Feta

For best results, please read recipe entirely before beginning.

Ingredients needed:

2 gallons of milk (if using goat or sheep milk, you may opt to omit lipase powder in this recipe)
¼-1/2 teaspoon of MA 11 OR MM series OR MT1 OR Feta Culture Type FT001
¼ teaspoon lipase powder (Use the LP 600 for a mild flavor)
½ teaspoon Calcium chloride plus additional ½ teaspoon Calcium chloride for the brine
½ teaspoon rennet (coagulant)
Water (non-chlorinated)
½ teaspoon vinegar or citric acid for the brine
1 cup non-iodized salt

Equipment:

Stainless-steel pot large enough to hold your milk (double-boiler set-up is best)
Thermometer
Measuring spoons
Large mixing spoon
Cheese mold(s), preferably basket-style
Long knife (blade approx. 9 to 12" or longer) for cutting curd
pH strips or pH meter (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat whole milk to 86 F in stainless steel pot. Initial pH should be at 6.5-6.7
    
2. Add ¼-1/2 Teaspoon of MA culture OR MM series OR MT1 OR Feta Culture Type FT001. Allow to sit on top of the milk for 3-5 minutes. Then stir into the milk.
    
3. Allow culture to ripen for 45-60 minutes. Keep pot covered to help maintain the temperature at 86 F. pH may not change during this time.
    
4. Add ¼ teaspoon lipase powder dissolved in ¼ cup non-chlorinated water.
    
5. Add 1/2 tsp of calcium chloride. Dilute in ¼ cup non-chlorinated water.
    
6. Add 1/2 tsp rennet/coagulant by diluting in ¼ cup cool, non-chlorinated water. Stir in an up and down motion 5-7 times. Allow the milk to stop moving and do not disturb the milk during the coagulation time.
    
7. Allow rennet time of 30-40 minutes, until the milk is coagulated.
    
8. Cut into cubes 1/2” by using a metal spatula or long knife. Cut the coagulated milk into cubes by cutting at a 45⁰ angle, from the left and then to the right and then turn the pot ¼ turn and repeat process.
    
9. Allow the curd to sit in the whey for 5 minutes to heal.
    
10. Start stirring the curd slowly and gently as it is very fragile at this point. 
     
11. Gently stir the curd for 20 minutes maintaining the temperature of 86°F. As the curd firms up you can start to stir faster and not as gently. 
     
12. Allow the curd to settle to the bottom of the pot prior to draining. Then, pour off as much whey as possible before the final draining of the curd in a basket-style mold.
     
13. Place curds in a mold/form and allow to drain for several hours, flipping the cheese within the molds a few times during this period to ensure a nice even-sized cheese. No weight (pressing) is needed for feta.
     
14. Drain for 6-8 hours. At this point the cheese should be firm.
     
15. Make salt brine:  Brine Recipe (light brine) = 1 cup kosher (non-iodized) salt per ½ gallon of cool tap water. Add 1 tsp of calcium chloride and 1/2 tsp of vinegar or citric acid. Target pH of this brine is 4.5-5.0 pH.