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:
- Heat whole milk to 86 F in stainless steel pot. Initial pH should be at 6.5-6.7
- 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.
- 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.
- Add ¼ teaspoon lipase powder dissolved in ¼ cup non-chlorinated water.
- Add 1/2 tsp of calcium chloride. Dilute in ¼ cup non-chlorinated water.
- 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.
- Allow rennet time of 30-40 minutes, until the milk is coagulated.
- 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.
- Allow the curd to sit in the whey for 5 minutes to heal.
- Start stirring the curd slowly and gently as it is very fragile at this point.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Drain for 6-8 hours. At this point the cheese should be firm.
- 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.