Cheese Recipe

Prepare Milk

Pour 2 liters of whole milk into a large stainless-steel pot. Slowly heat the milk over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until it reaches 32°C (90°F) for a mesophilic cheese or 37–38°C (99–100°F) for a thermophilic cheese. Use a thermometer and heat slowly for even temperature.

Add Calcium Chloride (optional)

If you are using pasteurized milk, dilute 1/2 teaspoon calcium chloride in 2 tablespoons cool, non-chlorinated water and stir it into the warmed milk. Do this now and wait 2 minutes to allow distribution.

Add Starter Culture

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon starter culture over the surface of the milk and allow it to rehydrate for 1 minute, then gently stir it into the milk with an up-and-down motion for about 1 minute to evenly distribute. Cover and let ripen for 30–45 minutes at the target temperature (32°C for mesophilic; 37–38°C for thermophilic).

Add Rennet

Dilute 1 teaspoon liquid rennet in 1/4 cup (60 ml) cool, non-chlorinated water. Stir gently into the milk for 20–30 seconds using an up-and-down motion. Stop stirring and cover the pot. Let the milk sit undisturbed for 30–45 minutes, or until a clean break forms when tested (curd separates cleanly when a finger or knife is inserted and lifted).

Cut the Curd

When the curd is set, cut it into 1–2 cm (3/8–3/4 inch) cubes with a long knife or curd cutter, making parallel cuts across the pot, then perpendicular cuts to create cubes. Let the cut curds rest 5 minutes.

Cook/Settle the Curd

Gently heat the curds to 38–40°C (100–104°F) over 20–30 minutes, raising the temperature slowly by 1–2°C every 5 minutes while gently stirring to prevent matting. Continue stirring occasionally for 15–30 minutes until curds have shrunk and whey is clearer.

Drain the Whey

Line a colander with cheesecloth and ladle or pour the curds and whey into the colander to drain. Reserve whey if you want to use it for cooking or pressing. Allow to drain for 10–20 minutes, stirring curds gently to help whey escape.

Salt and Mill/Break Curds

Transfer drained curds to a bowl. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon non-iodized salt evenly over curds and gently break/mill the curds with clean hands or a spoon to distribute salt and encourage even texture. Taste and add up to another 1/2 tablespoon salt if desired (optional).

Pressing the Cheese

Line a cheese mold or small colander with fresh cheesecloth, pack the salted curds into the mold, fold the cloth over, and press with a small weight or cheese press. Start with light pressure (about 5–10 kg or whatever your small press provides) for 15 minutes to expel more whey, unwrap, flip the cheese, re-dress and press with moderate pressure for 2–6 hours depending on desired firmness. For a soft cheese, press less; for a firmer cheese, press longer and with more pressure.

Aging (optional)

For a fresh cheese, remove from press after desired firmness and refrigerate, ready to eat within a day. For aged cheeses, remove from mold, dry at room temperature for 1–2 days until rind forms, then age in a cool, humid environment (10–13°C, 80–85% humidity) for 1 week to several months. Turn daily for first week, then several times per week. Adjust aging time to taste.

If using herbs, spices, or mix-ins (e.g., cracked pepper, minced herbs), fold them into curds after draining and before packing into the mold so they distribute evenly.

If using cheesecloth and mold: ensure cloth is clean and dampened before lining mold. When pressing, check for whey pooling — drain and re-dress cloth if necessary.

If using a temperature-sensitive starter, follow manufacturer instructions for ripening temperature and time. Use thermometer throughout to maintain correct temperatures.