Going to try homemade cheese, need some help

High Cheese

High Cheese

Saucier
I decided to try making homemede cheeses starting with fresh cheese. I bought the rennet in liquid form and thought I'd try using organic milk. the healthfood store (which is only down the street fom me) has a bunch of great ingredients and I saw they sell goats milk there, so I'd like to graduate to that and mix in some herbs and other flavorings.

Any tips?
 
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Phiddlechik

New member
I just make a ricotta-type of cheese. I use milk, bring it to 180 degrees, then add buttermilk (or some vinegar), and let it sit. Then I strain it. ta-da.
I'd like to try some other types. I use my garde mange book from cooking school for directions.
 
K

Kimchee

Guest
That's something I have always wanted to try!
PLEASE keep us posted on the process and results.
:)
 
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goatherder

New member
can you get ahold of Jeff Smiths "Frugal Gourmet Cooks Italian"? try the library...He has the best, easiest, highest yielding recipe for ricotta I have ever seen.
 
SilverSage

SilverSage

Resident Crone
goatherder said:
can you get ahold of Jeff Smiths "Frugal Gourmet Cooks Italian"? try the library...He has the best, easiest, highest yielding recipe for ricotta I have ever seen.
Click to expand...

I have that book, and the recipe. If you want it, I'll type it up when I get home from work tonight.

Let me know.
 
PanchoHambre

PanchoHambre

New member
never did it myself but old roomie used to do it alot. Organic milk helps. I think she just used lemon to curdle (she was a sort of vegetarian at the time) came out great but had to be used pretty quick as it did not keep.
 
larry_stewart

larry_stewart

Member
I occasionally make my own Paneer ( similar to the ricotta recipes above, just pressed to form a firm block). It comes out good ( But i like the stores better).

Ive also tried (unsuccesfully) to make my own Mozzarella. Started with a gallon of milk, and after all the heating kneading .... my end result was about the size of a grape. I had ordered a " how to " video online along with a kit. It seemed so easy, but didnt quite turn out that way.

larry
 
G

goatherder

New member
larry_stewart said:
I occasionally make my own Paneer ( similar to the ricotta recipes above, just pressed to form a firm block). It comes out good ( But i like the stores better).

Ive also tried (unsuccesfully) to make my own Mozzarella. Started with a gallon of milk, and after all the heating kneading .... my end result was about the size of a grape. I had ordered a " how to " video online along with a kit. It seemed so easy, but didnt quite turn out that way.

larry
Click to expand...

I've made lotsa mozzarella, and there is an art to making it. You need to pay attention to the acidity level of the milk and proceed as the milk is ready.....not really something that is easy to learn by reading. And if you used Ricki Carrolls mozzarella kit, well, I have never heard any one say they had success with that kit.
 
High Cheese

High Cheese

Saucier
I didn't get a chance this weekend, but from what I was reading I should use organic milk or NOT ultra-pasteurized whole milk. I didn't buy any kit, just a little bottle of rennet and some cheese cloth.
 
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Phiddlechik

New member
If you want to make a simple fresh cheese, you can use regular, off the shelf, 2% or whole milk. I have yet to make it with organic milk. I am going to try and get some fresh milk from a rancher this winter and want to try it with that...
but, I use the regular milk I get for $2/gal at the grocery and/or big box store.
sometimes I use vinegar
sometimes I use lemon juice
sometimes i use buttermilk
sometimes I drain it, salt it, and further press it
sometimes I ladle it warm, fresh from the straining, and pour a local honey over it
 
G

goatherder

New member
like Phiddlechik said, organic milk is not necessary. If fact, I would be suspicious of any other advice a website was offering that said organic milk was needed....I would think they were, pardon the pun, full of BS:mrgreen:
 
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