Cheese Making
From 30-minute mozzarella and ricotta to cheddar and gouda — culture, rennet, calcium chloride, brine and yield for the milk you have.
Cheese-making calculators
Ingredients & yield
Typical starting amounts — always follow your recipe and the directions on your culture and rennet packets, which vary by brand. Ultra-pasteurized (UHT) milk won’t form a curd.
Cheese brine
Use non-iodized salt. Add calcium chloride and a little vinegar so the rind doesn’t soften. Keep brine at 50–55°F and turn the cheese halfway through.
Dry-salting curds
Sprinkle on in two or three additions, stirring gently, before pressing.
Butter
Churn cool cream (55–60°F) until it breaks, drain the buttermilk, then rinse and knead the butter in ice water until the water runs clear.
Cheeses to start with
| Cheese | Starter | Method | Yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30-minute mozzarella | Citric acid | Stir in citric acid, warm to 90°F, add rennet; cut the curd and heat to 105°F, then stretch in 175–180°F water. | 1–1.25 lb/gal |
| Ricotta (whole milk) | Vinegar or lemon juice | Heat milk to 185–195°F, stir in the acid gently, rest 10 minutes and ladle into butter muslin. | 0.9–1.1 lb/gal |
| Paneer / queso blanco | Vinegar or lemon juice | Bring milk almost to a boil, add the acid, drain and press for firm cubes. | 1–1.25 lb/gal |
| Chèvre (soft goat cheese) | Mesophilic | Warm milk to 72–86°F, add culture and a few drops of rennet, set 12–24 hours, then drain 6–12 hours. | 1.5–2 lb/gal |
| Feta | Mesophilic | Ripen at 86°F, set with rennet, cut and stir, drain, salt, then store in 8% brine. | 1–1.25 lb/gal |
| Cheddar | Mesophilic | Ripen and set at 86–88°F, cook curds to 100–102°F, cheddar and mill, salt (2%), press and age 2+ months. | 0.9–1.1 lb/gal |
| Gouda | Mesophilic | Set at 86–90°F, wash the curds with hot water, press, brine, wax and age 2+ months. | 0.9–1.1 lb/gal |
| Parmesan-style (part-skim milk) | Thermophilic | Cook curds to about 124°F, press, brine and age 10+ months. | 0.7–0.8 lb/gal |
Getting started
- Begin with fresh cheeses — ricotta, paneer and 30-minute mozzarella need no aging and teach you how milk sets and drains.
- You’ll need a stainless or enamel pot, an accurate thermometer, a long knife to cut curds, a slotted spoon, butter muslin, and for hard cheeses a mold and a press.
- Sanitize everything that touches the milk. Clean hands, clean pot, clean cloths.
Choosing milk
- Store-bought pasteurized milk works for most cheeses; add calcium chloride to help it set a firm curd. Ultra-pasteurized (UHT) milk will not set.
- Raw milk makes wonderful cheese, but it can carry harmful bacteria. If you’re not sure of the source, pasteurize it yourself: hold at 145°F for 30 minutes, then cool quickly.
- Cheese made from raw milk should be aged at least 60 days before eating — the rule U.S. law sets for raw-milk cheese sold to the public.
Aging hard cheeses
- Age at 50–55°F and 80–85% humidity — a wine fridge or a cool cellar works well.
- Turn new cheeses daily for the first week, then weekly. Wax them or rub them with oil or butter to form a rind.
- Wipe off unwanted mold with a cloth dampened in brine or vinegar.
A Land Flowing With Milk
A family cow or a few dairy goats can keep a household in milk, butter and cheese. Start with fresh cheeses that are ready the same day, then try a hard cheese to age through the winter. Share your wheels — and your questions — with the Food Preservation group.