Can I make cheese without rennet?

[Duer 157099]

My local Grocery Outlet store has this incredible deal on boxes of Pacific brand Organic Milk ($0.99/half gallon!)



and so I was wondering if it would make good cheese, but I don't have any rennet (plus, I've never made cheese).

I've got some calcium lactate, calcium chloride, plus the usual acids (lemon juice, vinegars) and probably various versions of vitamin C.

Using just what I already have at home, can I test a batch to see if this milk makes good cheese?

[The empressof all]

1. You can make Paneer or Ricotta

Here's an easy Ricotta recipe using lemon and salt with whole milk

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Recipes/Make-Ricotta-Cheese-957/Homemade-Ricotta-Cheese-989.aspx


I have always used only milk that is not ultra pasteurized. If you have milk that is ultra pasteurized you may have some difficulty in getting curd.

[Duer 157099]

5. Woot, I found some rennet at my local store

Yay, now I'm going to try to make some mozzarella with that milk! If I hadn't asked here, I would have probably just gone ahead without the rennet and been disappointed when I tried to use the cheese on pizza, lol.

I don't know if it's ultra pasteurized but I doubt it, but the proof is in the cheese, so I should know soon enough.

:thumbsup:

[surrealAmerican]

2. You can, but only the non-melting varieties.

Like The empressof all said paneer and ricotta, and also "farmer cheese", are all curdled with lemon juice. They're a great choice for a first-time cheese-maker too.

I've read that ultra-pasteurized milk just doesn't curdle, though. If that's what's on sale, maybe you'd rather try making yogurt.

[Warpy]

3. And if you make yogurt, you can wait until it sets up well

and then drain it in a colander lined with several layers of cheesecloth.

Yogurt cheese and kefir cheese are both wonderful, tart and tangy young cheeses that are excellent for making spreads.

In fact, I prefer kefir cheese to cream cheese when I can find it.

[The empressof all]

4. And if Yougurt doesn't interest you how about Custard or Frozen Custard

1 quart milk
3/4 c. sugar
3 eggs
1/4 honey or maple syrup


Combine all ingredients well.

Cook in a double boiler until thick, Cool and then

Add one tsp. vanilla extract and put mixture into an ice cream freezer. Freeze as you would ice cream.

[hippywife]

6. I just make the soft cheeses.

I love to get some fresh goat milk and make yogurt with it, then I drain it in a potato sack towel that is attached to the top of a large jar with a rubber band and hangs about half way down into the jar(I'm talking industrial size pickle jar I brought home from a Dem Party fundraiser.) I screw the lid on and put it in the fridge to drain. Delicious goat cheese!