Today, I’ll be showing you how to make Parmesan cheese at home using our simple yet tried and tested recipe.
That’s not all,
To fully appreciate Parmesan cheese, you need to know its history, my favorite baked chicken Parmesan recipe and of course some nutritional facts. That and much more, let’s get to it!
Parmesan Cheese Recipe
To learn how to make Parmesan Cheese at home, you will need the following ingredients;
- Ten litres of skimmed cow’s milk.
- Lipase (as per the manufacturer’s instructions).
- A quarter teaspoon of thermophilic starter culture.
- 5mls of rennet diluted in a quarter cup of water.
How To Make Parmesan Cheese At Home
- Warm the milk up to 33°C
- Add in the lipase and starter cultures then stir thoroughly.
- Cover the milk and leave it to ripen for about 15 minutes.
- Add in the diluted rennet and then stir thoroughly.
- Leave it to set for about 45 minutes while ensuring that the temperature holds at 33°
- Keep checking for a clean break.
- Afterwards, carefully cut the curd into equal 1 centimetre cubes then leave them for 10 minutes.
- Heat the curds to raise the temperature to 46°C over 45 minutes.
- Stir regularly, reducing the curds to the size of grains of rice (I stir with a whisk to achieve this)
- Line your cheese mold with cheesecloth and gently ladle your curds into the mold.
- Press at 5kgs for 30 minutes.
- Remove from mold, redress and press at 10kg for 2 hours
- Remove from mold, redress and press at 20kg for 12 hours
- Again, remove from mold, redress and press at 10kg for 12 hours
- Remove from the cheese from the mold and the cheesecloth.
- Soak it in saturated brine for 24 hours.
- Pat dry and age at 85% humidity at 14 degrees Celsius
- Turn it daily for the first 2 weeks.
- After 2 months have elapsed, rub the cheese with olive oil to prevent the rind from drying out.
Aging Your Parmesan
You should age it for at least 10 months. Cheese connoisseurs, however, recommend preferably aging it for 12 months before enjoying it.
Benoît Prieur – CC-BY-SA
How To Store Parmesan Cheese
If you want to keep it fresh, proper storage is absolutely necessary. It should be wrapped in plastic wrapping and put in the refrigerator. Parmesan that has prolonged exposure to air starts to turn white and the rind starts to thicken.
What Is Parmesan Cheese?
Also referred to as Parmigiano Reggiano, is perhaps the most revered of Italian cheeses.
Parmesan is a hard, granular cheese that has been produced in and around the province of Parma in Italy for at least the past eight centuries.
Naming cheeses after their place of origin is a concept that dates back to the Roman Empire. It is made using unpasteurized cow’s milk. The cows are allowed to graze on fresh grass and hay.
The earliest mention dates back to 1254 when an Italian Noble lady from Genoa traded her house for a guaranteed annual supply of 53 pounds of cheese.
The French and Italian Nobles had close ties and soon enough Parmesan found its way to France. By the close of the 14th century, it had travelled from the Parma-Reggio region over the Apennine mountains to Tuscany.
From there, ships leaving from Livorno and Pisa carried the precious cargo to many other Mediterranean ports.
Photo Nerodiseppia
Parmigiano Reggiano PDO Certification
Parmigiano Reggiano is legally the only hard cheese that can be called Parmesan. European courts acknowledged the historical fact that the cheese has its origins in the Parma-Reggio region of Italy.
The European court’s ruling meant that it needs to conform to the Protected Designation of Origin standards for Parmigiano Reggiano.
Earlier on in 1954, the pioneering alliance of Italian cheese makers renamed their organization the Consorzio Del Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Since then, the official name of the cheese stuck as Parmigiano Reggiano, which is indicated by pin dots imprinted on each wheel’s rind.
Members of the Consorzio Del Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano follow strict production standards and work together to market Parmesan while protecting the name from would-be imitators.
Parmesan Cheese Taste
Genuine Parmesan can be described as having a hard, gritty texture. It has a nutty and fruity taste that can be used to identify imitations. Fake or inferior products marketed as Parmesan has a bitter taste.
Parmesan Substitute
Piave is as close to Parmesan as you can get. It is similar in texture and flavor.
Pecorino Romano is another suitable replacement that is perfect for grating well on pasta.
Grana Padano is the third best Parmesan alternative. It has a mild flavor and is less crumbly.
How To Use Parmesan Cheese
Parmesan can be used to make a wide variety of tasty gourmet meals. You can shred (grate) it, this being the most popular method, shave it, cut or slice it and even use it as a powder. My all time favourite recipe is below.
A simple yet surprisingly tasty recipe you can put together in under an hour. This recipe is similar to what you’d find in a restaurant with the only exception being there’s less sauce and tons of flavor.
How To Make Chicken Parmesan
With some boneless chicken breasts, some breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese and some herbs you can create a taste experience unlike anything else you’ve tried in the past.
I like to fry my chicken breasts till they’re crispy and golden brown before throwing on the herbs and cheese then baking it for 20 minutes at 450F. One word, perfection.
Wine Pairings
Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, and Merlot are some of the wines you should pair this exceptional Italian delight with.
Parmesan Nutrition
A 100 gram slice contains 431 calories of which Proteins form 27%, Carbohydrates 13%, and Fats 60%.
Also containing Calcium, Iron, Vitamins D, B-6, B-12, and Magnesium.
Can I eat Parmesan cheese when pregnant?
As far as pregnancy and safety go, it is safe for consumption by expectant women. But always check with your health care professional.
Being a hard cheese, it contains way less moisture hence is unlikely to support any bacterial growth.
I hope you enjoyed learning how to make Parmesan cheese at home. Please share your stories and pictures with us.
Do you have any questions, comments or suggestions with how to make Parmesan cheese? Join the discussion over at the Curd Nerd Forum. We love to hear from you!
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More Hard Cheese Recipes
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Manchego Recipe
Colby Cheese Recipe
Edam Recipe
Emmental Cheese Recipe
Farmhouse Cheddar
Gouda Cheese Recipe
Monterey Jack Recipe
Vacchino Romano Cheese Recipe
FAQs
The production
The milk slowly and naturally coagulates with the addition of rennet and a whey starter, rich in starter cultures, from the previous day's processing. The curd which forms is then broken down by the master cheese-maker into minuscule granules using a traditional tool called “spino”.
How to age parmesan cheese at home? ›
Converting a regular or dorm sized refrigerator is a good way to age cheese at home. The temperature in a refrigerator can be easily controlled with a regulator like our refrigerator thermostat. Simply plug it in and set the temperature to 52-55F.
What are the ingredients in parmesan cheese? ›
It's amazing that parmesan is made with the same four ingredients – milk, salt, bacteria cultures, and rennet – like nearly every other cheese on the planet. And yet cheesemakers create cheeses as different as cheddar, gouda, mozzarella, swiss, and gorgonzola from these basic building blocks.
What are the rules for parmesan cheese? ›
In particular, Parmesan must be made of cow's milk, cured for 10 months or more, contain no more than 32% water, and have no less than 32% milkfat in its solids.
Can parmesan be made without rennet? ›
The good news is yes. Because although the enzyme that comprises rennet is always animal-based, there are now vegetable-based enzymes—obtained by soaking plants like artichokes or thistles—and microbial-based substitutes, which are made from mold enzymes extracted in a lab.
What makes a good parmesan? ›
Do you know what makes. Parmigiano Reggiano® so good? Parmigiano Reggiano must be made with completely natural ingredients, using a centuries-old process, in a geographical area of Italy so carefully defined that you can make Parmigiano Reggiano in one area of Bologna but not another.
How to make your own grated Parmesan cheese? ›
Cut the cheese into several cubes. No special knife skills needed! Toss the cubes into the blender and pulse until the cheese is broken down into your desired size. That's it.
What gives Parmesan cheese its flavor? ›
The basic fraction of Parmesan cheese contains mostly heterocyclic nitrogen-containing compounds, such as alkylpyrazines. These compounds have characteristic nutty, roasted, and cocoa-like aromas.
Does it take 2 years to make Parmesan cheese? ›
Parmigiano Reggiano has three reference maturations: 12-18 months, 22-28 months, over 30 months.
How to get rennet? ›
Here is the procedure to follow in order to obtain excellent rennet paste at home:
- Recover a nursing lamb/kid abomasum.
- Remove the fatty parts at the ends of it.
- Salt the abomasum with coarse salt while still fresh.
- Dry the abomasum in a dry place for a month.
- Open it and extract the contents (grass, fur, soil, etc.)
It's made using a centuries-old process with just three simple, natural ingredients: milk, salt, and rennet. The milk is heated and the starter and rennet are added to allow the milk to slowly and naturally coagulate and form curds. These curds are broken into tiny granules, then cooked so they become one single mass.
What kind of milk is used to make Parmesan cheese? ›
Parmesan cheese is traditionally made from cow's milk and is aged at least 12 months. Whole milk and naturally skimmed milk are combined and then distributed into copper vats for heating. During the two-step heating process, additional ingredients like whey and rennet are added to form the curd.
What happens if you don't refrigerate Parmesan cheese? ›
Soft cheeses such as cream cheese, cottage cheese, shredded cheeses, and goat cheese must be refrigerated for safety. As a general rule, hard cheeses such as cheddar, processed cheeses (American), and both block and grated Parmesan do not require refrigeration for safety, but they will last longer if kept refrigerated.
What not to put with Parmesan? ›
You see, in Italy, Parmesan cheese is reserved for pasta dishes with tomato-based sauces, cream sauces, and meat-based dishes. Adding Parmesan cheese to a seafood-based dish, like spaghetti with clams, is a big no-no. It's like adding ketchup to a steak or pineapple on a pizza – it just doesn't belong!
Does Parmesan cheese go bad? ›
A whole, unopened block of Parmesan cheese can last seven to nine months in the refrigerator, and a whole opened block of Parmesan cheese will last one to two months. A container of grated Parmesan cheese will last about one week in the refrigerator. When Parmesan turns yellow or begins to get moldy, it has spoiled.
What's the difference between Parmesan and parmigiano? ›
The main differences between parmesan and Parmigiano-Reggiano are their aging processes and how their ingredients are regulated. For a cheese to be classified as Parmigiano-Reggiano, it must come from particular regions of Italy and contain only certain approved ingredients.
What can I use instead of rennet? ›
Currently, there are three types of enzymes used as animal rennet substitutes on a regular basis in an amount that depends on production region and cheese type: microbial-derived coagulants, plant-derived coagulants, and fermentation-produced chymosin.
Why can't vegetarians eat Parmesan cheese? ›
So why isn't Parmesan cheese vegetarian? Great question. In this case, it has to do with the use of something called rennet, which is pretty crucial to the Parmesano-Reggiano production process. Rennet is usually taken from the fourth stomach of a relatively young grazing animal like calves, goats, or lambs.
What are the three ingredients in Parmesan cheese? ›
True Parmigiano-Reggiano is a storied cheese with a tightly controlled process and simple recipe. It has only three ingredients: fresh milk from the Parma/Reggio region of Italy, salt, and rennet.
Is sargento Parmesan cheese real? ›
Sargento® Shredded Parmesan Cheese is always shredded fresh from blocks of real, natural cheese. This 5-oz. package of Sargento® Shredded Parmesan Cheese contains 1-1/4 cups of shredded cheese.
While Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, and Grana Padano may seem similar, each one has its own unique profile. If you want to use your cheeses in the best possible way, it's important to get to know them. Chef Brown is here to share some advice on how to showcase these three types of Parmesan cheese on a menu.
What is rennet made of? ›
Animal rennet is derived from the stomach of a calf, lamb or goat while their diets are still limited to milk, this is typically 90% pure chymosin. Vegetable rennet is made from a type of mold (Mucur Miehei). However, even though it is derived from mold, there is no mold contained in the final product.
Is Parmesan cheese made from stomach lining? ›
Parmesan cheese is made with animal rennet which is an enzyme that comes from the fourth lining of the stomach of animals, typically calves, goats, and lambs. The animal is usually killed in the process. The rennet is then taken and dried so it becomes solid.
What are the steps in the process of making cheese? ›
The fermentation of milk into finished cheese requires several essential steps: preparing and inoculating the milk with lactic-acid-producing bacteria, curdling the milk, cutting the curd, shrinking the curd (by cooking), draining or dipping the whey, salting, pressing, and ripening.
Is Parmesan cheese natural or processed? ›
Popular types of natural cheeses include unripened (e. g., cottage cheese, cream cheese), soft (e. g., Brie, Camembert), semi-hard (e. g., Brick, Muenster, Roquefort, Stilton), hard (e. g., Colby, Cheddar), blue veined (e. g., Blue, Gorgonzola), cooked hard cheeses (e. g., Swiss, Parmesan), and pasta filata (stretched ...
