How to Make Parmesan Cheese (Italian Hard Cheese) at Home

Combine 10 liters of 1.3% fat milk and 4 liters of full cream milk in a pot.

Heat the milk to 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 Fahrenheit).

Sprinkle 3/8 teaspoon of thermophilic culture over the milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Stir the milk to mix the culture after 5 minutes.

Let the milk ripen for 45 minutes at 33 degrees Celsius.

Add 1/8 teaspoon of lipase and stir it through the milk.

Cover and let it ripen for another 15 minutes.

Dilute 3/4 teaspoon of calcium chloride in a quarter cup of non-chlorinated water and add it to the milk.

Add 3/4 teaspoon of liquid rennet and stir for no more than one minute.

Cover the pot and let the milk coagulate for 45 minutes.

Check for a clean break in the curd and allow to coagulate for an additional 10 minutes if needed.

Cut the curds into lentil-sized pieces using a balloon whisk.

Heat the curds while stirring continuously to 51 degrees Celsius (124 Fahrenheit) over the course of one hour.

After heating, let the curds settle for 5 minutes.

Drain the curds through a cheesecloth-lined basket.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Allergens