What Can I Use Instead of Rennet to Make Cheese?

One of the most common types of cheese that you can make at home, is hard or soft cheese. Rennet is an enzyme that is commonly used to coagulate milk into these cheeses and then hold them together.

There are also a few other ways to make cheese without rennet, so if you cannot find rennet, you can use one of these alternatives instead.

The most common alternatives are apple cider vinegar and lemon juice, but there are also other options for alternatives like baking soda, baking powder, yogurt cultures, and even letting the milk sit out overnight.

What is Rennet?

Rennet is an enzyme that is used to ferment milk into cheese. It is usually added to milk and heated, causing it to clot. Rennet can also be made from the stomach of a young animal who has not yet been weaned.

Rennet typically comes in liquid or tablet form, but you can also make it using a rennet leaf. The liquid form of rennet is typically available at the grocery store and will be sold in a little plastic tube.

The tablet form is more commonly found online and can be purchased in bulk.

If you aren’t able to find rennet locally, you can use alternatives like apple cider vinegar or lemon juice instead. These alternatives are much cheaper, easier to find, and will still work without fail.

Alternatives like baking soda and baking powder are also viable options for those who cannot find rennet or who prefer them over other alternatives.

To make these cheeses, mix one tablespoon of baking powder with 1/3 cup of milk and let stand for 2 hours before cooking the mixture over medium heat until desired consistency is reached.

Alternative Ways to Make Cheese Without Using Rennet

One way to make cheese without using rennet is through the use of apple cider vinegar. You will need to mix the milk, salt, and water in a pot together, turn the heat on low, and stir until it has curdled. The mixture will then be strained through cheesecloth.

Another one of these alternative ways would be to let your milk sit out overnight. This will allow it to naturally coagulate into a curd that can easily be turned into a soft cheese or hard cheese. You will also want to add some starter culture when you are making this type of cheese in order for it to form properly.

This type of cheese can also be made by combining the whey from yogurt with calcium chloride or calcium citrate powder and then heating them up until they have thoroughly mixed together and then adding that mixture with liquid ingredients like water, vinegar, lemon juice, etc.

Pros and Cons of Using an Alternative to Rennet

Although rennet is a common way to make cheese, there are some cons associated with it. Rennet is an enzyme that is commonly used to coagulate milk into these cheeses and then hold them together.

There are also a few other ways to make cheese without rennet, so if you cannot find rennet, you can use one of these alternatives instead.

The biggest downside of using an alternative to rennet comes from the fact that it can alter the taste of your product.

For example, apple cider vinegar may not be as effective at coagulating milk as rennet would be. This means that your cheese will come out more watery than usual and this can cause problems when you try to sell it.

But there are also some advantages to using an alternative to rennet. For example, you can use lemon juice instead of rennet which will give the cheese a stronger flavor and better consistency than if you were just using apple cider vinegar.