Vinegar Vs Lemon Juice For Making Soft Cheeses

Vinegar and lemon juice are both popular choices when making homemade soft cheeses such as cottage cheese or farmers cheese.

Cheeses can be produced using either and acid, like vinegar or lemon juice, or an enzyme called rennet.

When making acid based soft cheeses, vinegar and lemon juice are often used interchangeably but are they really equal? Let’s find out.

Jump to:

• Soft cheeses that can be made with vinegar or lemon juice
• Acetic Acid vs Citric Acid
• Considerations when choosing vinegar vs lemon juice for cheesemaking
• Conclusion
• Frequently Asked Questions

Soft cheeses that can be made with vinegar or lemon juice

Soft, small curd cheeses can be made using distilled vinegar, white wine vinegar, or lemon juice. Cheeses that require a larger curd may need an enzyme called rennet, to increase coagulation. Homemade cheeses that are well suited for the use of lemon juice or vinegar include:

• Full fat cottage cheese
• Chevre
• Farmer’s cheese
• Paneer
• Nonfat cottage cheese

Acetic Acid vs Citric Acid

Vinegar is an acetic acid. The most popular vinegar for cheesemaking is either distilled white vinegar or white wine vinegar, both of which has an acidity of around 5-6%. Lemon juice is a citric acid which can have an acidity range of 5-8% so it important to note that lemon juice may be a more powerful coagulator than vinegar.

The general rule of thumb is to use 1.5 times the amount of vinegar than lemon juice however, this can vary.

Considerations when choosing vinegar vs lemon juice for cheesemaking

There are many considerations when deciding if vinegar or lemon juice is the best choice. The following are some of the most common things to think about before the cheese making process begins. At the end of each category, I have listed the winner. After taking all of these things into consideration there was a clear winner.

• Texture. Each cheese has it’s own texture that can be altered with the type of acid used. Vinegar tends to result in a firmer curd while lemon juice produces a softer curd. Lemon juice may be superior for delicate cheeses such as ricotta as it results in a smoother, creamier texture. Winner: Both
• Flavor. Each will have it’s own flavor profile that you will only know by trial and error. In general lemon juice results in a more mild yet sweeter flavor whereas vinegar is more tangy and robust. However, white wine vinegar is more mild than distilled so it may act more like lemon juice in this instance. Winner: Both
• Product availability. Do you only have one of them at home? Is the grocery store out of lemons or vinegar? The good news is vinegar tends to last a while and is used for many around the house. In general, it is likely more people have vinegar sitting in their cabinet compared to a fresh lemons. Winner: Vinegar
• Amount needed. In general it is much easier to use ¾ cup of vinegar than it is to squeeze ½ cup of fresh lemon juice (less lemon juice is needed than vinegar). It takes a lot of lemons to make ½ cup. When I tested this, it took 5 lemons to produce ½ cup of lemon juice. For this reason alone many choose to use vinegar over lemon juice. Winner: Vinegar
• Cost. There is fairly substantial price difference between ¾ cup of vinegar and ½ cup of fresh lemon juice with vinegar being around 1/10 or less of the cost of fresh lemon juice. Winner: Vinegar

Conclusion

Due to it’s lower cost, availability, versatility, and ease, vinegar wins. However, both vinegar and lemon juice can create a great soft cheese. It ultimately comes down to personal preference and circumstances. Trial and error will be your greatest tool when determining which one to use.

Do you have a favorite? I would love to hear so please comment!

Frequently Asked Questions