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Vegetarian Rennet

Vegetarian Rennet – 50mL

$12.00

Vegetarian Rennet for cheesemaking

The rennet we use is the CHY-MAX vegetarian. Its roll in cheesemaking is to take the milk from a liquid form and coagulate it, or to set a curd. A set curd is like a milk jelly or junket.

Chymosin (also called rennin) is the enzyme used to produce rennet. The term ‘rennet‘ was originally used to describe the milk-clotting enzyme from a calf stomach, which contains chymosin (rennin)  the term ‘rennet‘ is used to describe milk-clotting enzymes.

Rennet plays a very important part in our cheesemaking. If it wasn’t for the discovery of rennet we would not have cheese! And what a terrible thought that is.

As with so many cheese things, there is a story.

The story goes, that many years ago a traveler was using an animals stomach to transport milk from one location to another. When they got to the end of their journey they discovered the milk had formed a curd, then separated into curds and whey. This gave the travellers something to eat and something to drink. As people started to travel and the knowledge of cheesemaking spread, they discovered the enzyme rennet in other mediums, such as the sap of a fig tree.

The rennet we use in our home cheesemaking is in a liquid form and is very strong. 1 ml can set 4 litres of milk into a curd.

The amount of rennet used will vary depending on the volume of milk, the temperature of the milk and the setting time required to turn the milk into a curd. The warmer, the milk the shorter the set time. Rennet must always be diluted in cool boiled water, before adding to the milk, and then stirred in thoroughly to ensure an evenly set curd.

So, what is the difference between rennets?

Plant-based rennet – Derived from the sap of a fig tree, nettles, artichoke and thistles. Plant based rennet can be a little challenging to work with, the strength of plant rennet isn’t always consistent. Knowing how much to add during the cheesemaking process to properly coagulate the milk can be difficult. The plant rennet can have an effect the flavour of cheese, this can be a good thing or not so good.
Microbial Rennet – Derived from moulds that produce a coagulating enzyme and are viewed as vegetarian appropriate. Vegetable rennets are derived from plants with coagulating properties and although today’s method of extraction may be new, the use of vegetable or plant material is itself quite traditional. There are regions of the world that have developed their cheesemaking traditions relying primarily on plants to coagulate their milk.
Animal rennet – Derived from the stomach of a calf, lamb or goat. The animals are not just used for the rennet but also for meat.
Not just hard cheeses have rennet in them. Most types of soft cheese and fresh cheeses are made using rennet as well. There are some exceptions, however, such as ricotta and quark, which do not contain rennet.

Details:

Our liquid Vegetarian Rennet needs to be store in the fridge once it arrives to you. Please do not freeze.

This 50ml jar will set approximately 200L of milk.

Certified Kosher, Halal, Vegetarian and GMO free.

Are you just starting out on making cheese at home from scratch? Why not try one of our home cheesemaking kits? 

 

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Description

Vegetarian Rennet for cheesemaking

The rennet we use is the CHY-MAX vegetarian. Its roll in cheesemaking is to take the milk from a liquid form and coagulate it, or to set a curd. A set curd is like a milk jelly or junket.

Chymosin (also called rennin) is the enzyme used to produce rennet. The term ‘rennet‘ was originally used to describe the milk-clotting enzyme from a calf stomach, which contains chymosin (rennin)  the term ‘rennet‘ is used to describe milk-clotting enzymes.

Rennet plays a very important part in our cheesemaking. If it wasn’t for the discovery of rennet we would not have cheese! And what a terrible thought that is.

As with so many cheese things, there is a story.

The story goes, that many years ago a traveler was using an animals stomach to transport milk from one location to another. When they got to the end of their journey they discovered the milk had formed a curd, then separated into curds and whey. This gave the travellers something to eat and something to drink. As people started to travel and the knowledge of cheesemaking spread, they discovered the enzyme rennet in other mediums, such as the sap of a fig tree.

The rennet we use in our home cheesemaking is in a liquid form and is very strong. 1 ml can set 4 litres of milk into a curd.

The amount of rennet used will vary depending on the volume of milk, the temperature of the milk and the setting time required to turn the milk into a curd. The warmer, the milk the shorter the set time. Rennet must always be diluted in cool boiled water, before adding to the milk, and then stirred in thoroughly to ensure an evenly set curd.

So, what is the difference between rennets?

Plant-based rennet – Derived from the sap of a fig tree, nettles, artichoke and thistles. Plant based rennet can be a little challenging to work with, the strength of plant rennet isn’t always consistent. Knowing how much to add during the cheesemaking process to properly coagulate the milk can be difficult. The plant rennet can have an effect the flavour of cheese, this can be a good thing or not so good.
Microbial Rennet – Derived from moulds that produce a coagulating enzyme and are viewed as vegetarian appropriate. Vegetable rennets are derived from plants with coagulating properties and although today’s method of extraction may be new, the use of vegetable or plant material is itself quite traditional. There are regions of the world that have developed their cheesemaking traditions relying primarily on plants to coagulate their milk.
Animal rennet – Derived from the stomach of a calf, lamb or goat. The animals are not just used for the rennet but also for meat.
Not just hard cheeses have rennet in them. Most types of soft cheese and fresh cheeses are made using rennet as well. There are some exceptions, however, such as ricotta and quark, which do not contain rennet.

Details:

Our liquid Vegetarian Rennet needs to be store in the fridge once it arrives to you. Please do not freeze.

This 50ml jar will set approximately 200L of milk.

Certified Kosher, Halal, Vegetarian and GMO free.

Are you just starting out on making cheese at home from scratch? Why not try one of our home cheesemaking kits? 

 

Additional information

Weight 70 g
Dimensions 5 × 5 × 6 cm

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