Some place nice to get stuck in....







Saturday, July 28, 2007

By request

I am sharing the cheese recipe that we used the other day.   By no means am I a measurer, and the instructions that my friend left me are abbreviated. I'm sure that you will not have a problem with them though.


INSTRAELLA MOZZARELLA


If using goat milk,  it is suggested that you heat to 145 for 1/2 hour then re-cool.  It has something to do with the bacterial culture.(I didn't do that, but my milk was about 5 days old in the back of the cold fridge.)


2 gal. milk


2 1/2 t. citric acid dissolved in 1/4c cool water


Heat to 88 F


add 1/2 t. liquid rennet OR  1/4 rennet tablet diluted in 1/4 c. cool water  stirring 15-20 seconds


let set while it colagulates (12-15 minutes)


cut in criss cross or tic-tac-toe pattern in 1/2 cubes


let sit 5 more minutes


Heat slowly to 108, but within 20 minutes, stirring occationally but not to much or curds will disolve


Drain and let sit 15 minutes


Mix 1/2 c.  ( I thought to much, maybe 1/3) kosher or canning salt in 1 gal. water


heat to 170 and turn off


roll with spoon a little to form loose ball,  cut into 1" thick strips and lay criss cross in hot salt water


start stretching by lifting cheese in water with wooden spoon.   Again, don't over do or it will disolve


do this aboutg 10 minutes until plastic looking and shiny.


Drain and work with hands to remove excess liquid and shape.  Work until good consistancy


You can eat right away, but once you start it is hard to stop!   I even grated mine later that afternoon to use right on my dinner.  I usually have to freeze store bought because it crumbles.  This was great just fresh! I was told that you can use the whey (and there was a lot there)  to make a vinegar cheese, but that didn't work for me.  It all broke up even after setting all night before draining.   Some refrigerate it and use it in cooking.   I will have to try that next time.

4 comments:

Marci said...

This looks very similar to what I do. I am printing your off and I am going to compare.

jocelyndixon said...

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CountryGirl

Jocelyn

Char5 said...

No way, hosea...a cheese recipe, THANKS, Our Caleb will LOVE this one (we all will, cheese is awesome). Cant wait to try it out.

Char5

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Char5/

Anonymous said...

I was just searching the internet for my lost instarella cheese recipe. Yours was the only one on the whole world wide web. I was so glad not only to find my beloved recipe, but to also find a kindred spirit. I homeschooled my 3 girls for 11 years. They are all in their 20's now with families of their own. I make homemade cheese, our fresh ground whole wheat bread, and about anything else I can figure to make myself. We recently sold most of our dairy cows. We are down to 3. We raise natural raised beef, pasture raised pork, non-certified organic veggies, make maple syrup and I make and sell natural hand made soaps and stuff. We are also born-again Christ followers. I have to go now, but I will try to soon come back to read your blogs. Maybe I should start one of my own. Hmmmmmm. Maybe I will if I figure out how to do it. LOL

Marcia

if you feel like writing to me denmarbauc@aol.com