Fresh Mozzarella From Scratch
Servings 1 mozzarella ball
Calories 2332kcal
Equipment
- large stainless steal heavy bottom pot
Ingredients
- 1 gallon whole milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons citric acid mixed with 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon liquid rennent mixed with 1 cup water
- 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Take milk out of the fridge to start to come up to room temperate.
- Steralize all of your equipment. Then set up a large pot or bowl up with cheesecloth lined colander and set aside.
- Prepare the citric acid by mixing it with 1/4 cup of water in a small bowl or pyrek dish. Prepare rennet by adding it to 1 cup water. Set asie.
- Add milk and citric acid and water to pot, stri, and heat over medium until temperature reaches 90 degrees.
- Remove pot from heat, add rennet and water and give a gentle mix. Cover pot and let sit for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, soft curds should have formed. With a long spatula or knife, cut the curds into 1 inch squares.
- Turn burner to medium and return pot to reheat. Gently stir until the whey is 105 degrees. Remove from heat.
- Using a slotted spoon, gently scoop the curds from pot into the cheesecloth.
- Repeat with all curds. We don't recommend pouring all of the whey into the cheesecloth, just because it will take time too much time to drain all of that liquid, and it likely won't fit into your cheesecloth. Just do your best to scoop as much as you can out.
- Gently gather the ends of the cheesecloth and gently squeeze out some of the liquid.
- Transfer cheese to a medium microwave safe bowl. Heat in microwave for 30-60 seconds to heat the curds to about 135 degrees, but be careful to not heat it too much as if the temp goes over 170 degrees, the curds will fall apart. See recipe notes about how long to microwave, based upon the strength of your microwave.
- Using food-grade gloves, gently press down on the microwaved cheese to release more of the whey. Drain whey, and return to microwave and heat again for another 30 seconds. S
- Drain whey again and heat for another 30 seconds.
- By now the cheese should be getting smoother. Do one final drain of the whey and then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and gently knead cheese. Sprinkle with another 1/2 teaspoon and use your hands to begin to stretch cheese a couple of times.
- Form cheese into a ball and chill immediately in a bowl of ice water to cool for 5 minutes.
- Slice and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutritional Value is for a whole cheese ball.
*Microwave Strength
For the first heating of the cheese, if you have a microwave that is 1200 W or greater (you can check this inside the door of the microwave) then heat for only 30 seconds. If you have a microwave that's only 700 - 1000 W, then heat for full 60 seconds.
Substitutions
Milk: Whole milk is of course best, but you can use 2% or 1%. These kinds of milk may create a cheese ball that appears almost translucent after it cools, that's because of the lower fat content.
Rennet: Vegetable or Animal works fine and you can use liquid or tablets. If using a tablet, then you just want 1/4 of it, crushed to dissolve in the water.
Storage
It's best to store by wrapping in plastic wrap and storing in the fridge for up to 2 days, but it's truly best eaten fresh within the first day.
Nutrition
Calories: 2332kcal | Carbohydrates: 182g | Protein: 119g | Fat: 123g | Saturated Fat: 71g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 31g | Cholesterol: 379mg | Sodium: 3953mg | Potassium: 4997mg | Sugar: 191g | Vitamin A: 6132IU | Calcium: 4279mg | Iron: 1mg