Hi LMM and welcome. I make curd cheese almost every week. Never had a problem.
Here's my basic technique.
1. I bring my store bought whole milk to 90 F in a double boiler
2. I dissolve 1/4 t Ca Cl in 1/4 C distilled water and thoroughly mix in.
3. I add my culture (which is about 1/2 C of home made kefir - thoroughly mix in and let this stand for about 40 minutes to begin acidifying the milk
4. I dissolve 1/2 vegetarian rennet tablet in 1/4 C distilled water and mix in for about 30 seconds - 1 minute and let coagulate 40 minutes.
5 check for clean break
6. I cut curds (according to standard practice) and gently stir for 30 minutes as I raise temperature about 10 F OVER THE 30 MINUTES to about 100 F
7. I remove curds from whey and collect in cheese cloth lined colander and allow to drain 5 minutes
8. I hang cheese cloth and allow to drain for 15 minutes
9. I press for 60 minutes , turning every 15 minutes under weights that increase from about 4 lbs - 16 lbs
10. Under 16 lbs I cheddar the cheese for 30 minutes turning every 10 minutes. (to "cheddar", I cut the mass in half and use the weight of the cheese to help drain the curds, but I also use the 16 lbs during this time too (2 gallon milk containers filled with water).
11. I cut the cheese into cubes and salt and allow the salt to pressed under a plate for 5 minutes.
12 I place the curd cheese in container and store in fridge
The whole process including sanitizing and cleaning up afterwards takes about 4.5 - 5 hours.
Hi LMM and welcome. I make curd cheese almost every week. Never had a problem.
Here's my basic technique.
1. I bring my store bought whole milk to 90 F in a double boiler
2. I dissolve 1/4 t Ca Cl in 1/4 C distilled water and thoroughly mix in.
3. I add my culture (which is about 1/2 C of home made kefir - thoroughly mix in and let this stand for about 40 minutes to begin acidifying the milk
4. I dissolve 1/2 vegetarian rennet tablet in 1/4 C distilled water and mix in for about 30 seconds - 1 minute and let coagulate 40 minutes.
5 check for clean break
6. I cut curds (according to standard practice) and gently stir for 30 minutes as I raise temperature about 10 F OVER THE 30 MINUTES to about 100 F
7. I remove curds from whey and collect in cheese cloth lined colander and allow to drain 5 minutes
8. I hang cheese cloth and allow to drain for 15 minutes
9. I press for 60 minutes , turning every 15 minutes under weights that increase from about 4 lbs - 16 lbs
10. Under 16 lbs I cheddar the cheese for 30 minutes turning every 10 minutes. (to "cheddar", I cut the mass in half and use the weight of the cheese to help drain the curds, but I also use the 16 lbs during this time too (2 gallon milk containers filled with water).
11. I cut the cheese into cubes and salt and allow the salt to pressed under a plate for 5 minutes.
12 I place the curd cheese in container and store in fridge
The whole process including sanitizing and cleaning up afterwards takes about 4.5 - 5 hours.