DIY Mozzarella Cheese Recipe

I wish I lived in the country and could have chickens, a huge garden and a few other animals. I dream of homesteading. For now, though, I am stuck in the city in a small apartment so I have to make the best of it. One of my favorite things to do is get creative when it comes to doing apartment homesteading and one way to do that is to make as much as I can homemade. I scoured the ‘net and books to come up with my own version of this mozzarella cheese recipe and tried a couple of different methods until I found the one that works for me.

To make the best cheese and have the best results, it is very important you use the right kind of milk. You do not want to use just any ol’ whole milk from the store as it is most likely ultra-pasteurized. The process of pasteurizing milk heats it up and it ruins it;’s ability to form the cheese correctly. You want the rawest milk you can get. By that I mean raw milk for the best results. If you do not have access to a farmer that can get you milk this way, the next best thing is just regular pasteurized milk. Just remember that most milk at the store are ultra pasteurized, so it is best to get your milk for this at a health food store or co-op. You also need full fat whole milk in order for this to form properly.

For this mozzarella cheese recipe, I used a microwave to get the cheese really hot, but it can be done with boiling water in a double boiler. I just did it this way because it really is easier and certainly quicker.

Let’s get started! Most of these items can be bought at health food stores, but if you are having trouble finding them, they are linked to the product online.

Just for a visual, This is liquid Rennet:

And this is Citric Acid:

Here is what you will need to make Homemade Mozzarella Cheese:

1 Gallon of Whole Milk (NOT the ultra-pasteurized kind!)

1/3 Tsp Liquid Rennet (I used vegetable)

3/4 Cup lukewarm Water

1 1/2 Tsp Citric Acid

3/4 Tsp Kosher Salt

Digital Food Thermometer

Slotted Spoon

Clean, new Dish Gloves

Stainless Steel pot with a heavy bottom

Microwave-safe dish

1. Combine the liquid rennet with 1/4 cup of the lukewarm water. Do the same with the remaining water and the citric acid. Stir to dissolve.

2. Pour the milk into your pot. Over medium-low heat, bring it up to 55 degree F. Make sure to stir it lightly to keep it from scorching.

3. When you get the milk to 55 F, add in the citric acid water. Lightly combine but make sure it is well mixed in.

4. Bring the milk up to 91 F and add in the Rennet water. This is when the fun starts to happen and you should see the milk starting to curdle!

5. Do not stir the milk now. You want it to form correctly and mixing at this point could break the delicate curds. Watch your cheese very closely at this point.

6. Around 98 F, turn off the heat. You should be able to see the whey very clearly. It is the light yellow liquid. Take a slotted spoon and gently remove the curds and place them in your microwave safe bowl.

7. Place the curds in the microwave and heat on high for a minute and 10 seconds. Remove from the microwave with potholders. Put on your gloves and holding the cheese, drain it back into the pot. Fold the cheese once over on itself and add the salt (sprinkle it). Put the cheese back in the microwave for 45 seconds to a minute. Take it out, drain it and fold it over again. Do this as many times as it takes to remove as much of the liquid whey as possible.

8. You will know it is ready when it looks like melted cheese. It should have a stretchy feeling. You can leave it in a large ball or make smaller balls out of it. Place it in the fridge to cool and enjoy!

Have you ever made your own cheese? How did it turn out? I would love to hear about it in the comments!

Print out the recipe!