Kamil Perry
String cheese is a fun, healthy snack that is easy to pack in a lunchbox. It is made from mozzarella cheese that has been stretched and dried out to make it stringy. The first string cheese was made by Frank Baker in Wisconsin in 1976. To make string cheese, raw milk is turned into mozzarella, which is then stretched and shaped into long rods. The more the mozzarella is stretched, the better its layers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Milk, culture, rennet |
| Process | Milk is curdled, then shaped into long rods |
| Type of Cheese | Mozzarella |
| Texture | Stretchy, stringy |
| Taste | Bland if not salted |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
String cheese is made from mozzarella
Mozzarella is naturally stringy, and this is enhanced when it is made with low-moisture milk. The drier the cheese, the more easily it falls apart, and the more stringy it becomes. String cheese is made with low-moisture milk, and then dried out, which makes it stringy.
To make string cheese, raw milk is first pasteurized to kill bacteria. Then, a cheese-specific bacteria culture is added to the milk, creating a curds-and-whey mixture. The whey liquid is drained from the curds, which are then rinsed. The clean curds are then heated and put into a cooker vat, from which they emerge as mozzarella. The mozzarella is then stretched and pulled to make it stringy, and then shaped into long rods.
Crowdie Cheese: A Traditional Scottish Treat, Made Simple
You may want to see also
It's stretched to make it stringy
String cheese is made by stretching mozzarella to make it stringy. The more you pull and stretch the hot mozzarella before it hardens or breaks, the better its layers. The strings themselves are formed from milk proteins aligning during the kneading process, similar to how gluten forms in bread.
Mozzarella is naturally stringy, and this quality is enhanced by reducing milk fat and moisture. The drier it gets, the easier it is to pull apart. This is why string cheese is made with low-moisture milk and dried out, unlike fresh mozzarella, which is kept in water or brine.
When making string cheese, raw milk is heated to 140°F (60°C), causing the milk proteins to move around and line up together in a row. This process gives string cheese its characteristic stringiness.
The stretching and shaping of mozzarella into long rods or sticks is a crucial step in making string cheese. Once the desired stringiness is achieved, the cheese can be chilled in a bowl of cold water to firm up.
It is worth noting that the quality of string cheese heavily relies on the stretching process. If the cheese doesn't pull apart easily, it may indicate that it wasn't stretched enough. In such cases, remelting and restretching the cheese can help achieve the desired stringiness.
Goat Cheese: A Historical Culinary Delight
You may want to see also
It's made with low-moisture milk
String cheese is made with low-moisture milk. It is a fun, tasty, and healthy snack, often packed in children's school lunches. It is also known as mozzarella string cheese or cheese sticks. The first string cheese was made by Frank Baker of Wisconsin's family-owned Baker Cheese in 1976.
String cheese is made from mozzarella cheese, which is naturally stringy and gets stringier with less milk fat and less moisture. The cheese is extruded through a tube to give it its final tubular shape. The strings are formed from proteins aligning during the kneading process, similar to how gluten forms in bread. The more the hot mozzarella is pulled and stretched before it hardens or breaks, the better its layers. If the cheese does not pull apart, it was not stretched enough, and can be remelted and restretched.
To make string cheese, raw milk is first pasteurized to kill bacteria. Then, a cheese-specific bacteria culture is added to the milk to create a curds-and-whey mixture. The whey liquid is drained from the curds, which are then rinsed and dumped into a cooker vat. The curds come out the other end as a giant glob of mozzarella cheese. The curds are heated to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius), causing the milk proteins to move around and line up together in a row.
Mozzarella is then stretched a bit extra to make it stringy, and shaped into long rods, usually in 1 oz sizes. The sticks are then chilled in a bowl of cold water to firm up.
The Laughing Cow Cheese: Ingredients and Nutrition Facts
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Curds are heated to 140°F/60°C
To make string cheese, the curds are heated to 140°F/60°C. This is a crucial step in the cheese-making process as it causes the milk proteins to move around and line up together in a row. This alignment of proteins is what gives string cheese its characteristic stringy texture.
The curds are formed from a mixture of milk, culture, and rennet, which is an enzyme that turns the milk into a thick curd. The whey liquid is then drained from the curds, and the clean curds are placed in a cooker vat. The curds are heated to 140°F/60°C, causing the milk proteins to align and form long, stringy strands.
This heating process is specific to the creation of string cheese and is not typically done when making fresh mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella is made with higher moisture milk and is kept in water or brine, resulting in a softer and smoother texture. On the other hand, string cheese is made with low-moisture milk and is dried out, giving it its signature stringy consistency.
The curds are heated gently to ensure they do not burn or overcook. Once the desired temperature is reached, the heating is stopped, and the curds are ready for the next step in the string cheese-making process. This step involves stretching and shaping the cheese into long rods, which are then chilled in cold water to set their shape.
Overall, heating the curds to 140°F/60°C is a critical step in making string cheese as it creates the unique stringy texture that defines this popular snack.
The Making of Paraguay Cheese: A Step-by-Step Guide
You may want to see also
It's a healthy, fun snack
String cheese is a healthy, fun snack! It's easy to toss into a lunchbox and is a great alternative to other store-bought snacks. It's made from mozzarella cheese, which is stretched to make it stringy. The more you pull and stretch the mozzarella before it hardens, the better its layers.
Mozzarella is naturally stringy, especially with less milk fat and moisture. The cheese is pushed through a tube to give it its final tubular shape, and the strings are formed from proteins aligning during the kneading process. It's a combination of milk, culture, and rennet, an enzyme that turns milk into a thick curd.
String cheese is a great source of calcium, vitamin B12, and selenium, which are essential for building strong bones and a healthy immune system. It's also a good snack option for kids, as it's easy to eat and can be paired with crackers and fruit.
Making your own string cheese at home is a fun project and can be a healthier, more cost-effective alternative to store-bought versions, which often contain fillers and preservatives. Homemade string cheese also reduces plastic waste, as it doesn't need to be wrapped in individual packaging.
Cheese Strings: Unraveling Their Cheesy Composition
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
String cheese is made from mozzarella cheese, milk, culture, and rennet, an enzyme used to turn milk into a thick curd.
String cheese is made by heating the curds to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius). Once it reaches that temperature, the milk proteins move around and line up together in a row. The cheese is then extruded through a tube to give it its final tubular shape.
The strings in string cheese are formed from proteins aligning during the kneading process. The more you pull and stretch the hot mozzarella before it hardens or breaks, the better its layers.
