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How do you make cheese?

• So I'm really becoming interested in how to make things by one's self. Meaning, without relying on today's technology. So one of the things I'm trying to figure out how to make is cheese, at home on the farm, like people used to do all the time. What's the problem I'm running into? There is plenty of information on how to make cheese on the internet. The only freaking thing you cant find, is how to make the stupid starter. Every single thing I've come across says, "Add cheese starter." One site says you can use yogurt as a cheese starter, but when you look up how to make the yogurt, and it TOO needs a freaking starter. I know people used to make cheese all the time before we made the bacteria starters in labs. I know that you can make cheese without BUYING starters. So can someone PLEASE send me a link on how to make cheese AND the cheese starter WITHOUT having to buy starter from some company. Or a tleast tell me the steps if you know how to make it yourself. I just want to know how people used to make cheese on their own before.

• Answer:

  BASIC CHEESE MAKING INGREDIENTS TO TURN ONE GALLON OF MILK INTO ONE POUND OF CHEESE one gallon freshest milk (the fewer bacteria present, the more predictable the cheese) 2-3 teaspoonfuls buttermilk (or 1/3rd cup yogurt ) 1/4 tablet rennet salt APPARATUS thermometer, reading -10 to 110oC (0 to 225oF) (I prefer centigrade, but have included Fahrenheit numbers as well) wooden mixing spoon, whisk or other stirring device Stainless steel pot1 , 4-6 qt., with lid, with a thick metal bottom (Al or Cu) to spread the heat, sterilized2 . 8" strainer or colander (A colander does not allow whey to flow through as fast as a strainer.) large handkerchief, sterilized by boiling cheese pressing frame (4" diameter, 5" tall can, about 20 oz, ends removed, save one end for a follower) PROCEDURE INOCULATE THE MILK: The evening before you plan to make cheese, warm 1 gallon of the freshest milk to 20oC (68 o F) in the sterilized pot. Thoroughly blend in the inoculum of 2-3 tsp buttermilk or 1/3rd cup yogurt as starter . Cover the inoculated milk with the sterilized lid. (The function of this inoculation with bacterial starter is to have the milk fermenting bacteria make lactic acid which lowers the pH so that the rennet will be able to act on the casein.) INCUBATE OVER NIGHT: Let sit at room temperature (R.T.) overnight (20-22oC). WARM THE MILK: The next morning, warm milk up to 30 oC (take care not to burn it). Meanwhile, dissolve ¼ tablet of Rennet in ¼ cup cold water . (This pictures shows a whole tablet being added to water). ADD THE RENNET: Add dissolved rennet to the warmed milk , stir to mix thoroughly. Cover, let sit undisturbed for approximately an hour. Be patient. Do not disturb the milk until it has coagulated. ACHIEVE A CLEAN BREAK: Test for completed action of rennet ("clean break "): Probe a clean finger into the (hopefully) gelled milk and lift. If the gel is firm enough to break cleanly as the finger is lifted, go to next step. (If the milk is gelatenousand flows across your finger , let sit until a clean break is obtained. Do not stir. This may take as long as 1-2 hours.) Be patient, do NOT disturb the milk. (Here is a link to trouble shoot "clean break" failure .) CUT THE CURD: Once a clean break is achieved, cut the curd with a long knife : begin at edge of pot, cut straight down to bottom. Cut repeatedly parallel to first cut, but increasing the angle of the knife until reaching other side of pot. Rotate the pot 90 degrees, cut as before . Rotate and cut two more times, yielding ½ inch cubes of curd . SETTING THE CURD (RAISE AND HOLD THE TEMPERATURE): Place pot over a low fire, stir curd with cleaned bare hand by reaching down to bottom, gently lifting and stirring . Cut larger curds as they appear. Do not mash or squeeze. If you wish to save some soft cottage cheese, remove a portion of the curd at this step before you raise the temperature. Continue stirring for 15 min to prevent the curds from clumping together. Heat curds to 34oC (92o F) for soft curd cheese, or as high as 39oC (102oF) for very firm cheese. The setting temperature makes a great deal of difference in the consistency of the curd/cheese. SEPARATE CURDS AND WHEY: Stir and maintain desired temperature until curd has contracted to consistency of firm scrambled eggs . Remove from stove. The curds should sink in whey. (Ops, did they float3 ?) Decant off when through a strainer (you may line the strainer with clean cloth if the curd is very fine grained ). Save the whey for ricotta if you like. Place curds in a large bowl . ADD SALT: Sprinkle two tsp. salt over curds, working with hands to mix . Pour off accumulated whey. (The salt is necessary so that the cheese will not spoil as it cures. I tried it without salt and it spoiled. However, unsalted, uncured cheese may be frozen until use.) PRESS THE CHEESE : Use sterile large white handkerchief to line a smooth-sided 4" x 5" tin can from which both ends have been removed. Place still-warm curds in the cloth , cover curd with the corners of the cloth, lie the cut-out end of the can on top, and place heavy weight to press down. Let sit for 12 hours or so. CURE THE CHEESE: The next AM, remove from press, remove cloth, rub outside of cheese with salt and rewrap with fresh handkerchief. Place wrapped cheese on a rack in the refrigerator. Replace "bandage" daily (as long as it continues to become wet). When a dry yellowish rind forms (about one to two weeks), dip in melted wax , store in refrigerator for about a month (if you can wait that long) or longer for sharper cheese. (NOTE: Please see the remainder of the article at my source below.)