Haloumi Cheese Recipe

Haloumi originates from Cypress and is a great hot weather cheese. It is a firm cheese that is preserved in a pickled brine that gives it a salty flavor.

You can eat it straight from the brine as is on a cheese plate or use in recipes, such as over a salad. The longer the cheese is stored in the brine, the saltier flavor it will have, so sample your cheese at various times during the 60 day storage time to determine what saltines your prefer. Its texture is similar to that of mozzarella or thick feta. Cooking the Halloumi removes all its saltiness and empowers it with a creamy texture.

Since the cheese has a high melting point, it can be easily fried or grilled. Its unusualness lies in the preparation of the cheese where no acid or acid-producing bacterium is required. A favorite is to pan fry the haloumi in a bit of olive oil in a skillet until just slightly brown on both sides and serve as an appetizer with a light or medium bodied wine or cold beer.

Haloumi frying in a skillet with a bit of olive oil

Ingredients

1 gallon of cold milk
1/2 packet of direct set mesophilic starter
1/4 teaspoon rennet diluted in 1/4 cup cool distilled water
1/8 cup coarse or kosher salt
brine solution made of 1/2 gallon cool distilled water and 1 lb of coarse or kosher salt

Steps

1. Pour the milk into a large stainless steel pot on the stove and heat to 86 degrees F (30 degrees C).
2. Pour in the diluted set, stir gently with an up and down motion for 1 minute.
3. Cover and allow to set at 86 degrees F for 30-45 minutes or until the curd gives a clean break.

4. Cut the curd into 1/2 inch cubes using a blunt knife and being sure to cut through to the bottom of the pan.

5. Slowly increase the temperature of the curds over 30 minutes until they reach 104 degrees F (40 degrees C), stirring gently to prevent matting.
6. Maintain the curds at 104 degrees F for 20 minutes, stirring gently every few minutes.

7. Ladle the curds into a cheesecloth-lined colander.
8. Drain the whey into a port and reserve. The whey will be used in step #12.

9. Pack the curds into a cheesecloth-lined mold and press at 30 pounds of pressure for 1 hour.
10. Remove the cheese from the mold and gently peel away the cheesecloth. Turn over the cheese, re-dress it and press at 50 pounds of pressure for 30 minutes.

11. Remove the cheese from the mold and cut into 3 inch (8 cm) square blocks.
12. Bring the reserve whey to 176-194 degrees F (80-90 degrees C). Place the curd blocks in the whey and soak for 1 hour at which time the cheese will float to the surface.
13. Drain the curd blocks in a colander and let cool for 20 minutes.
14. Sprinkle the curds with salt and let cool for 2-4 hours.
15. Place cheese in brine solution.

The cheese can be soaked in the brine for up to 60 days, but you can eat it at any time. The longer it is stored in the brine solution, the saltier the cheese will taste.