Butter Cheese Recipe

Step 1

Warm milk to 102F.

Step 2

Add culture. Stir 2 minutes. Cover and maintain temperatures 40 minutes.

Step 3

Stir in rennet 30 seconds. Coagulate 30 minutes. Check for clean break.

Step 4

Cut curds ½”. Heal curds 5 minutes.

Step 5

Heat 2 gallons water to 125F.

Step 6

Stir the curds for 20 minutes, maintaining temperature. Settle the curds for 5 minutes.

Step 7

Remove half of the whey. Stir the curds to break up any clumps.

Step 8

Using your mug or measuring glass, add warm water to the original level till temp is 108F, stirring with each addition to keep the curds from clumping.

Step 9

Stir the curds more quickly than before for 10 minutes. Allow them to settle to the bottom for 10 minutes.

Step 10

Transfer the curds to your prepared mold lined with cheesecloth. Place the follower on top of the curds in the mold. Instead of putting the mold into your press, put it back into the whey.

Step 11

Press under the cheese under the whey at about 5 lbs for 15 minutes. (I fill a half gallon mason jar with water and set it on top, rebalancing it as necessary.)

Step 12

Remove the mold from the whey. Remove the cheese from the mold. Flip it, redress, and put it back into the mold.

Step 13

Press the cheese in your press at 15 lbs for 30 minutes.

Step 14

Flip and redress the cheese and press at 25 lbs overnight.

Step 15

Create an 18% saturated brine (½ gallon water or whey to 1 ¼ lbs of salt). Cool to room temperature.

Step 16

Brine the cheese for 16 hrs; flipping halfway.

Step 17

Air dry 3-4 days, turning twice daily.

Step 18

Vac seal the cheese and age one month