# Rennet???



## pugsbrew (Oct 31, 2019)

I have not made cheese before.  I want to make some mozzarella to start.  Questions, animal rennet vs veg rennet, any real difference?  Liquid vs tablet vs powder?

Thanks


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## gmc2003 (Oct 31, 2019)

I've never made cheese, but @Holly2015 has. Maybe he'll be able to help you out.

Chris


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## Slow42 (Oct 31, 2019)

Pugsbrew animal rennet is in my opinion better than vegetable but both will work. Some people are put off on how animal rennet is made. I have used the Junket tablets in the past without much success. Maybe it was the milk as holly2015 suggests. It’s a lot of work to find that the process failed because of bad ingredients. You may want to try making some cheeses that doesn’t require rennet only vinegar to start. It’s hard to screw up and the process of heating the milk is the same and it will give you an idea of how delicate the process is. And for heavens sakes watch the milk carefully all the time spillover is a bear to clear up.


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## SmokinVOLfan (Oct 31, 2019)

Here is a good tutorial by Al for making mozzarella

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/homemade-mozzarella-its-so-easy-plenty-of-q-view.114544/


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## pugsbrew (Nov 1, 2019)

Yep, this is one that I'm looking at.  Does not look difficult, until I try it.



SmokinVOLfan said:


> Here is a good tutorial by Al for making mozzarella
> 
> https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/homemade-mozzarella-its-so-easy-plenty-of-q-view.114544/



And Holly, thanks for the tips!


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## pugsbrew (Nov 1, 2019)

Where do you all buy your animal rennet, and what form do you use?  Citric acid? 

Thx


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## Brokenhandle (Nov 23, 2019)

Another question on rennet... does liquid rennet lose its potency? We have made mozz following smokinal's tutorial several times with great success and loved it! (Thank you al!) But last couple trys failed,  only thing I thought was rennet isn't as potent anymore. 

Ryan


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## Slow42 (Nov 23, 2019)

Yes rennet does have a shelf life, between 6 months and several years depending of tablets or liquid.  You can test the rennet before you use it in a cup of milk. It’s been a long time since I’ve done this and I only did it on the tablets.  The fresh one I purchased formed a skim of sorts on the top and a bit of curd after a short period of time.  The bad tablets did not to the milk. That is nothing I could see anyway.


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