HOW TO MAKE MOZZARELLA USING A MICROWAVE TO STRETCH THE CURDS
Step 1. Ladlethe curds into a large microwaveable bowl anddrain offthe whey. We recommend using rubber gloves to protect your hands from the hot whey. Don’t press too much on the curds to keep the mozzarella from drying out.
Step 2.Microwaveforone minute, thenfoldthe curds gently into the center of the bowl,drainingoff more whey. You can alsoAdd1 teaspoon salt for added flavor and extend the shelf life of your homemade mozzarella (optional).
Step 3. Microwavefor another30 seconds.At this point the curd should be 160° to 170°F now. If the mozzarella curd isn’t, microwave the curd for another 30 seconds. Once your homemade mozzarella curd reaches 160° to 170°F you are ready for the next step in your 30 minute Mozzarella recipe
Step 4. Stretchthe curd by pulling it like taffy until it is soft and shiny. The more you work the mozzarella cheese, the firmer the cheese will be. Some of you will like a firmer cheese than other however we prefer a soft mozzarella cheese that melts in your moth.
HOW TO MAKE MOZZARELLA USING THE STOVETOP (WATERBATH) TO STRETCH THE CURDS
(You can do this with half the curds at a time.)
Step 1. Heata pot of water to185°F.This will be the ideal temperature to make your homemade mozzarella cheese using a stove top.
Step 2. Ladlethe curds into a colander, folding them together gently toward the center and draining off the whey as you go. You want the whey to be completely drained off from the homemade mozzarella cheese. However, you do not want to press the cheese the hard because you still want the mozzarella to hold some of the moisture from the whey at this point.
Step 3. Dipthe colander with the mozzarella curds in it carefully into the hot water a few times, then use the slotted spoon tofoldthe curds back into the center of the colander until they become stretchy. This will happen when the curds reach160° to 170°F.It is crucial to make sure the cheese reaches the 160° to 170°F temperature or the mozzarella curd will not become stretchy.
Step 4. Removethe mozzarella curd from the colander andstretchit like taffy. If it does not stretch easily, return it to the hot water. this may take a few tries to get right the first time but once your curd stretches like the curd pictured below you will know it is ready.
Step 5.At this point you canaddcheese salt for additional taste, if you like. Thenstretchthe curd by pulling it like taffy until it is soft and shiny. The more you work the mozzarella cheese, the firmer it will be. As we mentioned earlier we like are mozzarella cheese soft but, if you like your cheese firmer keep working that curd until the firmness is to your liking.
*You can save the whey and use it in other projects! Check out our article onWays to Use Whey.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Q. The mozzarella curd never formed a solid mass. It just looks like ricotta. What do I do?
A.There are two primary causes. First, it is important to be sure the curd was allowed to sit and fully form before cutting the curd. Be sure to not disturb the milk at all while the curd is forming. Second, using high-temperature pasteurized milk can cause this issue. Be sure to check the label. When in doubt, try a new brand of milk; preferably a local brand since those brands are generally less processed.
Q. The curd disintegrated while heating. What did I do wrong?
A.There are two primary causes. First, it is important to be sure the curd was allowed to sit and fully form before cutting the curd. Be sure to not disturb the milk at all while the curd is forming. Second, occasionally a brand of milk is more acidic then other brands and requires a small recipe adjustment. Start over and reduce the citric acid in the recipe to 1 teaspoon.
Q. My mozzarella curds aren’t stretching after I microwaved them. Can I fix it?
A.Your microwave may not be hot enough. Try putting them back in the microwave up to three more times at 30 seconds each to warm the curd sufficiently.
Q. My mozzarella curds are very hot and they still aren’t stretching. What do I do?
A.Due to structural differences between brands of milk (including how processed the milk is), sometimes you’ll need to adjust the ingredients. In this case, start over with a new batch and increase the citric acid to 1¾ to 2 teaspoons. It may take several adjustments to find the correct amount of citric acid for the milk you are working with. Cheesemaking is a bit of an art form.
Q. My mozzarella is very dry. How do I make it more moist?
A.Next time, skip the step where you heat the curd to 105°/110° or decrease the amount of citric acid to 1¼ teaspoons or take care not to stretch the mozzarella as much and cover it immediately with cold water once you are finished with the stretching process.
Ready to Learn More?
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- How to Make Feta
- How to Make Cheddar Cheese
