Andy Montoya
Parmesan cheese, also known as Parmigiano Reggiano, is a hard, granular cheese that has been produced in Italy for centuries. It is made using unpasteurized cow's milk, and the long aging period of at least 10 months gives it its distinctive sharp flavour. Preparing Parmesan cheese at home involves several steps, including preparing a starter, heating and curdling the milk, cutting and cooking the curds, pressing and brining the cheese, and finally, aging it. The process requires specific ingredients and equipment, as well as careful sanitation and temperature control, to ensure a successful final product.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Skimmed cow's milk, lipase, thermophilic starter culture, rennet |
| Milk preparation | Heat milk to 32°C or 87°F, add calcium chloride solution, starter, and lipase solution |
| Renneting | Stir in diluted rennet for 2 mins, cover and set for 30 mins or until "clean break" |
| Cutting the curd | Cut curd into 6mm or 1 cm cubes, heat at 2°C every 5 mins until 38°C, stirring often |
| Pressing the curd | Place curd in mold, press with 10-12 lbs weight, increase to 25 lbs as whey runoff slows |
| Aging | Store at 10-12°C and 85% humidity for 8-12 months, turning daily for 2 weeks then weekly |
| Brine | Soak cheese in brine for 24 hours, then coat with oil and store in refrigerator |
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What You'll Learn
Prepare the starter and milk
Preparing the starter and milk is the first step in making Parmesan cheese at home. Parmesan, or Parmigiano Reggiano, is a hard, granular cheese that has been produced in Italy for at least eight centuries. It is made using unpasteurized cow's milk, although you can use pasteurized milk at home. The process of making Parmesan cheese is long and intricate, but the steps for preparing the starter and milk are as follows:
Firstly, make sure all your equipment is sanitized. Begin by boiling any durable tools, as well as your milk pot, in 2-3 inches of water for 10-15 minutes. Lay out your sanitized tools, moulds, colander, and draining cloth.
The day before you begin making the cheese, prepare a "Thermophilic Culture" starter. You can use both the TA61 and LH100 cultures, or 1/4 teaspoon of thermophilic starter culture. If using lipase, add 1/4 teaspoon of lipase powder to cool water and allow it to set for 20 minutes.
Now you can prepare the milk. Heat your milk to 32°C or 87°F. If using, add the Calcium Chloride solution, then add your prepared starter and any lipase solution. Cover the milk and leave it to ripen for about 30 minutes to an hour.
Next, gently stir in the diluted rennet with an up-and-down motion for at least 2 minutes. Cover and leave for 30 minutes to an hour, or until you get a clean break. To test for a clean break, slide a knife into the curd at an angle and lift it; if the curd breaks cleanly and whey runs into the crack, you have a clean break.
Your starter and milk are now prepared and ready for the next steps of making Parmesan cheese!
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Rennet and curd formation
Rennet is an important ingredient in the process of making Parmesan cheese. It is a mixture of enzymes that helps to coagulate milk, separating it into curds and whey. The curds are then used to form the cheese, while the whey is drained off.
To make Parmesan cheese at home, start by preparing the milk. Heat the milk to 32°C or 87°F. Add in the lipase and starter cultures, stirring thoroughly. Cover the milk and leave it to ripen for about 15–30 minutes.
Next, it's time to add the rennet. Gently stir in the diluted rennet with an up-and-down motion for at least 2 minutes. Cover the mixture again and let it set for about 30–45 minutes, or until you get a "clean break". The "clean break" is when you can slide a knife into the curd at an angle, and the curd breaks cleanly around the knife, with whey running into the crack.
After the rennet has set, carefully cut the curds into equal-sized cubes. The recommended size varies, with some sources suggesting 6mm cubes, while others recommend 1cm cubes. Heat the curds at a rate of 2°C every 5 minutes until you reach 38°C, stirring often. Leave the curds for about 10 minutes.
Now, transfer the curds to a prepared mold. Press them firmly into the mold by hand, but be careful not to break the curd mass. Begin pressing with a cheese press and a small amount of weight (10-12 lbs). As the whey runoff slows, increase the weight to 25 lbs. The initial pressing will take about 1 hour.
Remove the curd from the press, turn it, and re-dress it in the cloth at 10–15-minute intervals during the first hour. Keep the cheese warm (80–85°F) to allow the culture to continue working and producing acid as the curd mass cools to 80°F.
Press the cheese again with no weight and hold it overnight in the mold without a cloth, maintaining a temperature of 75–80°F. The next day, remove the cheese from the mold and place it in a small plastic box or container to keep it from drying out.
The cheese will now be held for 2 days as the culture finishes working before the final salting in brine. Prepare a brine solution using salt and water, and soak the cheese in the brine for 24 hours at room temperature. Then, remove the cheese from the brine, pat it dry, and begin the aging process.
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Pressing and moulding
Once you have prepared the curd, it's time to press and mould your cheese. Sanitation is extremely important during this step, as your cheese will be aging for a long time.
First, transfer the consolidated curd mass to your prepared mould. It should have formed a smooth surface. Press it firmly by hand into the mould, but be careful not to break the curd mass. Begin pressing with the follower in place. Apply just enough pressure to keep a thin trickle of whey running from the curd mass (10-12 lbs). As the whey slows, increase the weight to 25 lbs. Remove the curd from the press, turn it, and redress it in the cloth at 10-15 minute intervals for the first hour. The culture will not be active at this point, so keep the cheese warm (80-85°F). As the curd cools from 112 to 80°F, the culture bacteria will produce the final acid development.
After pressing for 4 hours, release the weight and hold the cheese in the mould overnight, without the cloth. The temperature should be held at 75-80°F. The cheese can be removed from the mould the next morning, but be careful not to let it dry out. A small plastic box with a cover works well for storage.
The cheese will now be held for 2 days as the culture finishes working before the final salting in brine. A simple brine formula is 300g of salt to 800ml of water. Bring the brine and cheese to 50-55°F before using. The cheese should be placed in the brine solution for about 4 hours per pound of cheese.
After about 1-2 weeks, the rind should harden and mould will not grow as readily. A light coat of oil will also discourage mould growth and make it easier to remove. The cheese will be somewhat earlier in ripening and should show good character at about 12-14 months. Age the cheese at 55° to 60°F for at least 8 months, turning daily for the first two weeks and then weekly after that. Remove any mould with a cloth dipped in vinegar or saltwater. After 2 months, rub the surface with olive oil to keep the rind from drying.
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Brining
After brining, the cheese is removed from the brine and patted dry. It is then placed on a clean cheese board and stored at a temperature of 10-12°C and 85% humidity for at least 10 months. During this time, it is important to turn the cheese daily for the first two weeks and then weekly thereafter. If any mould appears, it should be removed with a cloth that has been dampened with vinegar or saltwater.
The brining process is crucial in developing the flavour and texture of the Parmesan cheese. It helps to preserve the cheese and enhances its flavour during the long ageing process. The salt in the brine also acts as a natural preservative, inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria and extending the shelf life of the cheese.
The duration of brining can vary depending on the desired saltiness and texture of the final product. Some recipes call for 12 hours of brining, while others suggest 24 hours or even longer. The weight of the cheese also plays a role in determining the brining time, with a general guideline of about 4 hours of brining per pound of cheese.
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Aging
Parmesan is a hard, granular cheese that has been produced in and around the province of Parma in Italy for at least the past eight centuries. Its unique flavour is developed during its long aging period.
To prevent mold growth, it is recommended to coat the cheese with olive oil or coconut oil on a daily basis. If mold does appear, it can be removed with a cloth that has been dampened with vinegar or saltwater. After approximately two months of aging, the cheese's surface should be rubbed with olive oil to prevent the rind from drying out.
The aging period for Parmesan cheese is a lengthy process, with a minimum duration of 10 months. However, cheese connoisseurs suggest that 12 months of aging will result in a more desirable flavour. Some sources even suggest aging for 12 to 14 months to achieve a good character in the cheese.
Proper storage is crucial to maintain the freshness of aged Parmesan cheese. It should be wrapped in plastic wrapping and stored in the refrigerator. Prolonged exposure to air will cause the cheese to turn white and the rind to thicken.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need 10 litres of skimmed cow's milk, lipase, a quarter teaspoon of thermophilic starter culture, and diluted rennet.
First, heat the milk to 32°C or 87°F. Next, add the thermophilic culture and lipase, and stir well. Cover and allow to ripen for 15 to 30 minutes.
Parmesan cheese should be aged for at least 8 to 10 months, but cheese connoisseurs recommend ageing it for 12 months.
To keep your Parmesan cheese fresh, wrap it in plastic wrapping and store it in the refrigerator.
