How To Make Your Own Mozzarella

Make Cheese Curds. The first step in making your own mozzarella cheese from scratch is to turn milk into cheese curds. Here is our homemade mozzarella recipe; it will walk you through the cheese-curd making process.

(Credit: Flickr/ilovebutter)

Cut the Curds. When you reach the point in the recipe where your cheese curds have set into a soft, custard-like consistency, cut a cross-hatch pattern into the curds using a long, sharp knife.

(Credit: Flickr/Rebecca Siegel)

Cook the Curds. Then, cook your curds to 105 degrees before draining of the liquid whey.

(Credit: Flickr/Deb Deppeler)

Heat the Curds. Once your cheese curds are cooked and drained, heat them until they can be stretched. You can even heat them in the microwave in 30-second intervals. You want to bring the curds to an internal temperature around 135 degrees.

(Credit: Flickr/The Keenes (aka Meechie)

Stretch the Mozzarella. Salt, stretch, and fold your cheese curds until they start to tighten and develop a glossy appearance. Then roll the cheese into the desired size ball and store in the refrigerator (wrapped tightly in plastic wrap) for up to a week.

(Credit: Flickr/Caspar Diederik)

Kristie Collado is The Daily Meal's Cook Editor. Follow her on Twitter @KColladoCook.