Simple Parmesan Cheese Recipe - Cultures For Health (2024)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 gallons skim milk
• 1/4 tsp.thermophilic starter culture
• 1/2 tsp.liquid rennetdissolved in ¼ cup cool water
• Cheese salt
• Olive oil (for rubbing)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat milk to 94°Fusing a hot water bath. The temperature should be brought up slowly, over about 20 minutes. When the milk is at 94°F, remove the pot of milk from the heat source.
2. Sprinklethe starter over the milk andallowit torehydratefor 5 minutes before whisking it in thoroughly.
3. Coverandmaintaintemperature for45 minuteswhile the milk ripens.
4. Addthe diluted rennet andslowly whiskin for 1 minute or so.Coverandallow to setfor45 minutes. When you have a clean break, use a whisk tocutthe curd into 1/4-inch pieces. Let the curds rest for 10 minutes.
5. Slowly raisethe temperature to124°F. This should take about an hour.Keep stirringto keep the curds from sticking together (matting) and to firm them up a bit. When the temperaturereaches 104°F, stop stirringandallowthe curds tosettleand mat for the duration of the heating period, or until the temperaturereaches 124°F. Once you have achieved this temperature,coverthe pot andmaintainthetemperature for 10 minutes.
6. Linea colander with dampbutter muslin. Suspend it over a large bowl or sink.Ladlethe matted curds into it, and let themdrain for 5 minutes.Transferthe curds (in thebutter muslin) to a 5-inchtomme moldor 8-inchcheese press. Let them continue todrainfor 10 more minutes.
7. Pull up the ends of thebutter muslinandfoldthe ends over the top of the curds.Placethe follower on top.Press at 10 pounds for 30 minutes.
8. Pull the cheese out of the mold,peelaway the cloth,flipthe cheese over, andrewrapit in the cloth.Pressagain at10 poundsbut this time for1 hour.
9. Remove, undress, flip,andre-dressthe cheese again.Placeit back into the mold andpress at 10 poundsfor12 hours.
10. While the cheese is being pressed, prepare a near-saturated brine (about 30-ounces of salt to 1 gallon of water) and put it into the refrigerator with a lid on it to chill. It should be about 50° to 55°F.
11. Remove the cheese from the mold and peel away the butter muslin. Take the brine out of the refrigerator andpourit into a container big enough to hold the wheel of cheese. Place the cheese in the brine and put the container of brine and cheese back into the refrigerator. Let the cheesesoak for 12 hoursin this manner, flipping it over halfway through the brining time.
12. Take the cheese out of the brine and pat it dry with a clean towel.Placeit on a cheese mat or drying rack. Let itdryat room temperature for1 to 2 days, or until it is dry to the touch. Continue flipping the cheese every now and again during this drying period.
13. Agethe cheese in a ripening box or cold cellar (at 50-55°F) for2 weeks,flippingonceevery day. After this time, continue toage for 3 months,flippingit once a week. After three months,rubthe entire surface of the cheese with olive oil. Continue torubwith oilevery 3 monthsof aging.
14. If any unwanted mold develops on the rind of the parmesan, use a bit ofcheeseclothwet in a vinegar water solution to wipe it away, and oil the cheese again.

If you are patient enough, this cheese is great if aged for up to a year, but you can eat and enjoy it around the 7-month point.Once the cheese has been cut into, it will store best if wrapped incheese paperand stored in the refrigerator.

Ready toLearn More?

• Overview of Cheese Cultures: Thermophilic and Secondary Starters
• Wrapping and Storing Different Types of Cheeses