CheeseXML 1.00
Simple rennet cheese
Ingredients
| Whole milk, not ultra-pasteurized | 0.5 gal |
| Milk kefir or yogurt (1/2 cup) | 0.5 cup |
| Liquid rennet (2–5 drops) | 4 drops |
| Non-iodized cheese salt | 1.5 tbsp |
Process
| # | Steps | Plan | Facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heat the milk to 38 °C Heat the vat to the culture temperature published for this make. | Heat · Milk preparation · Temperature: 38 °C | |
| 2 | Add culture Sprinkle the starter, rehydrate, then rest at temperature. | Step code · Ripening · Temperature: 38 °C · Time: 90 min · Addition: Amount: 0.5 cup; Rest: 2 min | |
| 3 | Add rennet, then wait floc × multiplier Dilute the coagulant, stir about 1 minute, remove the stirrer, then wait until a clean break (floc time × multiplier). | Step code · Coagulation · Temperature: 38 °C · Stir: Duration: 1 min · Until: Clean break · Addition: Amount: 4 drops; Dilute in: 0.25 cup | |
| 4 | Cut the curd Cut vertical, rest, then horizontal to the published grain size. | Cut · Cutting · Size: 25 mm · Curd cuts: Cut: Size: 25 mm; Wait: 5 min; Cut: Size: 25 mm · Settle: Duration: 5 min | |
| 5 | Heal the grain Let the grains rest so the cuts seal. | Step code · Healing · Time: 5 min · Settle: Duration: 5 min | |
| 6 | First stir Stir gently so the grains separate and do not mat. | Stir · Stirring · Stir: Duration: 5 min | |
| 7 | Draw whey and hoop Draw whey to the grain and fill the hoop. | Drain · Draining · Flips: Turn: After: 5 min; Turn: After: 15 min | |
| 8 | Salt Salt the curd or the wheel. | Salt · Salting |
Simple rennet cheese
Fresh cheese · Difficulty: 1
Batch scale
Scale factor:
Description
Colleen’s Grow Forage Cook Ferment beginner rennet cheese: 1/2 gallon milk plus 1/2 cup kefir or yogurt, 2–5 drops rennet at 100 °F, hang 24 hours. Soft at 100 °F / 10 minutes or firmer at 110 °F / 30–60 minutes.
Recipe details
- Style
- Fresh cheese
- Country
- United States
- PDO
- No
- Schema version
- 1.00
- Type
- Home recipe
- Vegetarian
- Yes
- Created
- 2026-09-09
- License
- CC-BY-4.0
- Author
- CheeseXML 1.00 reference set
- Units
- US
- Milk
- Cow milk, Pasteurized, Not homogenized
- Milk volume
- 0.5 gal
- Expected yield
- 0.5 lb
- Yield ratio
- 0.119826 ratio
- Active time
- 45 min
- Total time
- 26 h
- Scale
- For milk volume: 0.5 gal
Ingredients
- Whole milk, not ultra-pasteurized — 0.5 gal
Role: Base milk · Kind: Whole milk
- Milk kefir or yogurt (1/2 cup) — 0.5 cup
Role: Culture · Kind: Culture
Preparation: Time: 2 min; Instruction: Sprinkle on the milk surface and rehydrate 2 minutes before stirring in.
- Liquid rennet (2–5 drops) — 4 drops
Role: Coagulant · Kind: Rennet
Preparation: Dilute in: 0.25 cup; Instruction: Dilute in cool non-chlorinated water.
- Non-iodized cheese salt — 1.5 tbsp (Details: Salt: Salting in curd; Iodized: No)
Role: Salt · Kind: Salt
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pot
- Dairy thermometer
- Slotted ladle
- Butter muslin / cheesecloth
- Colander
- Slotted spoon
- Hanging bag
Process
Heat the milk to 38 °C
Heat · Milk preparation
Heat the vat to the culture temperature published for this make.
Temperature: 38 °C
Add culture
Step code · Ripening
Sprinkle the starter, rehydrate, then rest at temperature.
Temperature: 38 °C · Time: 90 min · Addition: Amount: 0.5 cup; Rest: 2 min
Add rennet, then wait floc × multiplier
Step code · Coagulation
Dilute the coagulant, stir about 1 minute, remove the stirrer, then wait until a clean break (floc time × multiplier).
Temperature: 38 °C · Stir: Duration: 1 min · Until: Clean break · Addition: Amount: 4 drops; Dilute in: 0.25 cup
Cut the curd
Cut · Cutting
Cut vertical, rest, then horizontal to the published grain size.
Size: 25 mm · Curd cuts: Cut: Size: 25 mm; Wait: 5 min; Cut: Size: 25 mm · Settle: Duration: 5 min
Heal the grain
Step code · Healing
Let the grains rest so the cuts seal.
Time: 5 min · Settle: Duration: 5 min
First stir
Stir · Stirring
Stir gently so the grains separate and do not mat.
Stir: Duration: 5 min
Draw whey and hoop
Drain · Draining
Draw whey to the grain and fill the hoop.
Flips: Turn: After: 5 min; Turn: After: 15 min
Salt
Salt · Salting
Salt the curd or the wheel.
Storage
Temperature: 4 °C; Shelf life: 7 d
Allergens
Allergen: Milk
Safety
Use milk that is not ultra-pasteurized. Pasteurize unknown raw milk. Sanitize equipment.
Source
Title: Simple Rennet Cheese Recipe; Creator: Colleen / Grow Forage Cook Ferment; Year: 2021; URL: https://www.growforagecookferment.com/simple-rennet-cheese-recipe/
Tags
Tag: For beginners; Tag: Ready the same day; Tag: Vegetarian