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Fresh Homemade Mozzarella Stretched by Hand with Sea Salt

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A simple and rewarding recipe for making creamy, fresh mozzarella cheese at home using basic ingredients and a hand-stretching technique with sea salt for authentic flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 gallon whole milk (preferably not ultra-pasteurized)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons citric acid dissolved in ¼ cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon liquid rennet diluted in ¼ cup water
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons coarse or flaked sea salt
  • about 1 cup ice water

Instructions

  1. Warm the milk: Pour 1 gallon of whole milk into a heavy-bottomed pot. Slowly heat over medium heat to 90°F (32°C), stirring gently to avoid scorching, about 10-15 minutes.
  2. Add citric acid: Stir in the dissolved 1 ½ teaspoons of citric acid solution evenly. The milk may look slightly curdled or cloudy.
  3. Add rennet: Pour in the diluted ¼ teaspoon liquid rennet and stir gently for 30 seconds. Stop stirring and let the milk sit undisturbed for 5-10 minutes until it sets into a custard-like curd.
  4. Cut the curds: Using a knife, cut the curd into 1-inch cubes to release whey.
  5. Heat the curds: Slowly heat the curds to 105°F (40°C) over about 5 minutes, stirring gently to keep curds separated. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
  6. Drain the whey: Using a slotted spoon, transfer curds to a microwave-safe bowl, leaving whey behind. Optionally strain through cheesecloth for drier texture.
  7. Stretch the cheese: Microwave curds on high for 1 minute. Drain excess whey, then fold and stretch cheese with clean hands. Repeat microwaving for 30 seconds and stretching 2-3 times until shiny and elastic, about 5-7 minutes. Microwave briefly if cheese cools too much.
  8. Salt and shape: Sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt over cheese and fold in evenly. Shape into balls or logs.
  9. Cool: Place shaped mozzarella into ice water for 5 minutes to firm up and hold shape.

Notes

Use whole milk for best creaminess and stretch. Temperature control is key for proper curd formation and stretching. If cheese cools during stretching, microwave briefly to keep pliable. Salt after stretching for best texture and flavor. Can stretch cheese in hot water on stove if no microwave is available.

Nutrition

Keywords: fresh mozzarella, homemade cheese, hand-stretched mozzarella, sea salt mozzarella, creamy cheese, easy mozzarella recipe

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