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Mozzarella Cheese

How to make mozzarella cheese at home with just 4 ingredients. This homemade mozzarella is stretchy, smooth, and so much better than store-bought!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Gallon Raw Milk
  • 1 Cup Water To dissolve citric acid
  • 1.5 Teaspoon Citric Acid
  • 0.01 Ounce Rennet - Liquid or Tablet
  • 4 Tablespoons Water To dissolve Rennet
  • Salt

Instructions
 

  • To start making homemade mozzarella cheese, follow these steps to prepare the milk:
    Mix the Citric Acid and Water:
    Mix the Rennet and Water:
    Warm the Milk:
    Add the Rennet Mixture:
    Check for Setting:
    This completes Stage 1 of the mozzarella cheese-making process. Once the milk has set properly, you can move on to the next stages of curdling and shaping the cheese.
    In a bowl, combine the citric acid and water.Stir the mixture until the citric acid is fully dissolved.In a separate bowl, combine the rennet and water.Stir well until the rennet is fully dissolved.Pour the milk into a large pot.Add the citric acid mixture to the milk.Place the pot on the stove over medium heat.Stir the mixture slowly but constantly as it warms up.Continue stirring until the milk reaches a temperature of 32ºC/90ºF.Once it reaches the desired temperature, remove the pot from the heat.Pour the rennet mixture into the warm milk.Stir the mixture slowly a few times to ensure thorough mixing.Cover the pot and set it aside for 5 minutes to allow the milk to curdle.After about 5 minutes, check the consistency of the milk.It should have "set" and resemble a thick yogurt or pudding.Test by cutting through it in a straight line. If it slices cleanly, you can proceed to the next step.If the milk hasn't set, set it aside for another 5 minutes and check again.
  • Stage 2: Curd Preparation
    In this stage, you will prepare the curds for your homemade mozzarella cheese:
    Cut the Curds:
    Heat and Stir the Curds:
    Remove from Heat and Stir:
    Drain the Curds:
    At this point, you can either set the whey aside or use about half of it for the next stage of the mozzarella cheese-making process.
    To create the curds, make a grid pattern by slicing through them. First, cut in one direction and then in the opposite direction.Ensure that you cut deep into the curds, touching the bottom of the pot.Place the pot with the curds over medium heat.Stir the curds very slowly but constantly, being careful not to break them too much.The curds should reach a temperature of 41ºC/106ºF, and they will warm up quickly as you heat them. This heating process helps the curds toughen slightly.As soon as the curds reach the desired temperature, remove the pot from the heat.Continue stirring the curds slowly for another 5 minutes.During this time, the curds will begin to separate from the whey.Use a slotted spoon to scoop the cheese curds from the pot.Transfer the curds to a large colander lined with cheesecloth/muslin or a nut milk bag.Allow the curds to drain into a bowl for approximately 5 minutes.The whey that drains from the curds can be used later or set aside.
  • Stage 3: Shaping the Mozzarella
    In this stage, you will shape the curds into mozzarella cheese:
    Prepare the Hot Liquid:
    Soak the Curds:
    Remove from the Hot Liquid:
    Stretch and Fold the Curds:
    Shape into Balls:
    Rapidly Cool the Mozzarella:
    Remember, shaping the mozzarella requires a bit of practice, so don't worry if it takes a few tries to achieve the perfect texture and shape.
    Fill a large bowl with hot water or heat up the whey liquid until it reaches about 76ºC/170ºF.Alternatively, you can divide the curds in half and work with them in two batches.Place the curds into the hot liquid and let them soak for a few minutes.During this time, the curds will start to take shape and become stretchy, a bit smooshy, and resemble melted cheese.Once the curds have reached the desired consistency, remove them from the hot liquid.Add some salt to enhance the flavor.With gloves on, start stretching and folding the curds onto themselves, similar to working with taffy.Repeat this stretching and folding process until the curds become shiny and firm.Usually, just a few folds (between 3-7) will be enough; avoid overworking the cheese.Once the curds have the desired texture, roll them into balls.If the curds are difficult to shape into a ball or if they come apart while stretching, place them back in the hot liquid and allow them to heat up a little more before shaping.Alternatively, you can also make small mozzarella balls known as Bocconcini.After shaping the mozzarella balls, quickly cool them down to set their shape.You can use ice water or a room temperature whey liquid for this purpose.Once cooled, the mozzarella is ready to be used.