Homemade Quesillo (Oaxaca-Style String Cheese)

Ingredients

• 1 gal whole milk (Use whole milk; the creator contrasts it with 1% and 2% milk.)
• 0.75 cup white distilled vinegar
• 0.333 cup fresh lemon juice (Freshly squeezed.)
• salt (Use generously in the curds and on your hands while rolling; amount to taste.)
• 1 tbsp butter

Steps

1. 1

   Pour 1 gallon of whole milk into a large pot and heat it on the stove until very hot and steaming, but do not let it boil.

2. 2

   Slowly add the white distilled vinegar to the hot milk.

3. 3

   Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice. The curds should separate immediately from the whey, and the whey should look yellow rather than white.

4. 4

   Place a strainer over a large bowl and line it with cheesecloth if desired. Pour in the curdled milk to strain off the whey.

5. 5

   Squeeze and massage the curds in the strainer or cheesecloth to remove as much moisture as possible. Reserve the whey if desired; the creator mentions using it for another preparation.

6. 6

   Let the curds sit and drain for about 15 minutes.

7. 7

   Generously salt the drained curds.

8. 8

   Add about 1 tablespoon of butter to a pan and heat it over medium heat.

9. 9

   Add the entire salted cheese curd to the pan. Reheat it gently until it begins to melt.

10. 10

    As the curd melts, knead it into itself almost as if kneading bread, continuing until it becomes cohesive and pliable.

11. 11

    Once the cheese is melted and workable, form the quesillo quickly before it cools and firms up.

12. 12

    Lay the formed cheese on a pan, keeping it from touching itself in places where it might melt together.

13. 13

    Salt your hands, then roll the quesillo into a coil or bundled shape. Salt your hands again as needed while rolling.

14. 14

    Place the rolled quesillo in the refrigerator to chill and set.

Notes

The creator says this version was creamier and less stringy than the quesillo made in Mexico with fresh raw cow's milk, but it still melted and formed layers successfully. The source does not specify a refrigeration duration, final internal temperature, or exact amount of salt.

Nutrition per serving

• cheese
• Mexican
• quesillo
• queso Oaxaca
• vegetarian
• stovetop
• handmade
• make-ahead