How to Make Mozzarella Cheese

Treat yourself to the real deal by learning how to make mozzarella cheese. Fresh mozzarella is so soft and moist that it is often mistaken for some other cheese, when it is simply a variation of the stuff you sprinkle on a lasagna before baking. If you're craving some of this delicious cheese, learn how to make it so you can have it any time you like.

How to Make Mozzarella Cheese
Mozzarella cheese is typically made from the leftover whey from the making of hard cheese, but you can make it either as a by-product of making another cheese or on its own. If you use the whey and cheese curds left over from making another cheese, you simply need to heat the curds in hot whey or hot water until they glom together into strings and develop an elastic texture. You will then remove the strings of curds from the water and knead them until they are smooth in texture. This is why mozzarella is sometimes called "string cheese."

Making Homemade Mozzarella Cheese
Ingredients You Will Need:
2 ½ gallons whole milk*
3 teaspoons citric acid
½ cup water
¾ teaspoon liquid cheese-making rennet

*The milk can be either pasteurized or unpasteurized. Opinions vary as to which makes the better mozzarella cheese.

Equipment You Will Need:
Saucepan
Cooking thermometer
Cheesecloth
Rubber gloves

Pour the milk into a large saucepan. Mix your citric acid into the half cup of water, and add it to the milk. With the stove on low heat, warm the milk until it reaches 88 degrees, stirring gently. Add the liquid rennet, and remove the pan from the heat. Let the mixture sit, allowing the curds to form.

Fill your sink basin with very hot water, and place the saucepan in the basin. Stir the curds slowly and carefully as you watch the temperature rise. When the temperature of the cheese curd mixture hits 98 degrees, take appropriate action to keep the temperature at this point. (You may need to add cold water to the hot water in the basin.) Let the curds continue to form for 20 minutes longer.

Line a colander with cheesecloth, and pour the mixture into it. You can either save the whey or discard it. Tie up the cheesecloth, and let the curds drain until no more liquid is leaking from the cheesecloth, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Cut the mass of curds into strips. Put the strips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat the curds just until they start to melt. Take the melted curds out of the microwave, and put on your rubber gloves. Now knead the cheese until it is stretchy and smooth. Roll it into balls, and store it in ice-cold, salty water. Use within two days, the sooner the better.

Alternate Preparation Suggestion
It is more traditional to put the drained cheese curds into a pit of very hot water and then remove with a slotted spoon when the curds become melted and form strings. Finish the process the same way as described above, kneading the cheese and forming it into balls.

Buffalo Mozzarella
You may also want to make buffalo mozzarella, which is a gourmet version of the cheese that uses buffalo milk. However, watch out for digestion problems if eating buffalo mozzarella. Many people have trouble digesting buffalo mozzarella due to the high fat content. If the cheese is also raw (unpasteurized), you may encounter even more digestion difficulties. Try small amounts of buffalo mozzarella before you eat large quantities.

Serving Suggestion for Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
Top a sliced, garden-ripe tomato with an equal portion of fresh mozzarella cheese. Top that with fresh basil, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar for a tomato salad you'll never forget.