Mozzarella Cheese
1 gallon skim, 2%, or whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons citric acid dissolved in 1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon liquid rennet dissolved in 1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon pickling or cheese salt
Dissolve citric acid in water and add to milk.
Warm milk to 88-90 degrees F. A double boiler is easiest.
Dissolve rennet in water and stir into milk.
Allow to sit 5-15 minutes until a clean break is achieved.
Cut curd into 1 inch pieces
Maintain temperature and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
Slowly warm to 105 degrees F stirring occasionally. Ideally this happens over 15 minutes.
Turn off heat and allow to sit for an additional 20 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes or so.
Strain curds through cheesecloth or nylon mesh. (Save the whey for bread or pancakes or bread.)
Transfer curds to microwaveable bowl breaking up any large pieces with your fingers.
Microwave on high for roughly 30 seconds. The target temperature is 135F.
Use large spoon or slotted spoon to gently press some whey out of the curds.
Pick up the curd and knead like bread dough. This is most easily done
with plastic gloves.
If cheese becomes too hard to work put back in the microwave for 10 seconds.
Keep squeezing out the whey and try to form curds into a ball.
Once curd starts to hold together in a ball add salt.
Knead like bread or stretch until a smooth ball is formed.
Place balls into ice water to preserve an even texture.
Eat immediately, or wrap in pastic and place in a refrigerator, or store indefinitely in brine (2 teaspoons salt to 1 cup water).
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