Queso Fresco

Queso Fresco is a fresh, crumbly cheese that is especially popular in Latin America. Although it is mild tasting on its own, when used in cooking it can easily acquire other flavors, such as spices, herbs, fruits. Crumbled, grated, sliced and melted, this cheese provides a salty and tangy flavor, along with the ability to offset heat from chiles and spices.

Difficulty level: beginner
Type of milk: cow
Cheese style: fresh-soft
Cheese type: queso-fresco

Steps

1. Instructions
Please insert the plastic drainer into the heating pot. Then add the Soft cutter/mixer on the shaft by pushing it down as far as possible.
2. +Milk
Please add: 3 liter of pasteurized cow milk.
3. +Ingredients
Please add:
5 drop(s) of Fromaggio Calcium Chloride Boost4. Mix
Time: 00:18:00
Temperature: 32 °C
Speed: 30 RPM
5. +Ingredients
Please add:
2 g of Fromaggio GoldStart Mesophilic Culture6. Mix
Time: 00:40:00
Temperature: 32 °C
Speed: 50 RPM
7. +Ingredients
Please add:
2 g of Fromaggio Microbial Rennet for Hard Cheese
Tip: Mix rennet in 1/8 cup (30 ml) of room-temperature bottled or filtered water.
8. Mix
Time: 00:00:30
Temperature: 32 °C
Speed: 100 RPM
9. Heat
Time: 00:45:00
Temperature: 30 °C
Speed: OFF
10. Cut
Temperature: OFF
Cut Size: Soft
11. Heat
Time: 00:05:00
Temperature: OFF
Speed: OFF
12. Cut
Temperature: OFF
Cut Size: Soft
13. Mix
Time: 00:12:00
Temperature: 32 °C
Speed: 50 RPM
14. +Ingredients
Please add:
2 g of Fromaggio Salt for Cheesemaking15. Drain
To drain, lift up the drainer by the handle. Put the mesh strainer on top of the heating pot, and the drainer inside of the mesh strainer
Time: 07:00:00
Tip: Drain at room temperature (68-77F or 20-25C).
16. Instructions
Transfer into a container and refrigerate.
17. Instructions
Enjoy! ps. Why throw away all that wonderful whey? See our blog post on some amazing uses for whey, including making more cheese! https://fromaggio.com/blogs/cheese-blog/what-to-do-with-all-that-leftover-whey