# First Cheese Failure - Please Advise.....



## sarafina (Dec 26, 2009)

This is only my third batch of cheese but the first time it was a total failure. I have made a Farmer's Cheese from a recipe that came with my cheesemaking kit from Leeners (pretty good) and I made the Colby from the sticky in this forum (it was wonderful!).

This evening I tried the No-Fail Mozzarella from this same sticky on this forum that you microwave (and I failed!). I am not sure what I did wrong - the curds weren't firm enough and when I poured it into the collander it turned to mush.

I used 2 gallons of store bought cow's milk and added 1 tsp calcium chloride (recommended by the Leener's website for store milk). I added the citric acid and lipase and heated it to 90 F slowly on my stove. When it got to 90 I stirred in the rennet (1 tablet dissolved in 1/2 cup water). After 15 min I cut the curds and set in a water bath at 105 F. The recipe said it was ok for the curds to mat some but I did stir them once while it was sitting because I remember doing that with other cheeses - was that what messed up my batch? After 10 min in the water batch I poured into my collander and that was when I knew I had wasted 2 gallons of milk because it turned to mush. :down

It had a wonderful flavor and I would like to try it again, but not until I figure out what I did wrong because this is becoming some _expensive_ cheese.

Any advice ????


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## linuxboy (Oct 26, 2009)

For making mozz, most store milk is just no good. Could also be that it was over acidified. Try a small batch with another milk.


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## Rose (Oct 26, 2007)

Mozzarella is difficult. I don't make it after three BLAH batches. :/

The others are easy compared to Mozz.


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## sarafina (Dec 26, 2009)

Ok well I don't feel so bad now. I didn't know it was harder to make. I am going to try it with one gal next time and follow the video I found on Leener's site.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Sarah also try cheesemaking.com hands down Rikki's info, her website, blog, recipes and emails have been the most helpful. Vicki


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## sarafina (Dec 26, 2009)

Vicki McGaugh Tx Nubians said:


> Sarah also try cheesemaking.com hands down Rikki's info, her website, blog, recipes and emails have been the most helpful. Vicki


Thanks, Vicki - that site is very helpful. I think I will change to Oak Farms or Schepps milk because both have local dairies (wish you weren't such a drive for me!). My 1-gal batch today ended up as soft spreadable cheese, so not there yet but at least it didn't end up down the drain. This batch was fine until I microwaved it and the curd broke down so according to Rikki's help FAQ I either got the milk too hot in my microwave or the milk itself was pasteurized at too high a temp. She also does not recommend using calcium chloride even for pasteurized milk so I am going to follow her step-by-step instructions in my next batch - probably next weekend.


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## nightskyfarm (Sep 7, 2009)

You will be pleased with the outcome following her recipe. She has been at this cheese making for much longer that any of us. I was going to her Ashfield, MA. home/store to buy her products way back in 1986. Experience is the key here. You should purchase her book and that of Margaret Morris, "The Cheese-Maker's Manual".


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## linuxboy (Oct 26, 2009)

> until I microwaved it and the curd broke down so according to Rikki's help FAQ I either got the milk too hot in my microwave


Too hot a temp will not cause curd shattering like that. The FAQ is not correct. Adding too much acid or having poor quality milk, or a combination will cause the situation you experienced. Too hot a temp after you drain the curd will cook the mozz, make it hard, but if made properly, it will plasticize way before you get there. If the curds shatter before the curds plasticize, not an issue with heat.


> or the milk itself was pasteurized at too high a temp.


This is my guess, or it was homogenized excessively and proteins were damaged. Around here in the PNW, only a small handful of store milk brands will make direct acidified mozz. The rest make terrible curd that shatters even if you do everything right.


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