# Cheese makers opinions please



## mlktrkdrvr (Dec 7, 2012)

I need to know what kind of Rennet to buy. This will be my first attempt at making cheese. What is easiest to use, lasts the longest and gives best results? I plan to order from Hoeggers later today. Thanks


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I use the liquid vegetable rennet.... lasts long and sets up fast


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I prefer the liquid too.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

No wonder Ive never had success! I tried the solid rennet & gave up.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I'm very new to cheese making and everything I read said it was easier with liquid. So that was what I did and I had success the first time.

I would also encourage new cheesemakers to get "A Cheesemaker's Journey" by Mary Jane Toth. I had bought other books but was just afraid to try. Her steps are so easy to follow and it was wonderful having success the first time around.


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

I went to new england cheese company. I did buy liquid rennet. For beginners they have pre made cultures- I started with the goat chev. It was very easy that way.


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

I use vegetarian rennet in pill. I haven't had any issues with it, and you can freeze the tablets that make them last longer.

I don't have any experience with liquid rennet. 

I also get my supplies at New England Cheesemaking Supply Company. they sell easy to use kits, and will respond if you have any issues/questions.


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## mlktrkdrvr (Dec 7, 2012)

I am going to start off easy- just making the mozzarella at first. I am also thinking about getting Thermophilic Starter Culture and the citric acid. Other than the book is there anything else?


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

I don't have a book. www.cheesemaking.com website has great recipes. I just go by that. I've made their 30 min mozzarella with goats milk with great success. i'm horrible at pulling cheese (very heavy handed), so the final product wasn't professional, but very edible and tasty!

I've also bought their yogurt cultures that were great. but now I just make kefir.


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## FarmerJen (Oct 18, 2012)

DANG IT! I asked the same question the other day and got different (and fewer) replies. I bought the tablets as they had a much longer shelf life. I think it said they were good for 2yrs, where the liquid said it was good for 6mo if properly refrigerated. 

At least I think it was only 10 tablets... so I can try liquid next time. Just wasn't sure how much cheese I'd actually make in 6mo. I tend to jump into things like and get way in over my head. LOL "SURE I've got time to make 100lb of cheese, while working full time, being a single mom and tending to the goats and the garden! NO PROBLEM!!! I should get some sheep and start spinning my own wool to make my clothing with too! And maybe grow my own grain for flour!!"


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

The tablets can last up to 5 yrs if u put it in the freezer. I've had mine for almost 3 and they still work. 

Don't forget u should grow some cotton too....just to even things out. Lol


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You can use the liquid rennet longer than 6 months. You just have to make it stronger. You can test it to see how much you need.


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## Rev144 (Jan 22, 2011)

I get the Organic Vegetable Rennet in liquid . The small bottle last me a long time and I make cheese about 3 to 4 times a week. It is also double strength, so when it calls for 1/2 tsp you only have to use 1/4. I did not know that the first bottle and my farmers cheese would come out small chunks. But now it comes out very soft and moist. Be careful on the other rennet stuff. It has some nasty ingredients in it.

Try making farmers cheese. It only takes about 30 minutes actual time and is ready to eat after it hangs.

Also, if you dont have kefir going, buy some buttermilk culture. You will need that to add to the ingredients.

http://www.cheesemaking.com/OrganicVegetableRennet.html


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## FarmerJen (Oct 18, 2012)

Yeah, I got vegetable rennet - but in tablets. Should be arriving today. I'm curious who ever thought to try putting animal rennet in milk to see what happens.  Of course... I wonder stuff like that about a lot of our food items. Jello being the other real "now WHO thought of THAT?" one.  

Are there other ingredients your talking about though? 

And what exactly is kefir? I've seen it... but have no idea what it is or what it's used for.


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

FarmerJen said:


> Yeah, I got vegetable rennet - but in tablets. Should be arriving today. I'm curious who ever thought to try putting animal rennet in milk to see what happens.  Of course... I wonder stuff like that about a lot of our food items. Jello being the other real "now WHO thought of THAT?" one.
> 
> Are there other ingredients your talking about though?
> 
> And what exactly is kefir? I've seen it... but have no idea what it is or what it's used for.


regular rennet comes from one of the stomachs of mammals. i bet you back in the day, someone slaughtered an animal, used one of the stomachs to store milk, and one day found that the milk had curdled. as for jello....i have no made up story on that one! lol

kefir is kind of like yogurt, and it's a fermented milk drink. there's no need to heat the milk like is required for yogurt. you can just put raw milk in a jar, put the kefir grains in it, mix, and leave it in a cupboard for 24 hrs - voila! kefir! strain, and repeat. super easy. it's not as thick as yogurt though, but you can strain the whey out to and have thicker kefir. the grains can keep forever, and multiply rigorously.

i use kefir for my morning smoothie. I've also strained it and used it as normal yogurt, made tzaziki with it, use it as sour cream, etc. I've also kefired cream and made kefired butter. SOOO good with sourdough!

btw - i like fermenting things!


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## RichV (Jun 2, 2013)

FarmerJen said:


> ... Of course... I wonder stuff like that about a lot of our food items. Jello being the other real "now WHO thought of THAT?" one.
> 
> r.


In my mis-spent youth I cooked in a barbecue restaurant and saw gelatin render out of bone-in meats many times. Sugaring and fruit flavoring it had to have been a leap, but maybe happened when a fruit glaze mixed with the gelatin in the bottom of the pan.


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## FarmerJen (Oct 18, 2012)

Yeah... I just can't think why anyone would see that and think... "gee, let's add some fruit and sugar to that goop that came out of those bones and eat it for dessert!"


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## FarmerJen (Oct 18, 2012)

I started another thread with this? but maybe you know. Where do cheese cultures come from? As a vegetarian, do I need to be selective? Or are they all non animal based? I didn't realize they were needed for most hard cheese.


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## mcsage (Jun 21, 2013)

I'm new at cheese making too, about a year or so experience. So far I've had the best results with the vegetable liquid rennet. 

Just had a nice turnout with a fresh batch of chèvre. Yum!


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## mlktrkdrvr (Dec 7, 2012)

when you hear about "goat cheese" in recipes- what kind are they talking about?


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

FarmerJen said:


> I started another thread with this? but maybe you know. Where do cheese cultures come from? As a vegetarian, do I need to be selective? Or are they all non animal based? I didn't realize they were needed for most hard cheese.


This is my unresearched guess - since most cheeses r fermented with either a bacteria or mold/fungus, scientists have probably isolated the bacteria/fungus and grew them in some milk, and freeze dried them. I think what you should ask how they come to be

Regular rennet comes from lining of a mammal's stomach, usually calf, so you'll probably want to go for vegetarian version, although I'm not sure how they're made either....


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## lottsagoats (Dec 10, 2012)

I get mine from New England Cheese. They always have fresh, quality products.

I prefer the liquid animal rennet. I have used the animal rennet pills with great results, but the liquid is easier. The pills have to be quartered and soaked in a small amount of warm water until dissolved. The liquid you just drop a few drips out and you're done.

I have bought from Hoeggars before but it just didn't seem to be as fresh. I LOVE New England Cheese.


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## lottsagoats (Dec 10, 2012)

Animal rennet comes from the lining of a calf, kid or lambs stomach. Hundreds of years ago, they would slaughter a milk fed animal and fill the stomach with milk. The milk would set and curdle, so they had soft cheese.

If your a vegetarian, the vegetable rennet is the way to go.

Cheese are made from cultures, molds, vinegar and bacterias. I'm not sure how that fits into a vegetarians diet. I know my mom, who is a vegetarian, eats cheese. If you called New England Cheese, they will explain everything to you.


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

At least I think it was only 10 tablets... so I can try liquid next time. Just wasn't sure how much cheese I'd actually make in 6mo. I tend to jump into things like and get way in over my head. LOL "SURE I've got time to make 100lb of cheese, while working full time, being a single mom and tending to the goats and the garden! NO PROBLEM!!! I should get some sheep and start spinning my own wool to make my clothing with too! And maybe grow my own grain for flour!!" [/QUOTE]

Too funny, I can so relate!


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## ahead-by-a-hare (Jan 6, 2013)

I am new too! I got tablets from my local bulk food. I have made some good cheese. Some better than others but I think it is my technique that needs work. But I got to do something with all this milk!


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## fibromom (Mar 31, 2013)

I just finished making my 1st goat cheese OUT OF MILK today. It was so "whey" easy! Guess I made what some call "farmer cheese." It's now hanging in its cheesecloth and will be ready for me to add my herbs and spices soon. From there, it will go in the fridge... if there's any left over after we all sample it and I take some to my mentor/neighbor. 

3 QUARTS OF GOAT'S MILK makes very little cheese! I need a huge, stainless steel pan so that I can double the batch next time.


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## billmac (Sep 8, 2008)

I've never tried the liquid but the tablets are just fine. I store them in the freezer and just pop one out when i need it.


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## lottsagoats (Dec 10, 2012)

About 13 years ago I tried my hand at making cheese. I found I really didn't have the time and I just dumped everything in the kitchen drawers and/or freezer. The cultures and rennet tabs went into the freezer.

A couple of weeks ago I decided to mess around with the cultures and rennet that I found still in my freezer. They still work great at regular strength! My freezer is 1/2 full of soft goat cheese right now. I was given a couple of cheese cake recipes I am going to try it with. I've mixed in fresh strawberries in with some and will be adding blueberries when they ripen. I want to practice on the soft cheese and try to slowly build a small cheese room on the old cement pad outside my back door so I can work on making hard cheeses.

I LOVE cheese. 80% of my daily diet is dairy in some form. This will feed my addiction!


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