Ingredients
- 1 gallon milk (do not use UHT/UP milk)
- 1 packet mesophilic cheese starter culture
- 1/4 rennet tablet or 1/4 tsp liquid rennet
- 1/8 tsp calcium chloride (optional)
- Cheese salt (optional)
Mesophilic Cheese Instructions
Mesophilic cultures are used for cheeses including Cheddar, Queso Fresco, traditional Quark, Farmer Cheese, and Colby. Read the full process before you begin, sanitize your equipment, and keep your thermometer close.
Before you start
Gather your ingredients and tools
Check every item before heating the milk. A steady temperature and clean equipment make the process easier to control.
Equipment
- Stainless steel pot with lid
- Wooden or plastic spoon
- Colander and bowl
- Long-blade knife
- Thermometer
- Tight-weave towel or butter muslin
- Cheese press
Milk matters: do not use UHT or ultra-pasteurized milk. This milk may not form a dependable curd.
Making Cheddar Cheese
Follow all 19 steps in order
Move gradually, use the exact temperature cues, and keep the curds moving gently during the cooking stages.
Temperature control: while warming the curds, increase their temperature by only 2–5°F every 5 minutes.
1
Culture and setBuild acidity, add rennet, and form a firm curd.
Warm the milk
In a large pot, slowly heat 1 gallon of milk to 85°F, stirring frequently.
Target 85°FSlow heat
Add calcium chloride, if using
For a firmer texture, mix 1/8 teaspoon calcium chloride into 1/4 cup water. Add it to the milk using up-and-down strokes. Do not stir in circles.
Add the starter culture
Remove the milk from the heat. Sprinkle the mesophilic starter culture over the surface and let it dissolve for 2–3 minutes. Thoroughly incorporate it into the milk, then let the mixture sit for 1 hour.
Dissolve 2–3 minRest 1 hr
Dissolve and add the rennet
Dissolve 1/4 rennet tablet in 1/4 cup water. Add the mixture to the milk using up-and-down strokes. Do not stir in circles.
Cover and form the curd
Cover the pot and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 1 hour, or until a firm curd has formed. The milk should appear solid.
2
Cut and cookCut evenly, warm slowly, and let the curds settle.
Cut the curd
Using a long-blade knife, carefully cut the curd into 1/4-inch cubes. Let the cubes sit for 5 minutes. Do not stir.
1/4-inch cubesRest 5 min
Warm the curds gradually
Warm the curds gently over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring continuously but gently. Increase the curd temperature by only 2–5°F every 5 minutes until the curds reach 100°F.
30 minTarget 100°F+2–5°F / 5 min
Why stir? Gentle stirring keeps the curds separated and helps them heat evenly.
Hold at 100°F
Once the curds reach 100°F, maintain the temperature and continue stirring for the next 30 minutes.
Hold 100°FStir 30 min
Let the curds settle
Stop stirring and allow the curds to settle to the bottom of the pot. This should take about 20 minutes.
3
Drain and cheddarDrain the whey, hold the curds warm, cube, and salt.
Drain the whey
Carefully spoon the curds into a colander lined with butter muslin. Allow the clear whey to drain away.
Hold the curds warm
Fill a sink or basin with 102°F water and place the pot and curds into it. Keep the curds near 100°F for 2 hours.
Water 102°FCurds 100°F2 hr
Cube the firm curds
After 2 hours, the curds should be shiny and very firm. Remove them from the pot and cut them into 1/2-inch cubes. Return the cubes to the pot, cover, and place the pot back in a sink filled with 102°F water.
Stir three times
After 10 minutes, stir the curds gently. Wait 10 minutes and stir again, then repeat once more for a total of three gentle stirs.
Every 10 min3 gentle stirs
Add the salt
Remove the pot from the warm-water bath. Add cheese salt, if using, and stir gently once more to distribute it.
4
Press the cheeseBuild pressure in three stages, flipping between presses.
First press
Line the cheese press with cheesecloth and carefully place the curds inside. Wrap the cloth around the curds and press at 10 pounds for 15 minutes.
10 lb pressure15 min
Flip and press overnight
Remove the cheese from the press, unwrap it, and flip it. Rewrap with a fresh piece of cheesecloth and press at 40 pounds for 12 hours.
40 lb pressure12 hr
Final press
Repeat the pressing process with slightly more pressure—about 50 pounds—and let it press for 24 hours.
About 50 lb24 hr
5
Dry, wax, and agePrepare a dry surface, seal the cheese, and let flavor develop.
Air-dry the cheese
Remove the cheese from the press and air-dry it for 2–3 days, until the surface is smooth and dry to the touch.
Air-dry 2–3 daysSurface fully dry
Wax and age
Wax the cheese and age it at 55–60°F for at least 60 days.
55–60°F60+ days
Smooth, sealed, and ready to age
The surface should be dry before waxing. Once sealed, keep the cheese in the stated 55–60°F aging range for at least 60 days.
Troubleshooting
Is this normal?
Use these process checks to identify where the batch may need more time or gentler handling.
The milk has not formed a firm curd
Give the covered milk a little more time before cutting. Confirm that the milk was not UHT/UP, the starter and rennet were fresh, and the temperature stayed close to the recipe target.
The curds are breaking apart while I stir
Stir more gently and make sure the cut curds rested for the full 5 minutes first. Rapid heating or forceful stirring can weaken the cubes.
The curds are heating too quickly
Reduce the heat immediately. During Step 7, the curd temperature should rise only 2–5°F every 5 minutes.
The curds are not shiny and firm after 2 hours
Check that the warm-water bath remains near 102°F and the curds remain near 100°F. Continue only when the curds have the firm visual cue described in Step 12.
The pressed cheese still feels damp
Do not wax a damp surface. Continue air-drying in a clean, protected area until the cheese is smooth and dry to the touch.
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Finish and mature
Age your Cheddar with confidence
The final stage is quiet but essential: dry completely, seal with wax, and keep the cheese in the correct aging range.
2–3 daysAir-dry until smooth and dry to the touch
55–60°FMaintain the recipe’s aging temperature
60+ daysMinimum aging time before evaluating the cheese
Before waxing
Inspect the surface carefully. Wax only after the cheese is fully dry to the touch so the finish can seal evenly.
Stuck? Ask a real cheesemaker.
Email the Cultures for Health team with your milk type, exact temperatures, timing, press weights, and a photo of the curd or finished wheel.
Keep learning
Make more cheeses with your culture
Continue building your cheesemaking skills with these official Cultures for Health recipes.
How to Make Gouda CheeseMake a washed-curd cheese with a creamy texture and tangy flavor.
Colby CheeseMake a mild, moist cheese with a supple texture.
Manchego CheeseExplore a firm Spanish-style cheese with a distinctive savory character.
Monterey Jack CheeseCreate a smooth, mild homemade cheese for slicing or melting.
Useful cheesemaking tools
Keep dependable equipment ready for accurate temperatures, clean draining, shaping, and aging.
Made your own Cheddar?
One gallon of milk, careful temperature control, patient pressing, and at least 60 days—you made it happen.