This recipe calls for stinging nettle (urtica dioica), a plant that can be found in most regions and climates.
HARVESTING NETTLE
Stinging nettleis painful to touch; wear gloves and long sleeves to protect yourself from this plant’s irritating leaves when harvesting. Check books on wild foraging or edible weeds for proper plant identification.
Harvest nettle leaves before the plant has gone to seed. Once the nettle has seeded, it is unsafe to use for making rennet. Harvest nettle leaves into a clean paper sack.
If fresh nettle is not available in your area, check local natural food stores. Dried nettle leaves are readily available, as they are often used for tea. Substitute ¾-1 pound dried nettle for 2 pounds fresh leaves.
HOW TO MAKE NETTLE RENNET
What You'll Need
- 2 pounds freshstinging nettle (urtica dioica)
- Large pot
- 1 Tbsp. Sea Salt
- Colander
- Bowl
- Cheesecloth
Instructions for Making Nettle Rennet
- Rinse2 pounds fresh leaves under cool, filtered water.
- Filla large pot with 4 cups water.Addthe clean leaves.Add more waterif needed to just cover the nettle leaves.Bringthe water and leaves to a light boil;reduceheat,coverandsimmer 30 minutes.
- Add1 heaping tablespoon ofsea saltto the pot; stir gently to dissolve. The salt will help to break down the leaves and release the coagulating enzyme.
- Placea colander inside a large bowl.Linethe colander with one layer of clean cheesecloth.Pournettles into colander.Drainuntil leaves stop dripping.
- The liquid drained from the nettle leaves is the liquid nettle rennet. It can be used in amounts of1 cup of nettle rennet per 1 gallon of warmed milk.
- Keep tightly covered and avoid exposure to light.Nettle rennet will keep in the refrigerator or cold storage for a few weeks if stored properly.
$7.99
Rennet tablets are used to coagulate dairy products, usually for cheesemaking. Each pack of vegetable rennet tablets will set approximately (20) 2-gallon batches of cheese. Storerennet tabs in the freezer between batches, and they'll keep for up to 3 years. MORE INFORMATION Use these vegetable rennet tablets for home cheesemaking....
HOW TO USE NETTLE RENNET IN CHEESEMAKING
When using nettle rennet in cheesemaking, use slightly less salt than the cheese recipe calls for, because the rennet will be a bit salty.
Nettle rennet can be used with any milk to make cheese. However, cheese made with vegetable rennet may develop a bitter flavor if aged for a long period of time (over 2 months). Solve this problem by usinganimal rennetfor aged cheeses, making cheeses with shorter aging periods when using nettle rennet, or merely eating the cheese younger.
