30 Minute Mozzarella Recipe

Do not prepare any other food while you are making cheese. Put all food products away.

Move all sponges, cloths and dirty towels away from your work surface, wipe your sink and stove with soap and water. Finally use your antibacterial cleaner to wipe down all surfaces.

Crush 1/4 tablet of rennet and dissolve in 1/4 cup of cool non-chlorinated water, or add 1/4 tsp single strength liquid rennet to the water. Set your rennet mixture aside to use later.

Add 1 1/2 tsp. of citric acid to 1 cup cool water, pour this into your pot.

Now, pour cold milk into your pot quickly, to mix well with the citric acid. This will bring the milk to the proper acidity to stretch well later.

Heat the milk slowly to 90°F. As you approach 90°F, you may notice your milk beginning to curdle slightly due to acidity and temp.

Note: If you're having problems with milk forming a proper curd, you may need to increase this temp to 95°F or even 100F.

Fill a pot with water and begin heating it to 175°F (if heating curds without a microwave in step 8).

At 90°F, remove the pot from the burner and slowly add your rennet (which you prepared in step one) to the milk. Stir in a top to bottom motion for approx. 30 seconds, then stop.

Cover the pot and leave undisturbed for 5 minutes.

Check the curd after 5 minutes, it should look like custard, with a clear separation between the curds and whey. If the curd is too soft or the whey is milky, let it set longer, up to 30 more minutes.

Cut the curds into a 1" checkerboard pattern.

Place the pot back on the stove and heat to 105°F while slowly stirring the curds with your ladle (if you will be stretching the curds in a hot water bath, rather than using a microwave, heat to 110°F in this step).

Take the pot off the burner and continue stirring slowly for 2-5 minutes. (More time will make a firmer cheese).

Follow Option A or B below

Option A: Heating with Water Bath

With a slotted spoon, scoop curd, from the pot, into a colander. Allow the whey to drain into another bowl.

When done transferring the curd to the colander, pour whey back into the pot. Rest the colander with curd in the pot of whey, to keep the curd warm.

Add a little salt to taste, about 1/4-1/2 tsp. The salt will work into the cheese in the following steps. You can fold the curd over on itself as it drains to increase the amount of whey running off.

The more you work the curd at this point the drier the Mozzarella will be.

Option B: Heating with Microwave

With a slotted spoon, scoop curds into a colander or microwave safe bowl (if the curd is too soft at this point, let it sit for another minute or so).

Once transferred, press the curd gently with your hand, pouring off as much whey as possible. If desired, you can reserve the whey to use later in baking or as a soup stock.

Follow Option A or B below

Option A: Heating with Water Bath

Begin by pouring some of the hot water, that has been simmering on the stove, into another bowl, adjust the temperature to about 175F. This will be too hot for your hands so have thick rubber gloves or use a spoon to work curd in the hot water.

Cut or break the curd into 1-2 inch pieces and begin placing them into the hot water. Work the curd quickly by pressing them together and folding over in the hot water to facilitate even heating.

Option B: Heating with Microwave

If in a colander, transfer the curds into a heat safe bowl. Next, microwave the curd for 1 minute.

If desired, add 1/4-1/2 tsp of salt to the curds for added flavor.

You will notice more whey separation from the curd. Drain off all whey as you did before. Quickly work the cheese with a spoon or your hands until it is cool enough to touch (rubber gloves will help since the cheese is almost too hot to touch at this point).

Microwave two more times for 35 seconds each, and repeat the kneading as in the last step to aid in more whey drain off and ensure even heating of the curds. Drain off all of the whey as you go.

Follow Option A or B below

Option A: Heating with Water Bath

As the curd begins to meld together pull it from the hot water and begin stretching it. If the curd does not stretch check and adjust your water temperature and re-submerdge the curd.

At first it may be lumpy but as the curd stretches, it will become smooth. Stretch it out several times and fold it back on itself. If it begins to cool, you will notice it tear, place it back in the hot water to re-heat.

When it forms a consolidated mass, stretches like taffy and develops a sheen it can be formed into a ball for the final cheese.

Option B: Heating with Microwave

Now the fun begins, knead quickly now as you would bread dough. Remove curd from bowl and continue kneading until it is smooth and shiny. Return it to the microwave if needed (if it begins to cool before it's ready to stretch). Add salt near the finish. At this point, if hot enough, the cheese should be soft and pliable enough to stretch, and stretch, and stretch some more (like taffy). This is what makes it Mozzarella

When it forms a consolidated mass, stretches like taffy and develops a sheen it can be formed into a ball for the final cheese.

We hope you have as much fun with this as we do.

The Mozzarella is now finished and ready to enjoy.

To chill the mozzarella and help maintain its shape place it in a brine solution of 2-3 tbs of salt, 2-3 tbs of clear whey and 1 quart of very cold water.

Once cooled it can be wrapped and stored in the fridge where it will last for several days, although it's always best when eaten fresh.