Description
Create your own delicious homemade pepper jack cheese with a spicy kick from fresh jalapeños.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 gallon fresh whole milk
- 1 cup chopped jalapeños or spicy peppers
- 1/4 teaspoon rennet
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/4 cup mesophilic starter culture
Instructions
- Heat the fresh milk in a large pot until it reaches 85°F (29°C).
- Add the mesophilic starter culture and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Incorporate the rennet, stirring gently for 30 seconds, then let it sit for 60–90 minutes.
- Cut the curds into small, uniform pieces.
- Heat the curds to 105°F (40°C) over 30 minutes while stirring occasionally.
- Drain the whey by pouring into a colander lined with cheesecloth.
- Mix in the chopped jalapeños and salt.
- Pack the mixture into the cheese mold and press to remove excess whey.
- Air-dry in a cool place until a rind forms, then refrigerate.
Notes
For best results, ensure all tools are sanitized and maintain accurate temperatures during the process.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 120 minutes
- Category: Cheese
- Method: Cheese Making
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 oz (28g)
- Calories: 100
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: pepper jack cheese, homemade cheese, cheese making, spicy cheese, jalapenos