Cheese Curds

 

The secret to this recipe is cooking the curd at the proper temperature.

Take care to keep the curds at/above the temperatures shown below.

 

Ingredients:

- 1 Gallon of Milk

- 1 Packet of Thermophilic culture (C201)

- 1/2 tsp of Rennet

- 1 - 1 1/4 tsp of salt

 

Step 1.  Heat Milk to 100 F.  

Step 2.  Sprinkle culture on top, let it sit for 2 minutes and stir thoroughly into milk

            Prepare hot water bath and set pot into bath for 1 hour

Step 3.  Dilute rennet in 1/4 C of filtered water.  Add to milk and gently stir.

            Freshen hot water bath, return pot to water and let sit for 1 hour.

Step 4.  Do initial grid cut of curd, let sit for 10 minutes, cut curd into 1/2 - 1" cubes

Step 5. Slowly heat curd to 120 F, Maintain at that temperature for 1 hour,

            Stir every 15 minutes.

Step 6.  Drain curd and place into mold. If mold has holes in side, line first with cheese cloth

            Place 10 lbs of weight for 1 hour; increase to 20 lbs and keep pressure on cheese for 

            5 hours.  If possible, gradually keep increasing weight every hour by 5 lbs.

Step 7. Remove from mold.  Either cut curd into bite-sized cubes or break into bite-sized pieces.

           Sprinkle curd pieces with salt and put into air tight container. Place 2 paper towels (folded)

           on top of curd, seal container, and turn upside down (so paper towels are in bottom) and place

           in refrigerator for 12 hours.

Step 8.  Remove paper towels, reseal, and return to refrigerator.  Curd is now ready for serving.

 

If curd isn't firm enough for you, increase the time you cook curd (Step 5) or weight you use for pressing curd (Step 6)