House Made Mozzarella Recipe

Prepare acids and rennet

Dissolve 2 tsp citric acid in 2 tablespoons cool water and set aside. Dilute 1 tsp liquid rennet in 2 tablespoons cool water and set aside. Use separate small cups so you can add each quickly when called for.

Warm the milk and add citric acid

Pour 4 liters whole milk into a large stainless-steel pot. Slowly heat over medium-low heat, stirring gently to prevent scorching. When the milk reaches 32°C (90°F), stir in the dissolved citric acid evenly. Continue heating.

Add rennet and form curds

When the milk reaches 35–38°C (95–100°F), remove pot from direct heat and gently stir in the diluted rennet using an up-and-down motion for about 20–30 seconds. Stop stirring and allow the milk to sit undisturbed for 5–10 minutes. The milk should set into a custard-like curd that gives a clean break when sliced with a knife.

Cut and cook curds

Using a long knife or curd cutter, cut the curd into 1–1.5 cm (about 1/2 inch) cubes. Return the pot to low heat and slowly raise the temperature to 40–42°C (104–108°F) over 5–10 minutes, gently stirring occasionally to keep curds from matting. Maintain this temperature for 5 minutes while continuing gentle stirring; curds will firm and shrink, expelling whey.

Drain whey

Prepare a colander lined with fine cheesecloth. Ladle or pour curds and whey into the colander and allow whey to drain for 5 minutes. Reserve about 1–2 cups of hot whey (keep it at ~80°C/176°F if possible) to use for stretching if needed.

Heat curds for stretching

Transfer drained curds to a microwave-safe bowl or a pot for a stovetop stretch. If using a microwave: heat curds 30 seconds on high, drain off any accumulated whey, fold curds, then heat another 20–30 seconds until curds are very hot (around 60–70°C / 140–160°F) and pliable. If using stovetop: place bowl with curds into a pot of hot water or pour reserved hot whey over the curds to raise the temperature to stretching range.

Add salt and begin stretching

Sprinkle 1.5 tsp kosher salt over the hot curds. With clean heatproof gloves or a spoon/tongs, begin to stretch and fold the curd. The curd should become shiny and elastic; fold it over and pull repeatedly until it smooths into a glossy, stringy mass. This takes 5–10 minutes. If curds cool and become stiff, reheat briefly in microwave or with hot whey.

Form balls

Divide the stretched mozzarella into portions (this recipe yields several medium balls). Shape each portion into a smooth ball by tucking edges underneath. Immediately submerge formed balls into the cold ice water bath to firm and retain shape, about 5 minutes.

Prepare an ice bath by combining 2 cups ice with 4 cups cold water in a bowl. Transfer the shaped mozzarella into the ice bath to cool and set the structure, 5–10 minutes.

Taste and, if desired, sprinkle additional salt to taste on the surface or dissolve additional salt into the storing liquid.

Store fresh mozzarella in airtight container submerged in fresh, cool water or lightly salted brine and refrigerate. Use within 3–5 days for best texture and flavor. If storing longer, replace water daily.