Food Storage Friday - Making Cheese

It is so easy to just walk into a store and pick up some cheese, but making it is so much fun!

I love to make it when I have time.  It does take the majority of the day, but so worth it.  (IMHO)  I make mine from powdered milk, so it qualifies as food storage!  :)
I thought I might do a small pictorial for you.

Basic American Mozzarella

Collect your Equipment:

5 Quart (or bigger) Stainless Steel Pot with heavy bottom
Pyrex measuring cup
Thermometer

Sterile thin material (I used a pillowcase)
Strainer
Receiving container

Wooden spoon

Ingredients:

1 Rennet Tablet dissolved in 1/4 Cup cool water

1 1/4 tsp Citric Acid dissolved in 1/2 Cup cool water

1 Gallon (4 Liters) Milk  (I made mine from milk powder.  I find this actually works better than store bought cows milk.  I know people who have their own cow though and their cheese is amazing, so if you have a cow...use that!)

Warm milk over gentle heat to 88F (31C).

Add your citric acid that has been dissolved in water.  Stir well.
Add your rennet tablet that has been dissolved in water.  Stir well.

Let sit undisturbed for 1-2 hours (I let mine sit for 2 hours...makes more curds).  Your milk will look like this when you are done:

Cut your curds into 1/2 inch curds (if you used cow milk, if you used powder they are not very solid)

Warm curds and whey (the yellow part) over low heat, stirring gently to warm evenly and keep the curds separated until heat reaches 108F (42C).

Hold at 108F for 35 min.  Stir every 5 min or so to keep curds off bottom.

Collect your curds by pouring them into your cloth. (my big bowl has the strainer inside with the cloth lining it.)

Gather ends of your material and let drain for a few min.

Gently press more of the whey out with your hands.  (you don't want it to come through though)

See the yellow stuff in the bowl below? 
That is the whey...save to make ricotta later if you wish (recipe below)...if not, just throw away.

Your curds will be nice and solid in your cloth.  Remove to a glass microwave safe bowl.

Add 1 tsp of salt to your curds.  Mix well.

Microwave your curds for 30 seconds on high.  Press with spoon (or your hands if you are an adult) to get more of the whey out.  Mix to distribute your heat evenly.

Microwave for 20 seconds more.  Mix your curds.  If they are sticking and nice and pliable, they are done.  (if not microwave for 20 more seconds.  If you are using powdered milk I find it needs all 3 times, cow milk seems to only need 2 of them)

Kneed your mozza on the counter until nice and smooth and forms an elastic ball.

Store in your refrigerator in salted water.

Enjoy!