Mozzarella Cheese Homemade

Here are 3 recipes for Mozzarella Cheese  (  I hope my friends that provided these recipes don't mind :)
What I've found so far is that it doesn't always have to sit for as long as they say.

Mozza Cheese
2 gallons whole milk (8 l)
2.5 tsp citric acid (dilute in 1/4 cup cool water)
1/4 tablet rennet (dissolved in 1/4 cup cool water)
1/2 gallon water (heated to a boil)
1/2 cup salt (dissolved in above hot water)

Stir citric acid into cold milk,  Stir 2 min.
Heat milk to 88 F and remove from heat.
Add rennet.  Stir for 30 secs.
Let mixture stand for 30 minutes or until it gels.
Cut into 1 inch squares.
Sit for 15 mins as whey separates from curds.
Heat slowly to 108 F and keep well stirred.
Remove from heat and allow to stand for 20 mins, stirring occasionally.
Drain in colander for 15 min.
Cut curd into 1 inch strips and lay criss-cross in a bowl.
Pour hot salt water over curd strips and stretch with a wooden spoon, pulling up and down until soft.
Gather and shape in a ball.  Place in container or mold and refrigerate

2. Mozza Cheese
Pour 3 gallons of milk ( cream included ) in big pan
Add 3/4 c/ lemon juice
heat until 88' .Turn stove off and add 1/2 tablet of rennet, that has been soaking in abit of water.
Stir really good for about 2mins.Then let it rest  for another 10 mins. By then it should have solidify.
Leave for 30 mins or longer ( sometimes I leave it for an hour ) and then slice in chunks. Drain though my cheese bag and squeeze all the whey out of it ( you can use part of that for bread making and the rest for the chickens) Drain well.
Put the curds back in pan add cold water until it covers most of the curds. Add 1/2 cup salt, and then gently heat until the cheese becomes every soft and stretches. I almost bring it to boiling. Stir often.
Then  pour through a colander, and when you can handle the cheese, knead it and it is ready to eat. Enjoy !!


Recipe #3  
What I do is. One gallon of milk (I fill my pot and it still works) Mix 1-1/2 tsp of citric acid in one cup cool water, then mix into the milk, stirring vigorously. Meanwhile dissolve 1/4 tablet of rennet into 1/4 cup water.
Heat milk to 90 dgrs. Mix in the rennet and let sit for about seven minutes. When you push your finger against the curd it should make what is called a clean break, the curd should split and you should see the whey fill in the around your finger. The curd will look like custard. Using a sharp knife cut the curd into about half in squares, back and forth and sideways.

Heat again to 105 while slowly moving the curds around to keep them from packing together.

Take off the burrner and slowly stir for 2-5 minutes (I usually do about 3)

Pour off the floating whey and ladle the curds into a microwave proof bowl. Microwave on high for one minute, drain off the whey and gently fold the curds into one piece.

Microwave for another 30 seconds. Drain again and stretch the curd (like you would taffy) The curd has to be 135 Dgrs to work properly. It will start getting really smooth and silky. If it isn't hot enough, microwave until it is.

Shape into a ball and submerge in cold water, this helps it keep it shape and keep it from getting grainy.

I have to submerge it quickly, because the warm fresh cheese is so yummy I could eat it all. (not quite, but it is good)

This sounds involved but you will have it done in about an hour.


As a footnote, I have done Recipe #3 using the microwave for 1 minute, then 30 secs. and another 30secs.  The cheese temperature was hot at 135F and I could quickly pull it with my bare hands and then form it into a shape.  I wrapped them in wax paper, then put in a freezer bag or container.  They will be yummy on pizza later!
The recipe took me approx. 30 minutes!