Problems and their elimination in homemade cheese processing
During cheese processing, everyone has common problems that arise during the processing process. However, remember that these problems are quite likely for you to experience from one moment to the next, considering that you are a beginner. But don't worry if your first efforts don't turn out exactly as expected. Some of the problems and how to avoid them are presented below:
The cheese will not return to its place.
This is most often caused by the very cold temperature during the fermentation phase. If you have left the cheese to ferment for 12 hours and there is no change in its firmness or the quality of your milk (which usually happens with soft cheeses), put the cheese in the oven and heat it to a low temperature. Check every 3 hours until the cheese reaches the desired consistency, drainage, and salt.
Temperature measurement.
Milk does not coagulate
The reason is that your milk might be old or perhaps pasteurized beyond the allowed limits. Another cause could be the rennet you use; it could be unstable or old. Try changing your milk, and if the problem persists, then buy new magenta.
Milk coagulates very quickly
The milk you are using may be very acidic. This can be caused by using too many cultures or an excessively long preparation period. You can fix this by using fewer starter cultures next time or try shortening the preparation time.
Bitter cheese
This is usually caused by two things: the cheese is not drained enough, or the cheese is not salted enough. Add a little extra salt, mix, and try to extract more whey. However, the cheese can also become very bitter with age. If your cottage cheese tastes bitter after three weeks, it is probably better to just throw it away.
Cheese that has become like rubber
There are two possible causes for cheese that has become rubbery. First, this can happen when an excessive amount of mill has been used. Use less mill next time. It can also happen if the cheese is overcooked, and all the fat goes downhill. If this has happened to you, do not throw the cheese as rubber, but use it for pizzas, where melted cheese goes a lot, or even on meatballs or various food items.
In conclusion
Above all, you need to keep trying. If your cheese hasn't turned out and isn't edible, try again. It's hard to miss out on ingredients (especially if you have a tight budget), but remember that once you hit the right technique for you, you will save a fortune and it will become an amazing product.
