QUESO FRESCO Cheese (cultured)
Recipe is for 2 gallons of Whole Milk
Queso Fresco is a mild fresh cheese that is soft and slightly tangy and is a popular cheese in
Mexico. It is a great topping for tacos and other Mexican Foods. A similar ‘cousin’ is Cojita,
which is harder and grates more easily but takes a bit more time to make.
Making Queso Fresco: you’ll need to be able to PRESS your cheese as part of the process!
Ingredients Needed
2 Gallons of Whole Milk
¼ tsp Liquid Calcium Chloride (unless using non-pasteurized milk)
¼ tsp LyoPro MD Mesophilic Starter (can also use MM 100 Series)
¼ tsp Microbial Vegetarian Rennet (can also use ¼ tablet if using tablets)
1 oz of Kosher Cheese Salt
You’ll also want to have on hand:
Milk Thermometer, whisk, colander
Curd Knife
Cheese Cloth (60 grade)
Small Cheese Mould with Lid Follower (see our Tomme Moulds) - 2
Cheese Press (need to press up to 25 lbs - shop our presses)
Directions:
- Warm milk slowly to between 88 – 90F (recommend Double boiler method) and hold at this temp
- Add the ¼ tsp Calcium Chloride if using pasteurized milk – stir in gently
- Add ¼ tsp culture (LyoPro MD); allow to dissolve a couple of minutes and then stir in
- gently with a whisk in an up and down motion keep milk & culture at 90F for 45 minutes (ok if bounces around 88-92F) dilute ¼ tsp of your rennet (or ¼ tab) in ¼ cup water and then sprinkle across top of milk, stir in gently in up and down motion with our whisk. Do not over stir when adding.
- Still keeping the milk warm (88-90F), but with the stove off, allow to sit for 45 minutes and then check for a clean break; if you don’t get a clean break wait another 15 minutes.
- Use your curd knife to cut the curds into pieces- cut across one way, then the other, and then cut the longer pieces into smaller ones. Target 1 /2” or smaller 3/8” cubes- smaller curds will give you a more dry style of cheese.
- After cutting- let curds ‘rest’ (sit in the whey) for 5 minutes undisturbed.
- NEXT you will raise the temp and ‘cook the curds’- put your warmer back on and stir your curds gently while the temp goes back up to 90F. It takes about 1 HOUR to slowly raise the temp and to stir the curds pretty much ongoing. If you warm the temp a bit more to about 93F you’ll get a drier cheese (which you might want)
- Now take the pot off the heat, and allow the curds to rest in the whey again.
It’s time to move the curds to your cheese cloth lined colander; you can remove as
much of the whey as you are able before scooping curds out to the colander so it’s
easier to get the curds transferred. We recommend using a Curd Scooper which makes
it easy to scoop your curds and allows whey to drain out of the scoop.
Note- keep temp around 70-75F (pretty much room temp) and allow the curds to drain
in the colander for a half hour.
Some cheese makers like to add spices or flavorings to their Queso Fresco such as
peppers or herbs- adding after draining thoroughly is a good time to mix those in if you
are using any. (curds are still in colander in cheese cloth)
SALT the curds- sprinkle in ½ oz and work into the curds, then sprinkle in the other ½ oz
and work in again using KOSHER CHEESE SALT – no iodine, no anti-caking additives etc.
(curds are still in the colander and the cheese cloth)
FORM and PRESS your Curds:
Line your moulds with damp cheese cloth and split the curds into two even amounts,
and gently scoop into the moulds. Try to keep the amount in each mould about even.
Note- our HARDWOOD DUTCH CHEESE PRESS is perfect for pressing and also has a
draining tray that allows you to press next to a sink where they whey drains right off.
For TWO SMALL MOULDS you can stack one on top of the other and press.
1 st Press- 5 lbs for 30 minutes- this is to express additional whey
2 nd Press- 10 lbs for one hour. If you are stacking the moulds swap them after 30
minuts.
3 rd Press- 5 hours at 25 lbs pressure; during this time swap the moulds twice during
the press time, and when swapping the top/bottom mould ALSO flip the cheese.
(the curds are still in the cheese cloth so it’s easy to flip the cheese)
Gently remove cheeses from the moulds and unwrap from the cheese cloth and …
YOU’VE DONE IT- you’ll have two beautiful Queso Fresco Cheeses!
(Note – you can also use ONE LARGER MOULD and make a single cheese)
This cheese is not meant to be aged; you can allow it rest overnight in your cheese cave but it’s
ready to enjoy!
Store in the refrigerator- wrap in plastic wrap or paraffin to keep from drying out.
