Homemade Mozzarella Cheese
Learn how to make fresh, creamy mozzarella at home with simple ingredients. Perfect for pizza, Caprese salads, and more!
Ingredients
- ½ cup cold water divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons citric acid
- ¼ teaspoon single-strength liquid rennet, or ¼ rennet tablet, crushed
- 1 gallon whole milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Prepare the Citric Acid Solution:
- In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup of the cold water and the citric acid. Stir until fully dissolved. Set aside.
Prepare the Rennet Solution:
- In another small bowl, dilute the rennet in the remaining ¼ cup of cold water. Set aside.
Heat the Milk:
- In a large non-reactive stainless steel or glass pot, pour in the whole milk.
- Add the dissolved citric acid solution to the milk and stir gently to combine.
- Heat the milk over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 90°F (32°C) on a candy thermometer. The milk may start to curdle slightly as it warms.
Add the Rennet:
- Once the milk reaches 90°F, remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in the diluted rennet solution using an up-and-down motion for about 30 seconds.
- Cover the pot and let it sit undisturbed for 8-10 minutes, or until the milk sets into a gel-like consistency and you can see clear separation between the curds and whey.
Cut the Curds:
- Once the curd is set, use a long knife to cut it into a 1-inch grid pattern, making sure to cut all the way to the bottom of the pot.
Heat the Curds:
- Return the pot to the stove over medium heat and warm the curds to 105°F (40.5°C).
- Maintain the temperature of 105°F for 5-10 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. The curds will shrink and firm up during this process.
- Turn off the heat and let the curds rest for 5 minutes.
Drain the Curds:
- Place a large colander lined with 2 layers of cheesecloth over a large bowl, or use a fine-mesh strainer.
- Carefully pour the curds into the cheesecloth, allowing the whey to drain into the bowl. Set the drained curds aside.
Heat the Whey:
- Heat the reserved whey over medium heat until it reaches 185°F (85°C). Maintain this temperature throughout the cheese-making process.
Stretch the Cheese:
- Using a slotted spoon, dip the curds into the hot whey for a few seconds, then remove.
- Knead and fold the curds to create a cohesive piece of cheese. Be careful, as the curds will be hot.
- Continue dipping the curds back into the hot whey for about 10 seconds at a time, draining off excess liquid each time. Keep kneading and stretching the curds until they become smooth, shiny, and stretchy. (This may require dipping and kneading about 8 times.)
Season and Shape the Cheese:
- Sprinkle the kosher salt over the cheese and knead it to incorporate the seasoning.
- Stretch and fold the curds into a smooth ball. You can also form multiple smaller balls if desired.
Cool the Cheese:
- Place the formed mozzarella in a bowl of ice water for 5-10 minutes to firm up.
Serve or Store:
- Serve the mozzarella immediately, or store it in an airtight container covered in water in the refrigerator.