Greeting. Failing cheesemaking from Surry Virginia

[Jumbojak]

Evening folks, I'm an aspiring cheesemaking who, after failing miserably three times in a row, decided to join up and hope to learn a thing or two from the folks here. My efforts seem to be getting progressively worse so I apologize in advance for any silly questions I might have.

In addition to cheese I spend my time trying my best to work on interesting things. A sometime blacksmith, too often mechanic, and aspiring furniture maker, I put my hands to just about anything that strikes my fancy.

[RayJ]

Welcome Jumbojak!

[Dorchestercheese]

What cheese? How is it failing?

[Jumbojak]

Welcome Jumbojak!

Thanks RayJ!

[Jumbojak]

What cheese? How is it failing?

I have thrice attempted easy mozarella using Gain Webber's recipe. The first two times it crumbled like feta when I was trying to knead it after draining off the whey. Last night it never solidified and was like a runny soup with some small solid flecks rather than a solid vurd mass. I may test my rennet before the next batch though I suspect there may be an issue with the milk I was using.

[curiouser_alice]

Welcome!  I've never tried mozzarella - I started with "easy" stuff - mascarpone, cottage cheese, then went to harder cheeses.  What is your source for milk?

[Jumbojak]

Welcome!  I've never tried mozzarella - I started with "easy" stuff - mascarpone, cottage cheese, then went to harder cheeses.  What is your source for milk?

At this point I'm getting pasteurized whole milk from the grocery store and make a point to pick the freshest by date that's on the shelf. I've been adding calcium chloride to compensate for the pasteurization but last night was just a mess. I suspect that the gallon might've been pasteurized longer than typical but I really don't know enough to say difinitively.

I do have a potential source of raw milk but am trying to get things figured out with the store bought just in case that avenue closes unexpectedly in the future.

[RayJ]

Mozza is not an easy starting point. It takes a lot of trial and error to get quick mozza to work out.

[Jumbojak]

Mozza is not an easy starting point. It takes a lot of trial and error to get quick mozza to work out.

That's what I'm beginning to realize. I think that I took the term 'easy" in an absolute sense, rather than the relative in which it was meant.

[Dedicated to trying]

Greetings,
Took me about 3 months straight to get it right, mozz is not always easy but once you get the bugs worked out you will love it. I had problems even with raw fresh from the cow full fat milk!
Do half batches, keep it small till you start figuring out how to get a curd and once things are somewhat on the right track you can go bigger - that would be my suggestion for less frustration.
Don't worry keep at it you will figure it out!
On one of my posts there is a pic of what the curd should look like if its going to hold together AND melt if you want to look it up
Have fun!
-dedicated

[lovinglife]

Yes Mozz is a tough one.  I have made one batch that was decent from 4 attempts!  I tried the overnight thing but after 24 hours still no stretch, just kind of vanished, after several more attempts with poor results I changed up my cultures.  That batch acidified much faster and turned out rather good, so I know for my fresh raw goat milk I need extra culture to get things going.  Actually in desperation I used a buttermilk starter (meso) and a yogurt starter (thermo) together!  I noticed the curds were firmer much faster so I tried stretching and it was a go, so that sped things along at a good rate, now to tone it down with maybe less culture for the happy medium.  I also really liked the flavor of the two cultures, tasted really good.  LOL  Cheesemaking is super fun and if you have your own supply of fresh milk and of course chickens and pigs to help you use the whey and fails........your golden!

[panamamike]

Welcome to the forum Jumbojak.