A method of making cheese curds includes the steps of: providing milk containing casein and having a solids content of between about 7% and about 25%; adjusting the pH of the milk to between about 5.8 and about 6.4; mixing a milk coagulating enzyme into the milk in a cheese making vat; allowing the milk coagulating enzyme to react with the casein for a time sufficient to cause a coagulum to form in the cheese making vat; cutting the coagulum while in the cheese making vat, said cutting occurring not more than 10 minutes after the milk coagulating enzyme is mixed with the milk; heating the cut coagulum in the cheese making vat to a temperature of at least 135.degree. F. for a time sufficient to cause syneresis and the coagulum to form curds, the heating occurring over a period of not greater than 15 minutes; and separating the curds from whey resulting from the curd formation process. The curds may be mixed with additional ingredients to make cheese products, including processed cheese.