need "30 minute mozzarella" help - update: SUCCESS!

[the simple life]

Not only did the same thing happen to me but it happend to me three different times and all for different reasons.
I made three different mistakes.
I definitely think it could be the rennet, I finally bought the liquid rennet because the tablets were too untrustworthy.
You are better off having too much rennet than not enough for this type of recipe anyway so I would go ahead and shave off a little more of the tablet and toss it in next time, you are right about the powder being left behind.
If you can order the liquid next time you need to buy from them or if you can buy it somewhere locally its even better than the tablets.
Maybe try a different pot this time too, I had the wrong type once too.
I noticed that the temperature of the milk even getting slightly too high can make a difference, I think it breaks down the curds.
They make it sound so easy but there really is more to it than they say. Its just that everything does need to be exactly how they say it.
My 30 minute mozzarella ended up being my $30.00 mozzarella by the time I got it right.
Good luck with it.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Pat -- I suspect the milk too. Ask the guy if you can get some that he knows for SURE has not been heated too much or too long. Are you buying whole milk? Even if you can make it with milk with less fat, you might try more fat at first just to get a hang of things.

I think you were doing fine through until the last stage.

 

[LittleChickenRacingTeam]

If you are looking to make REAL Mozzarella, forget the cow milk.

Water buffalo milk is the traditional Italian ingredient, & the result is a cheese that has texture & taste unlike anything from a grocery store in Canada. Water buffalo milk is very high in fat and cassein.

Pat, you can buy WB milk in Toronto, but it is roughly 3x the price of cows milk. Makes a superior mozzarella tho.

 

[ChickenTender63]

Well Pat, it must have been the day for BYC'ers to try their hands at mozzarella making.

I, myself, have been sitting here the last 4 hours wondering where in the world this thing went so wrong.

I think my milk was the ultra even though it was labeled as just pasturized. I added the citric acid and rennent and things started curdling fine, then it just kinda stopped. I have been left with what appears to be cottage cheese.

I didn't stir too long, I didn't overheat it. It actually took me about 45 minutes to get it to 88 degrees.

I didn't realize it until I got it home, and don't know if it matters or not, but my milk was partially frozen when I bought it this afternoon and I thawed it in the microwave slowly so I could get it out of the jug, but it still read 43 degrees on the thermometer.

I really think mine is the milk, and I will go to the dairy tomorrow and get a fresh jug of good stuff and try again. It's about all I can do at this point.

The only other place I deviated from the recipe at all was that I used a wooden spoon for stirring while heating. Don't know that it should matter, but then, I have been wrong before.

Good luck to ya, and I will let you know how mine looks again tomorrow.

 

[the simple life]

One thing I noticed about this kit is you cannot deviate from the recipe at all.
You know how when you have been cooking for so many years that you pare things done and improvise and its always fine?
Can't do that with this recipe. Everything has to be exact.
I think the milk in the supermarkets are more pastuerized than they are owning up to.
I cannot use the milk from my supermarket in this recipe.

 

[ChickenTender63]

I just went and picked up milk from the local dairy. It still comes in the glass bottles, and although it is labeled as pasturized, I don't think it is "ultra" like the grocery store brands must be.

I couldn't even get mine to get a good solid curdle last night, and as I look through the info online, if it is ultra-pasturized, the milk is so broken down that there isn't anything left to curdle.

I so hope this batch works out today, and I can't wait to get a couple of cows so I can provide my own "fresh milk" I want to be able to make all my own cheeses and butters.

I sure hope your able to get yours figured out as well.

 

[ChickenTender63]

Well, 2 gallons of milk down the drain now. This batch did the same thing, darn it!

 

[the simple life]

Hmmm, are you sure that the utensils you are using are stainless steel like they suggest, including the spoon?
Is it possible the rennet is crumbling too much and enough is not getting into the milk? I wonder sometimes if the rennet tablets are the problem, you can buy the liquid.
Lastly are you getting it to the correct temperature? Is it taking too long to get it there?
Are you stirring it too much? After adding the rennet you should only stir it enough to get it mixed, less than a minute.
This is all the variables that I can think of and the ones that pertained to all of my mistakes.
Otherwise the only thing I can say is the milk is still too pastuerized, there is another way to do it and its using the powdered milk and cream.
That may be the best bet, I really think alot of the issue is the milk that is available now.

 

[kinnip]

When I had 30-min mozz issues, I emailed Ricky Carroll. One of her employees, I guess, replied. He said the lack of coagulation could be from ultra-pasteurizing, rapid heating, too much stirring or old rennet. He went on to say that once the curds are formed and you put it in the microwave, you may have to heat it more than the directions suggest. He said to just keep putting it back in the mic and eventually it will get hot enough to be stretched. Of course, I still haven't been able to find any milk that isn't ultra-pasteurized. The farms around here seem to have a lengthy waiting list. No worries though, my girls will be cranking out the milk in no time.

 

[ChickenTender63]

The only thing that I can not confirm right now is the age of the rennant. Even though I only bought it last week, there's no telling how long it sat on the shelf, and they did not stamp it with an exp date anywhere.

Everything else is ok, other than the milk issue. Thats all I can see it being right now. I just placed an ad on craigslist to see if I can find a farmer that will sell some Fresh Cows Milk and I will try that.