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Ingredients
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Milk and culture
Salting and finishing
Equipment (not eaten)
Method
Milk and culture
- 1
Warm the milk
Pour 2 liters of whole milk into a large pot. Slowly heat the milk over medium-low heat to 32°C (90°F), stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Use a thermometer to monitor temperature.
- 2
- 3
- 4
Add diluted rennet
Dilute 1 tsp liquid rennet in 2 tbsp cool, non-chlorinated water. Stir gently into the milk with an up-and-down motion for about 30 seconds to distribute. Stop stirring and cover the pot. Let the milk sit undisturbed for 45–60 minutes, until the curd has set and gives a clean break when tested (insert a clean finger or knife and pull—curd should split with clear whey).
Curd handling and draining
- 5
Cut the curd
When the curd is set, cut it into 1–2 cm (3/4 in) cubes using a long knife, making parallel cuts one direction then the other. Let the cut curds rest 5 minutes to heal.
- 6
Stir and heat gently (optional)
Gently stir the curds for a few minutes to prevent matting. If you want a slightly firmer cheese, very slowly raise the curd temperature to 38°C (100°F) over 10–15 minutes while gently stirring; otherwise keep at 32–34°C.
- 7
Drain the whey
Line a colander or cheese mold with cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl or sink. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the curds into the lined colander. Allow whey to drain for 10–30 minutes depending on desired moisture (shorter drain = softer cheese). For a moist Queijo Fresco, drain ~10–15 minutes; for firmer, drain longer or hang the cloth for 1–2 hours.
- 8
Tie and press (optional)
Gather the cheesecloth corners and tie into a bundle. For a slightly firmer packed cheese, place the bundle in the mold and press gently with a small weight (1–2 kg) for 30–60 minutes. For a very fresh, crumbly style, no press or only light pressing is fine.
Salting and finishing
- 9
Unmold and salt
Unwrap the cheese and transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle 1.5 tsp fine salt over the curds and gently break and fold them together to distribute the salt evenly. Taste and adjust if desired (add up to 1/4 tsp more if necessary).
- 10
- 11
Serve
Serve Queijo Fresco cold or at cool room temperature. Garnish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (optional) or drizzle with a little olive oil. Keeps well wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 5–7 days; keep submerged in a light brine (1 tsp salt dissolved in 250 ml water) to extend life.