Does your family love mozzarella cheese? Mine does and we go through so much of it each month. At an average of $3.50 per pound, it can get incredibly expensive very quickly. I had been wanting to learn how to make homemade mozzarella cheese for years, but had always been afraid to try. I’m so glad that I did though! When I needed to cut household expenses significantly back in 2015, learning how to make cheese was something that I put off. Yes, I am a procrastinator. Is that an issue? Anyhow, that was 2 years ago and these days there are over 60 items that we make homemade instead of buying and this fresh mozzarella cheese recipe is now on the list! Come on ya’ll. You know it doesn’t get much better than homemade mozzarella cheese!
If you’re a cheese lover like we are, this homemade mozzarella cheese recipe is going to be right up your alley. There really isn’t much better on a pizza or a sandwich than fresh cheese that you have made yourself. It’s so good and depending on what you’re currently paying for mozzarella, it may actually be cheaper for you to make it. You’ll need to weigh the costs yourself based on what you pay. If the ingredients are cheaper, it is certainly a great way to save money on groceries. If you’re like I was, learning how to make homemade mozzarella cheese scares the living daylights out of you. There are so many rumors around about how hard cheese is to make and so on. They’re all false, but you’re not going to know that until you try! It’s very likely much easier than you think it is!
Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Recipe – How to Make Homemade Mozzarella Cheese
This recipe is amazing in any recipe that you use mozzarella on. We especially like it in my one pot pizza pasta and when we make my grilled pepperoni pizza sandwich for lunch. It makes fantastic grown up grilled cheese too! When you make this fresh mozzarella cheese recipe, you can use either 2% or whole milk. I have made it with both and it turns out fantastic either way. You can also use either animal rennet or vegetable rennet. I prefer to use vegetable but I’ve made it with both. Again, it turns out fantastic. The choice is yours. I generally just use whatever I have on hand. Lastly, this isn’t one of those “thirty minute mozzarella” recipes. This is real and true, takes a bit, fresh mozzarella. Once you’ve done it a couple of times, you’ll find that it only takes you an hour or so to make.
Homemade Mozzarella Cheese Recipe
Ingredients needed to make homemade mozzarella cheese
- 1 gallon milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoon animal rennet or vegetable rennet
- 1 teaspoon citric acid
- 3/4 cup non-iodized salt
- 1 tablespoon non-iodized salt
- 1/4 cup cool water
Supplies needed for this fresh mozzarella cheese recipe
- Heavy bottom pot
- Rubber spatula
- Digital Thermometer
- Colander
- Sharp kitchen knife
In a heavy bottom pot, heat the milk to 55°F over medium heat. Once it reaches 55°, add the citric acid and stir using the rubber spatula until it is fully dissolved. It shouldn’t take too long for it to dissolve. Usually mine only takes a minute or so.
Slowly bring the milk up to 90°F. If you need to raise the heat, go ahead but don’t raise it too far. You’ll run the risk of burning it if you do. Once it reaches 90°, add the rennet to the 1/4 cup cool water then add to the milk. Stir gently for 10 to 15 seconds.
After you have stirred for 10 to 15 seconds, turn the heat off then cover the pot. Do not touch the pot! Don’t lift the cover, don’t stir, don’t do anything. Forget the pot exists….for five minutes. At the five minute mark, lift the cover. Your milk/citric acid/rennet mixture should have the consistency of pudding like shown in the photo above. Congratulations. You just made cheese curds.
Take a sharp kitchen knife and cut your curds into a checkerboard pattern. You probably won’t be able to “see” the pattern at first. Turn your heat back on and heat everything to 105°F and stir very slowly. The heat will help solidify the curds. They should end up looking like the photo above.
Once you’ve reached 105°, use a slotted spoon to remove the curds from the liquid that has separated. Place them in a colander to drain. Be very careful that you don’t squeeze or smash the curds. Once you have all of the curds removed, turn the heat back on, add the 3/4 cup salt and heat the liquid to 175-180°F.
Allow them to sit in the colander until they are fully drained off. If you’re having issues with them draining fully, use a spoon or whatever is handy to turn them over. After the cheese has drained fully and your salted liquid has reached the correct temperature, use the slotted spoon to dip each piece into the salty liquid once allowing it to melt slightly. You don’t want it all oooey gooey, but there should be no resistance if you squeeze the cheese. You want it soft enough to stretch.
Squeeze the cheese. Is that similar to squeeze the Charmin?
After you’ve dipped each piece, put it back in the colander and let it drain again. Taste it and slowly add the 1 tablespoon of extra salt tasting after each pinch. You don’t have to add the entire tablespoon. Just go until it tastes right.
Stretch your homemade mozzarella cheese until it is shiny and smooth. Once it’s where you want it, form it into a ball. Dip the cheese ball into an ice bath to cool. Repeat the process with all of the cheese that you have and chill until you’re ready to eat!
See? I told you it wasn’t hard to learn how to make homemade mozzarella cheese! It’s a tedious process but it is oh, so worth it! This fresh mozzarella cheese recipe is one that I am 100% positive will be going into your tried and true file from the very first time you make it!
One last thing: don’t toss the pot of salty liquid! That is whey! There are a ton of ways to use whey that will save you money!
Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Recipe - How to Make Homemade Mozzarella Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 gallon 2% rr whole milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoon animal or vegetable rennet
- 1 teaspoon citric acid
- 3/4 cup non-iodized salt
- 1 tablespoon non-iodized salt
- 1/4 cup cool water
Instructions
- In a heavy bottom pot, heat the milk to 55°F over medium heat. Once it reaches 55°, add the citric acid and stir using the rubber spatula until it is fully dissolved
- Slowly bring the milk up to 90°F. If you need to raise the heat, go ahead but don’t raise it too far. You’ll run the risk of burning it if you do. Once it reaches 90°, add the rennet to the 1/4 cup cool water then add to the milk. Stir gently for 10 to 15 seconds.
- After you have stirred for 10 to 15 seconds, turn the heat off then cover the pot. Do not touch the pot! Don’t lift the cover, don’t stir, don’t do anything. Forget the pot exists….for five minutes. At the five minute mark, lift the cover. Your milk/citric acid/rennet mixture should have the consistency of pudding
- Take a sharp kitchen knife and cut your curds into a checkerboard pattern.
- Turn your heat back on and heat everything to 105°F and stir very slowly. The heat will help solidify the curds.
- Once you’ve reached 105°, use a slotted spoon to remove the curds from the liquid that has separated. Place them in a colander to drain. Be very careful that you don’t squeeze or smash the curds.
- Once you have all of the curds removed, turn the heat back on, add the 3/4 cup salt and heat the liquid to 175-180°F.
- Allow them to sit in the colander until they are fully drained off. If you’re having issues with them draining fully, use a spoon or whatever is handy to turn them over.
- After the cheese has drained fully and your salted liquid has reached the correct temperature, use the slotted spoon to dip each piece into the salty liquid once allowing it to melt slightly until it is easily stretched.
- After you’ve dipped each piece, put it back in the colander and let it drain again. Taste it and slowly add the 1 tablespoon of extra salt tasting after each pinch. You don’t have to add the entire tablespoon. Just go until it tastes right.
- Stretch your homemade mozzarella cheese until it is shiny and smooth.
- Once it’s where you want it, form it into a ball. Dip the cheese ball into an ice bath to cool. Repeat the process with all of the cheese that you have and chill until you’re ready to eat!
