Mozzarella Cheese Recipe

Warm milk

Pour 2 liters of whole milk into a large, heavy pot. Slowly warm the milk over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until it reaches 13°C (55°F).

Add citric acid solution: Stir the dissolved 1 tsp citric acid (in 1/4 cup water) into the milk thoroughly. This helps the milk acidify quickly and reach the proper pH for curd formation.

Add starter culture: Sprinkle 1 tsp starter culture over the surface of the milk and allow it to rehydrate for 1 minute, then stir it in gently to distribute evenly.

If using store pasteurized milk, add calcium chloride: Stir in 1/2 tsp diluted calcium chloride (1:10 dilution in water).

Heat to rennet temperature: Continue heating the milk slowly to 32°C (90°F), stirring gently and continuously so temperature rises evenly.

Add rennet and let set: Add 1/2 tsp diluted liquid rennet and stir gently for 20–30 seconds to distribute. Stop stirring and cover the pot. Let the milk sit undisturbed for 5–15 minutes until the curd sets and a clean break forms when tested with a knife (the curd should be like soft custard).

Cut the curd: With a long knife or curd cutter, cut the curd into 1–2 cm (1/2 inch) cubes, making vertical and horizontal cuts across the pot.

Cook the curds: Gently heat the curds, increasing the temperature to 38°C (100°F) over 15 minutes. Stir slowly and gently to keep curds separate and to release whey. Maintain gentle stirring for another 10 minutes until curds are firmer and whey is clearer (slightly yellowish).

Rest and drain: Turn off the heat and let curds settle for 5 minutes. Ladle curds into a colander lined with cheesecloth and allow whey to drain. Save whey if desired; otherwise discard.

Press lightly: Gather the curd in the cheesecloth and press gently to expel additional whey, but don't press into a solid mass — you want loose, still-moist curd pieces.

Check acidity (optional): For best stretch, the curd should have a pH around 5.2–5.5. If you don't have a meter, a simple test is that curd should feel slightly tangy and not overly sweet. If curd is not acidic enough, let it sit at room temperature in a covered bowl for 30–60 minutes to acidify further.

Salt the curd: Crumble the moist curd into a bowl and sprinkle 1.5 tbsp kosher salt over it. Mix gently to distribute salt evenly; salt both flavors and helps with texture during stretching.

Prepare hot water: Heat about 1.5–2 liters of water to 70–80°C (160–175°F) — water should be hot but not boiling. You can also microwave small portions of curd with a little whey to heat directly.

Heat curd for stretching: Place handfuls of salted curd into a heatproof bowl and pour a ladle of the hot water over them (or microwave 20–30 seconds). Let sit 30–60 seconds to warm through; curd should become shiny and elastic.

Stretch and fold: Using gloves or a spoon, fold and stretch the warm curd. It should become smooth and stretchy like taffy. Fold repeatedly and stretch until it becomes glossy and pulls into long strands without breaking. If it cools and becomes stiff, reheat briefly in hot water and continue.

Form balls: Once smooth and elastic, shape the cheese into 2–4 balls or logs (about 150–250 g each depending on yield).

Cool the cheese: Immediately transfer formed balls into a bowl of ice water to firm up and set shape, about 5–10 minutes.

Optional finish: Remove from ice bath and pat dry. Rub lightly with 1 tsp butter or olive oil to give a glossy surface and help retain moisture.

Storage: Store mozzarella in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For best texture, keep submerged in fresh lightly salted water (a pinch of salt in 1 cup water) and use within 3–5 days.