How to Make Great Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

Step 2: OK First things First

1. Pour 1 teaspoon Citric Acid into 1/4 cup unchlorinated water and stir. Crush the Rennet tablet and pour it into the other cup of unchlorinated water.
The Citric Acid should be dissolved by the time you have to use it. Most of the Rennet will be dissolved but there will still be some residue left.
2. If you haven't done so already, pour milk into your pot.
Make sure the milk is around 50 degrees when you pour in the Citric Acid

Comments

[Okapi1]

I found this at http://www.cheesemaking.com/CalciumChloride.html the New England Cheesemaking Supply Company:

"Do not use Calcium Chloride when making Mozzarella. It will keep the curds from stretching".

[mrwolfe]

You're kidding, right? UN chlorinated water? The only place you can get unchlorinated water, apart from a rainwater tank, is from a pump in a third world country, or from a laboratory de-ioniser. The water supplies in all western countries are chlorinated to kill bacteria. If it weren't so the incidence of typhoid, dysentery and cholera would be as bad as they were 200 years ago. Are you talking about clean tap water, or are you using some special de-ionised water for your cheese?

[stevter]

Go to a store and buy distilled water for $1.30 a gallon way easier than any of these other ideas.

[Rocketmaker10000]

You are miss informed. Once outside of suburbia many, many people have well pumps. I have been living 60 miles outside NYC for 20 years and replaced my own well pump many times. I fill my pool with it and my water tastes better than any chlorinated water! No question! You don't need processed water but you can also get a distiller and make distilled water if you have chlorinated water.

[Beemergranny]

we live on a farm in Illinois and have a well. Our water is NOT chlorinated. Most farms are like this and we don't suffer from any diseases you mentioned. : )

[wittersgarden]

mrwolfe, you are sadly mistaken.... In rural (and even suburban) areas across our nation folks still get their water from wells and artisan underground springs. Trust me we have lived all over the States from Alaska to NY state and many points in between and have only had chlorinated "city" water 3 times. Every other place we have lived has been well water which definitely was NOT chlorinated! Yes some locations were quite remote but others were definitely in the suburbs. In fact we currently live in Indiana in a neighborhood just outside of the city limits and everyone in our neighborhood is on their own well system. Same applies to septic as well.

Have a great day!

[mitch006]

MrWolfe,
You are incorrect. I live in the mid west and still have well water to one of my outdoor spickets. Well water is VERY common in the US.

[rbessey]

sir we here in Idaho enjoy fresh well water that is without chlorine or any other chemicals placed in it. We enjoy artesian wells that don't even require a pump.
Perhaps you should get out more. LOL

[jkane21]

haha. you sir have to get out and travel more. Where I live in Canada, we have fresh water springs everywhere. Natural underground springs, defiantly not full of typhoid, dysentery and cholera. This is an AMAZING recipe. mmmmmmmm

[irunamuk]

Um, anyone who has a well has "UN chlorinated" water. Or you could let water sit out overnight and the chlorine will evaporate.

[anode505]

Not so much these days. Water companies are using chloromide (or something like that) and it doesn't evap off (thats why they use it, the can use less and it lasts) An activated charcoal filter will remove the uglies

[bgeddes]

Many, many folks here in the good 'ole US of A enjoy fresh clean unprocessed water from a well. They bottle water from the same vein as my well and send it to city folks. No chlorine is added, or necessary.

[ybreiden]

You can let you water sit out, uncovered over night and most of the chlorine will escape.

[bstapler]

You can also use distilled water. This type of water has nothing added to it at all. Most of the time it's made by a process of reverse osmosis, this way it insures that there aren't any additives or chemicals in it.

[TommyDG]

If you use a simple Activated charcoal filter, it will remove the Chlorine.

[MMMMary]

I just went to a cheese making class today and they also said not to use chlorinated water. You can boil it for 15-20 minutes or use bottled water...

[www.microbike.ie]

There is no chlorine in tap water in here in Dublin, Ireland, Since we have free water, and everyone says we should not drink it unless boiled first ....We have been drinking it for a past 6 years and I cannot recall when I got cholera last time :-DD. On the other hand, quick tip: Tap a jug of chlorinated water and set it aside for a few hours the chlorine will evaporate on opened air..that is natural reaction that occur and you end up with clean better tasting water that you can use for cheese on the other hand I recall that distilled water should not be drunk since there is higher risk of Water intoxication even with smaller amounts, since distiled water has no minerals or better salts(sodium and other electrolytes) and thus I'm not sure if is it safe in cheese or any other food.

"Water intoxication, also known as hyper-hydration, water poisoning, or overhydration, is a potentially fatal disturbance in brain functions that results when the normal balance of electrolytes in the body is pushed outside of safe limits by over-consumption of water."

[bstapler]

I forgot about just letting the tap water sit for 24 hours, that is a good idea. It's the same concept for when adding water to the fish tank.

[CGreene1607]

This is true for chlorine, but most water systems in the US do not use chlorine anymore; they use chloramine (a bond of chlorine and ammonia). Chloramine does not evaporate out of water.

De-chlorinating chemicals available at pet stores will break the bond, allowing the resulting chlorine and ammonia to dissipate, but of course I doubt you want to make cheese with water treated with a de-chlorinating agent.

You could always call the water agency and ask which they use, but the safe bet is that they've switched to chloramine. Spend the $1.50 on a 20 oz bottle of water to get your half cup.

[TommyDG]

Sunlight and heat also will deplete Chlorine.
You're correct about the distilled water removing all those things, but once left open, bacteria , etc. can cotaminate the water. Same with boiled water or water run through activated charcoal. Without residual chlorine, the water will not stay clean in open air for long periods.

[jlausen]

Mr. Wolfe,

it is apparent you don't know our great country. All rural areas, aka - farm land, have well pumps and are not on chlorinated water systems. The water that comes from my faucet is unchlorinated and has been for the 12 years that I have owned my house. I live in a rural area that is surrounded by small towns that have municipal chlorinated system but it is cost prohibitive to bring town water all the way out to the farms and communities surrounded by the farms. Oh and we have a septic tank too....

[tjohnson51]

I so agree with you jlausen, I live in a very rural area of Florida and it is nothing but farm lands here. I have a well and the water comes straight in from the Aquifer. I would love to see the USA try to chlorinate the whole USA underground water Aquifer. My water is a nice sweet and cold tasting water with no additives.

Anyways, I can't wait to try this recipe out, it sounds great and I have made it years before. Just took a quick look up to remember how to. Beware though, this will wear out your hands in making the Balls of cheese, but well worth the sacrifice.

Blessings,
Tea

[okff2]

ever heard of bottled water?

[mrwolfe]

All right, all right, you lot, UNCLE!

I didn't mean to, but it looks like I really lit a fire here. I'm not too worried, though, because there have been lots of great suggestions on how to get your water without Chlorine in it.

One thing though , how important is the dechlorinated water? I just did a quick internet survey, and out of 20 recipes (pretty much the same recipe 20 times, really), only 2 mention bottled or distilled water. Most recipes I've seen don't specify "unchlorinated water", just "water". Has anyone tried using ordinary chlorinated tap water? Does it make a difference? Just curious ...

[fletcher30]

i know this post is old but all these comments make me laugh!! I install wells for a living and the last thing we do before we activate the well is CHLORINATE IT!!!
It does not matter the water is being chlorinated even though at a lower level than city water but it is chlorinated non the less. the only exception is the artesian well that does not use a well head.

[maven]

Sure you pour some bleach down the well head when you first drill it to sterilize the casing, wires, etc., but unless the homeowner continues to add chlorine, this dissipates pretty quickly. I know this because not only do I have a home water well, my husband happens to be in the business of servicing water wells and is licensed by the state of Tx with yearly testing.

[heldmyw]

I have used both bottled and tap water. It makes no difference at all.

[jrmarchesini]

tap water comes chlorinated, yes! But leave it in an open bowl and have it rest for a couple of ours and you will have eventually clean dechlorinated water. Chlorine dissolves eventually in the air with a little rest time.

[jimdaye]

We are not hooked to a municipal water system. My water comes from my well..no chlorinated water here, just turn on the faucet. I am wondering if there will be a change in taste though due to the fact that the water is a little hard. One other question-- do you have to use powdered citric acid or can something like lemon juice be used?

[yaki-imo]

Many municipal water systems in North America do not chlorinate. My town in central British Columbia does not chlorinate. When we visit relatives in places where the city system does chlorinate, we really notice the chemical taste and smell right away. Chlorine does make the water system safer but there are always trade offs...

[cougarmandan]

My britta filter makes unclorinated water by the gallon, and I even have one attached to my sink that makes a continuous flow of it. I use it when I was make wine so the chlorine doesn't affect the yeast.

[Shiftlock]

Okay, so mrwolfe didn't think before he wrote the comment about unchlorinated water. I've never seen so many responses to one boneheaded comment.

So, everyone use bottled spring water (Poland Spring, Evian, Aquafina, Dasani, generic-market-brand, etc.) for this recipe. I think the issue is settled now, isn't it?

[uallacepod]

"You're kidding, right? UN chlorinated water? The only place you can get unchlorinated water, apart from a rainwater tank, is from a pump in a third world country" You must be joking, huh? You should be more respectful. I'm from Brazil, one of the so called "Third World Countries". And here we ALSO have all of the water supplies chlorinated. Someone of your age shouldn't be so uninformed about other cultures... No hard feelings, these are just my thoughts. :-) Oh, and by the way... Nice instructable. :-D

[mrwolfe]

No disrespect intended, uallacepod. To confess, I never thought of Brazil as third world. Brazil is very progressive, in may ways more so than most "first world" countries. You have a vibrant aerospace industry and you have been using E85 fuel in your cars for years, something that most "western" governments are still very timid about. I could go on, but you get the picture.

[uallacepod]

Hi, mrwolfe!

I understand your words. :-D

No har feelings about that. I was in a "not so good day", lol.
And also, you've demonstrated knowledge of our "good tech points" when you spoke about some good points that even most brazilians don't know about it. :-)


My best regards, mrwolfe. :-D

[leftiejenessie]

There is no such thing as a first world, there is no such thing as a third world, there is just one world!

[Brittjstagrl]

I agree:) and most " third world coutries" are placed into this category as a result of " first world" countries during colonialism taking all their resources.

[uallacepod]

Agreed. :-DGr8 critical sense.

[uallacepod]

Sorry to kill your dreams, leftie. But this is not a physical division and yes, ther are "these worlds", lol. :-D

I'm joking... I see your point and agree. But, unfortunately there's still too much difference in the living conditions ober the world (see Africa, for example).

Well, i hope these barriers come dow as soon as possible.

Respectfully,
uallacepod

[leftiejenessie]

Yes there are different types of societies, different levels of living conditions, but physically there is only one world and we as a human society need to start thinking and acting as such. One step is to stop calling countries "first world" or "third world" countries because that just implies that they are somewhere else, that we don't have to worry or help, that the choices we make don't affect people's lives elsewhere. I haven't come up with a good phrase though...