Cutting curd after getting  a clean break.

BEGINNING CHEESE MAKING © David B. Fankhauser, Ph.D.  Professor of Biology and Chemistry  University of Cincinnati Clermont College  Batavia OH 45103

Pouring off the whey after the curd has been cut and warmed ("cooked").

Created 2 February 2003
This page has been accessed  times since 2 February 2003. 

SUGGESTIONS TO FOLKS NEW TO CHEESE MAKING:
Cheese making is theoretically a science, but we also need to appreciate that it is an art.  While cheese making instructions often appear simple, there are skills and sensitivities which must be developed for successful cheese making.  I strongly suggest that you master the following projects in sequence before you progress to more difficult cheeses.  As an avid homesteader, I strive to keep the ingredients for these recipes relatively easily obtained from your local supermarket and to use the equipment commonly found in the kitchen.

The projects are listed in order of increasing difficulty .  You are more likely to succeed if you work your way through each one rather than jump immediately to a more challenging cheese. 

A DISCUSSION OF INGREDIENTS AND EQUIPMENT: 

INGREDIENTS: Milk: You can use commercially purchased pasteurized cow's milk, TB certified raw cow's milk, goat's milk, even sheep or horse's milk.  All will make cheese, each with its unique flavor.  Cheese from unpasteurized milk should be cured for 3-6 months if there is any doubt about pathogens in the milk.  Cheese can be made from whole milk (3.5%), 2% or from skimmed milk.  However, remember that the richness of flavor of the cheese is related to the amount of butterfat in the milk.  You should  get  1 to 1.5 pounds of cheese/gallon of milk. (Store-bought milk may require addition of calcium chloride to aid coagulation.) I have not had good luck using reconstituted powdered milk, but have heard some say that they have successfully used it.  Make friends with a local dairy person to get bulk milk.  (You will have better luck getting milk from homesteaders than with commercial operators.) Starter:  Bacteria must be added to acidify the milk so that the rennet will work, and to aid in the curing.  Cultured buttermilk can serve as a mesophilic starter (it likes room temperature), and yogurt can serve as a thermophilic starter (it prefers warmer temperatures).  You can also purchase pure cultures from cheese makers supply houses. Some recipes call for addition of chemical acids to produce acidify the milk.  I prefer the flavor of cheese made from bacterially acidified milk. Rennet :   An enzyme rennin converts milk protein (casein) from a soluble to an insoluble material, causing the milk to gel (forming a clean break).  It will only work well in acidified milk.  The gelling process must be undisturbed to get a clean break.  Rennet is commonly available in supermarkets in the pudding section, or you can purchase liquid rennet from a cheese makers supply house. One tablet of Junket rennet is equivalent to 20 drops of fresh liquid rennet.

EQUIPMENT: Most decently equipped kitchens have the necessary equipment: Heavy stainless steel pot with lid:  A non-reactive pot is important because the acidifying milk can dissolve aluminum.  Enamel pots would work as well.  A heavy bottom is important to evenly disperse the heat and prevent scortching.  Scortching affects the flavor and is a cleanup hassle.  The size of the pot should be large enough so that you have at least an inch of head space above the milk.  A cover is needed for the steps when the milk must sit for periods of time.  I bought a high quality five gallon pot like this years ago (expensive).  I have never been sorry.  Measuring cups  You may need measuring cups ranging from 1/4 cup to a quart.  Obviously you can improvise, but accurate measurements improve your success rate.  Measuring spoons are occasionally needed.  Thermometer  An accurate thermometer which reads in the range of 32-225 F (0-100 C) is very important.  A candy or meat thermometer can work.  There are several reasons that accurate temperature is important: the texture of the cheese depends a great deal on achieving a temperature to within one degree.  Also, after milk for yogurt is scalded, it must be cooled to 130 F for optimum bacteria action.  Whisk  Thorough mixing of starter and rennet is important.  A whisk is the obvioius choice for this step.  Cheese press is required for the hard cheeses.  You can purchase them for a handsome price, or fashion one from materials at home.

A SYLLABUS FOR A CHEESE MAKING COURSE:
Try these recipes in the order given for optimum success.
 

	1.  Yogurt	Yogurt is an excellent starting point because you master proper handling of milk, good aseptic technique with the starter and proper temperature control.  You will use heat-loving bacteria to produce this famous healthful food.  Buttermilk is even easier, but teaches you fewer skills of cheese making.
	2.  Labneh	Once you can make yogurt, it is a very simple process to produce this simplest of cheeses.  Merely draining the whey from yogurt produces this soft, tart Middle Eastern cheese.  Nearly fool proof, delicious results.
	3.  Neufchatel	An unripened soft rennet cheese, probably the easiest rennet cheese, a good first cheese for beginner cheese makers.  It does not require pressing or curing and is eaten fresh.
	4.  Basic cheese for one gallon	Turn a gallon of milk into a pound of cheese:  learn to recognize the clean break, cutting the curd, curd management, pressing the curd.  A simple cheese press can be made at home .
	5.  Basic Cheese for 5 gallons	If you have access to 5 gallons of milk, it is more efficient use of energy to make a 5-6 pound wheel of cheese than a single pound wheel with one gallon.  However, I strongly suggest you make the single gallon recipe first to be certain of the steps involved.
	6.  American  Mozzarella	This is the cheese of American pizzas.  It is easy, uses citric acid and microwave oven.  If you want to make fresh mozzarella , it is much more challenging, but more delicate in texture and flavor.  I do not recommend this cheese until you have completely mastered the recipe for basic cheese. Italian mozzarella calls for a more complex inoculum.
	7.  Blue Cheese	Inoculate your cheese curd with a suspension of desired blue cheese to make your own home-produced blue cheese.  The most difficult aspects of making this cheese are its stringent requirements for temperature, humidity, and daily turning.

FAQ:  Here are a few pages for frequently asked questions:

WHY CAN'T I GET A CLEAN BREAK ?   A common problem for novice cheese makers is failure to achieve a clean break.  This page contains a check list of the critical factors.

WHAT IS RENNET ? This page is on rennet:  what it is, how to prepare it, where to purchase it.

COMMENT PAGE :  Do you have comments on any of the recipes on this page?  Did you have success?  Do you have a suggestion for improvement of a recipe?  Do you have a new recipe you would like to offer?  Thanks Links to other Cheese making sites, Discussion Groups, etc.

LINKS:

WHERE TO GET SUPPLIES? I have purposely tried to develop recipes which use ingredients found locally in supermarkets.  Ask the manager for help.  However, if you are looking to buy from a specialty source you can do a search on the web for web locations.  While I do not officially endorse commercial establishments, many folks report  that New England Cheesemaking has served them well.

ARE THERE DISCUSSION GROUPS ON CHEESE MAKING?  I participate in two groups.  One is on the web at CountryLife . I like their format allowing easy review of the string of comments.  You can read the comments, but must register to post comments.  The other, "Cheesemakers List - Artisansrus.com" is email-based, and you must join the service list to send and receive comments.  Send an email to Mark E. in Oz who moderates that board and ask to be place on their service list.

OTHER LINKS TO CHEESE SITES :  Here is a list of a few other cheese making sites on the web.  If you find one which is particularly useful which is not on the list, let me know .