CheeseForum.org » Forum

Hello everyone! I'm new to the forum and this is my first post, so I hope I not posting in the wrong section.

I want to start making my own cheese and is quite hard to find rennet here in Rosario, Argentina. Anyway I managed to get powedered rennet, but the thing is that every single recipe I read or saw on YouTube uses liquid rennet. So the question is: how much powdered rennet do I need in order to replace 5 ml of liquid rennet? Or, in other words, which is amount relationship between liquid and powdered rennet?

Thanks in advance and best regards!

It depends in the strength of the rennet and your milk. It would be best to take a small amount of milk (like 1 litre) and culture and make some fetta (very forgiving cheese so floc time isn't as important) and make enough batches so you know how much rennet you need to get a 15 min floc time with your rennet and milk combination. Fetta recepie here: https://fiascofarm.com/dairy/feta.html
If you need more information on floculation or the spinning bowl test use the search function in the top right of this forum

Great article, thanks a lot! 

I have had trouble with the brine from that recepie. I have better luck saving whey from the make and adding the recommended salt and about a tablespoon of calcium chloride per 4L of whey. This prevents pH imbalance and calcium leeching (both cause cheese to soften in the brine)

Not knowing what powdered rennet you are using,it's impossible to tell you.
I just started using Walcoren powdered calf rennet. I use 1/16 th of a teaspoon to set 2 gallons of milk.  ICMU 914
It is much better than the veg rennet tabs I was using. The milk sets up in the right amount of time compared to the veg rennet.

You have to see the strength of the rennet as River Bottom Farm mention. I use 1100 imcu rennet powder and need around 2.5g to coagulate 160L of milk in 60 minutes.

It's not just a question of powdered versus liquid. I am not familiar with powdered rennet but even with liquid rennet, there are different strengths available.
As a starting point, I would tend to use the amounts recommended by the manufacturer unless there is a specific reason for using a higher or lower level than usual.
You should be able to compare rennets if you know the strengths in IMCU units. Unfortunately, recipes do not always give this information.

Yes I agree Andrew, recipes don't always have this info. I suppose that is why it is so important to keep make journal.

Dear Gaucho


Hola from Costa Rica.
Let me tell you where they sell liquid rennet here in Costa Rica.  It's weird, but maybe being another Latin country, Argentina will sell it at the same place. 
IN THE FEED STORE.
Go to a large cattle/horse/chicken type feed store and ask there.  Weird I know! 
Let me know.


And welcome to the forum!