How To Make Mozzarella Cheese From Scratch

By Tasty · 45 min

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Pour the milk into a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Dissolve the citric acid in 1 cup of the room-temperature water, then gently pour it into the milk and stir slowly up and down for 10 seconds.
2. Cook over low heat, stirring gently every 2 minutes, until the mixture reaches 90°F (32°C), 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Mix the rennet with the remaining ¼ cup room-temperature water, pour it into the milk and stir gently up and down for 10 seconds. Stop stirring.
4. Cover and leave undisturbed for 5–10 minutes, until the curds form a solid mass floating in clear whey. Cut the curds into large chunks with a long knife, then sprinkle the salt evenly over the curds and whey.
5. Return the pot to low heat and warm the mixture to 105°F (41°C) without stirring, until the curds soften, look glossy and begin to sink slightly, about 5 minutes. Gently adjust the curds with a wooden spoon. Do not boil the whey. Remove from heat.
6. Lift the curd chunks out with a slotted spoon into a fine-mesh strainer or nut bag. Wearing heat-resistant gloves, press the warm curds together for about 5 minutes until little water remains. Set aside 1–2 cups of the drained whey in a heatproof bowl, then heat the rest of the whey in the pot to 180°F (82°C).
7. Knead the curd like bread dough over a heatproof bowl, dipping it into the hot whey whenever it gets stiff. If it tears, return it to the hot whey and keep stretching until it is silky, smooth and stretches without breaking, about 5 minutes. Pinch the bottom closed.
8. Mix the cold water with the reserved 1–2 cups of whey, submerge the mozzarella in it and let it stand for 15 minutes.
9. Serve at room temperature right away. To store, keep it refrigerated in lightly salted water in an airtight container and eat within 48 hours.

Summarized from Tasty's video. Watch it for the details.

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