Learn how to make homemade large curd cottage cheese by following these simple steps to get a creamy homemade cottage cheese with large, tender curds every time.
If you have ventured into cheesemaking then you may have tried some introductory small curd homemade recipes that require the use of vinegar or lemon juice to curdle the milk.
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Farmer’s cheese and small curd cottage cheese are all non aged soft cheeses that can easily be made at home. They can easily be specialized to suit certain dietary needs such as lactose intolerance, A1 dairy sensitivities, or a low fat diet.
The texture of small curd cottage cheese may be a bit different than what you were expecting and you are ready to attempt a larger curd cheese which requires the use of rennet, calcum chloride, as well as direct-set mesophilic starter or 4 ounces prepared mesophilic starter. This type of cheesemaking is suitable for making hard cheeses and larger curd cheese.
Purpose of rennet in cheesemaking
Large curd cottage cheese is slightly less acetic than it’s small curd counterpart and requires the use of an enzyme called rennet to create the larger curd size. Rennet comes in both liquid and tablet form. If purchasing in tablet form, you will need to dilute it in water prior to use.
Purpose of calcium chloride in cheesemaking
Milk that has been pasteurized may have decreased amounts of calcium needed to help the milk coagulate when the rennet is added. The addition of calcium chloride ensures there’s enough calcium present for the curds to form properly.
Purpose of a direct-set mesophilic starter
Direct set mesophilic starters are a one time use culture that provides cheese with essential beneficial bacteria for proper flavor and texture.
Cost
Due to the addition of rennet, calcium chloride, and direct set mesophilic starter, the initial startup cost of making a large curd cottage cheese is more than if making a small curd cottage cheese, however if you have an interest in cheesemaking then you will use these products time and again (with the exception of the one time use direct set mesophilic starter) so the cost will be minimal in the long run. But it is definitely more expensive than small curd cottage cheese or even purchasing from the store.
You can purchase rennet and calcium chloride from reputable online cheese shops or from Amazon. Here are the current prices listed on Amazon for each:
- Liquid rennet (2 oz): $13.99
- Rennet tablets (pack of 100): $24.98
- Calcium chloride (1 lb): $11.99
- Direct Set Mesophilic Starter (5 pack): $11.99
Now that you know the basic principles of making a large curd cottage cheese you are ready to get started.
This large curd homemade cottage cheese recipe is adapted from the Home Cheesemaking book by Ricki Carroll.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, certain types of soft cheeses like cottage cheese and farmer’s cheese can be made using an acid instead of rennet. However, if you are wanting a hard cheese or large curd cheese, it will require the use of rennet.
Rennet is an enzyme that is used in cheesemaking to coagulate milk to form a large, thick curd. Rennet can be animal or plant based and comes in many forms including liquid, tablet, or a paste.
Calcium chloride is not required when making acid based cheeses. However, if you are making rennet based cheeses, using calcium chloride provides additional calcium required to properly form curds if using calcium depleted pasteurized milk.
A direct set mesophilic starter is one time use culture that provides needed beneficial bacteria for proper fermentation and formation of cheese curds.
How To Make Homemade Large Curd Cottage Cheese
Equipment
- 1 large heavy pot with lid
- 1 Food Thermometer
- 1 slotted spoon
- 1 large colander
- 1 Cheese cloth or tea towel
- 1 Large bowl or pot
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 Airtight storage container
Ingredients
- 1 gallon pasteurized milk skim or whole
- ⅛ teaspoon calcium chloride
- ¼ cup water
- 1 package direct-set mesophilic starter or 4 ounces prepared mesophilic starter
- ¼ teaspoon liquid rennet or ¼ teaspoon rennet tablet dissolved in ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt more or less per preference
- ½ cup cream or half and half optional
Instructions
- Add one gallon of whole milk to a heavy pot.
- Heat the milk to 72 degrees Fahrenheit over very low heat. Your are just trying to bring the milk to room temperature.
- While the milk is heating to 72 degrees Fahrenheit dilute ⅛ calcium chloride in ¼ cup water.
- Add ¼ cup diluted calcium chloride and mesophilic starter to the milk and stir well.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the diluted rennet mixture and gently stir.
- Cover the pot with a lid and let it set at 72 degrees Fahrenheitif your home is cold then plug in a crockpot full of water and set the pot near it) for 4-8 hours until the curds form.
- Cut the curds into ½ inch cubes and allow to set for 10 minutes.
- Place the pot on very low heat until the temperature reaches 80 degrees Fahrenheit, gently stirring the curds.
- Increase the heat very slightly and continue stirring until the temperature reaching 110 degrees Fahrenheit. The slower you raise the heat, the more tender the cheese curds will be.
- Maintain the temperature at 110 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes until the curds are cooked through, stirring gently every few minutes.
- Turn off the heat and allow the curds to rest for 5 minutes.
- Place a large colander into a large bowl and line the colander with cheese cloth or a tea towel.
- Transfer the curds to the cloth lined colander using a large slotted spoon. Allow the whey to drain from the curds.
- Wrap the curds in the cloth and rinse the curds, still wrapped in the cloth, under cool running water.
- Place the curds back in the colander and allow the curds to dry for several minutes.
- Move the curds to a clean bowl and break up any matted pieces.
- Stir in the salt and cream or half and half per preference.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days, making sure to use the cottage cheese before the expiration date on the milk used to make the cottage cheese.
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