Parmesan problem

[mammabooh]

I posted this down below in the dairy forum also, but figured I'd get more responses here...

I started a batch of parmesan this morning with 2 gallons of goat milk. When at the step of adding the rennet and stirring in an up and down motion for two minutes, it separated and now the "curds" look like a big blob of ricotta. Is there anything I can do to save it? What went wrong?

FYI...I make ricotta, queso blanco, cottage cheese, and yogurt often, but very rarely attempt hard cheeses (so I'm pretty much a novice).

[Alice In TX/MO]

Twenty swirls of the spoon, not two minutes of stirring.
Sorry for short reply. Baby sleeping in lap. One thumb typing.

[Cyngbaeld]

Just go ahead and drain it thru your muslin, hang and press. Nothing wrong with it.

[mammabooh]

Thanks. I did go ahead and drain it and press it. I'm on the 2-hour press right now.

I tried making parmesan a year or so ago, but aged it in the fridge. I was scraping off so much mold, that I figured it would be about the size of a quarter by the time it was done aging and I tossed it. I'm going to age it in the basement in my little room under the outside steps this time...I hope for a better result!

[Cyngbaeld]

Hope it turns out for you.

[countrygal]

That's happened to me!

I also just hung it and we ate it fresh. My kids sometimes prefer what I call my "mistake cheese."

I don't generally stir as long as they say, because I'm paranoid it will happen again.

Let us know if you find out anything.

countrygal

[Alice In TX/MO]

Minimum stirring so the curd can begin to form a solid mass.

I tried to make Mozz the other day (after years of NOT trying again), and it wound up as ricotta, too.

[Hannah90]

Haha, after reading many cheese blogs/forums, it would seem ricotta is the common "mistake cheese." Hope it turns out for you. I would love to venture into hard cheeses someday.