How to Make Parmesan Cheese

How to Make Parmesan Cheese How to Make Parmesan Cheese Though the making of parmesan cheese is one of the easiest among all cheeses but one needs to be patient while trying to make it at home. It needs to be kept in mind that parmesan cheese takes about five months to form completely and hence one must bear with the time duration. In this article we shall learn about the process of making parmesan cheese at home. Before starting with the preparation method, we need to collect certain ingredients that are necessary for this purpose. They are as mentioned below:

¼ tablet of rennet
3 oz. thermophilic starter culture
1 gallon of fresh skimmed milk
Salt and water solution
Cheese grater
Whisk
Cheesecloth lined colander
Cheesecloth lined mold

After having gathered the above mentioned ingredients, we can proceed with the preparation method of parmesan cheese. Have a look at the step by step guide given below that can help you understand the method in a better manner:

You shall have to begin by warming the milk. Make sure the temperature of the milk reaches 100 degrees while you are warming it and then add the thermophilic starter culture to it. You should now allow the mixture to ripen a bit for about an hour or so. Take some cold water in a bowl and mix in it the ¼ tablet of rennet. Dissolve the tablet in the cold water and then add the solution to the milk. Keep on stirring this solution constantly for about 5-6 minutes. You can take the help of a wire whisk to stir the mixture.
Set aside the milk solution for about one and half hours. This is the time when the curd will start forming. After the curd forms properly, you shall have to cut the curd into ¼ cubes. Allow the cut cubes of the curd to settle down a bit for about 10 minutes. This is the time when the temperature of the milk should be raised up to 124 degrees. Make sure that you keep on stirring the curd all along this time so that they do not stick together. Ensure that the temperature does not rise beyond 124 degrees and that the curd becomes firm. The whole process can usually take about half an hour to complete.
You shall now have to drain out the whey by using a cheesecloth lined colander onto a cheesecloth lined mold. Start pressing the cheese at about 10 lbs for half an hour. Flip the cheese and then again press it at about 25 lbs for another half an hour. Keep on continuing the flipping and pressing process with the cheese for about 12 hours. After the elapse of twelve hours, take the cheese and place it in a cold brine solution. Make sure that the cheese remains in the salt and water solution for about 30 hours. After the completion of 30 hours, you can remove the cheese and dry it.
This cheese has to be now kept inside the fridge for about five months. However make sure that the cheese is flipped every alternate day for the first few weeks and then once every week. You can grate the cheese when it is ready to be used.