manufacture. This rennet don't yields bitter taste even when overdosed.
Than i heat double boiler to 37C and let the milk sit for 1.5 h. After that time i get a clean break at milk with the temp about 24-25C. Than i cut as linuxboy first for stripes and so on.
Than i heat the mixture stirring very gently up to 33 C during 1 h, take the mix out of double boiler leave the curds for 10 min undisturbed and drain. pH at draining 5.3-5.4.
Curds mat at solid block and i stretch it adding hot whey (75-80C).
Pfff... to much english typing at once...
I hope it help, Ben. Don't give up! And ask questions. May be i missed something :)
Pavel, am I correct in thinking that the finish pH will be the same as it was just after you added the citric acid. there is nothing else that will cause acidity since there is no culture. If this is the case it will make the experiment much easier for me as the new person. I just want to make Mozzarella. Improved flavour/ texture can come after I have actually cracked the basics of making Mozzarella.
Henry
Even without culture, milk will get more acidic over time. Linux, please correct me if I am wrong. I know that you will know how to explain this, but I can't. Thanks!
Unless you use absolutely sterile milk, it will have some bacteria left in it, which will acidify the cheese. It should not be drastic enough to make a difference. At room temp, your mozz will soil faster from yeast and enterococcus than it will from lactic bacteria.
Sterile milk is stable at room temp, should not acidify with time. It actually will have a very tiny increase in acidity, but not from bacteria, from the fat breaking down. FFAs are weak acids.
I can confirm that the pH remained the same right from the point of mixing in the acid until the end of cookinh and also that I have had the immense satisfaction of making my first Mozzarella. The sense of achievement is quite high now that I have actually stretched one with my own hands thanks to the wisdom on this forum.
Yes it was "only" a citric acid one but but it worked and it really doesn't matter that the texture would put an old shoe to shame or that it tasted bland. I made it!
The breakthrough information for me was
1) Pavel giving the citric acid amount in weight.
2) Linuxboy advising to give 10 to 30 second burst in the microwave. I kept to the 10 second end even for stretching.
Now that I know how to get to the finish successfully I can make modifications to improve the whole process.
Thanks
Henry
If we are using pasteurized milk from the super market, should we add Calcium Chloride.
I tried this recipe yesterday and had good curd at cutting. At the 3 hour mark I had milk again.
I will try it again today?
Pasturized milk will give you a better curd set and more yield if you do use CaCl.
I do not use CaCl2 on Moz or pasta filata types. It effects the stretchability.
Any thoughts on the 'learning experience'? The curd didn't shatter it turned back to milk and whey.
Thanks, Sailor. I did not know that.
Steam - what kind of milk did you use? If it was high temp pasturized, that could be some of your problem. It is also best to always use the freshest milk for cheesemaking. I've had a lot of trouble with milk that is more than 4 days out of the cow.
We used store milk that we usually use for cheese with success. In making other cheeses we add Calcium Chloride though.
I reread Sailor's recipe and will add powdered milk next time.
Linuxboy, thanks a lot for your recipe. I just followed it to the dot, and the outcome was perfect. My best pizza ever :)
(http://www.elforodelpan.com/download/file.php?id=4757)
I used home pasteurized cow's milk (30' @ 63C) and a starter I cultured from store-bought crème fraîche.
Very proud of this one!