How to Make Mozzarella

Dilute the citric acid in 1 cup cool water. 

Combine the cold milk and the diluted citric acid in a large pot. Slowly heat milk mixture to 90° while stirring often. 

Dilute rennet in 1/4 cup cool water. 

Once milk is heated to 90° remove from heat and add diluted rennet. Stir to combine, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

Using your fingers you will be able to gently pull the curd away from the side of the pan and you can see the whey. Using a knife, cut the curd into 1″ squares.

Put the pan back onto the stove and heat the curds to 105° while stirring slowly. It will break the curds up some. This part I was so unsure about the first two times I did it, but it came together later. Once it reaches 105°, remove from heat and continue to stir slowly for 2-5 minutes.

Transfer curds to a colander over a bowl using a slotted spoon to drain off the whey. Once I got close to removing all the curds, I moved the curds from the colander to a microwave safe bowl and poured the rest of the whey and curds into the colander. 

Combine all the curds in the microwave safe bowl. In the bowl, knead the curds together like you would bread. It will not look like mozzarella at all, and it won’t be a solid mass. While you are kneading, drain off the whey. 

 Wrap cheese with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

After kneading for a couple minutes, heat curds in microwave for 1 minute. 

Remove from microwave; using a rubber spatula knead curds. Continue to drain the whey. Once the cheese is cool enough to use your hands, knead with your hands for a couple minutes. 

Microwave again for 35 seconds. Knead again and drain whey. Add salt to taste. I couldn’t find an exact amount but I used a 1/2 tsp.

Microwave again for 35 seconds. Knead. At this point it should be smooth like mozzarella. 

Stretch mozzarella like taffy for a couple minutes. Then form a ball and place in a bowl with ice water to cool it off. 

Wrap cheese with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Enjoy after it's cool.