Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Making Goats Milk Cheese

IMG_5202r

This is my first attempt posting using Windows Live Writer so bear with me, blogger has has some issues lately so I figured I’d try something different.  This past winter I gave one of my neighbors a Muscovy (not live, the ready for the oven kind).  In trade she said she’d give me some goat milk come Spring when her does were freshened.  She did just that!  With that milk I made goat cheese and Maine Man absolutely loved it.  He has recently figured out he has issues with milk products yet this cheese I’d created did not bother his gut.  Long story short……we purchased a goat.  Another one of those things I’d said I would never do again…LOL.  Her name is Dolly.  We are not quite sure what breed she is, maybe an Alpine/Nubian mix.  Regardless she is a big girl and she is sweet as ever and we’ve really enjoyed having her around.  She is producing between 1 – 1 1/2 quarts twice a day.  EXCITING….scratch another item off my grocery list ….MILK.  Besides using it for cooking & drinking I’ve only used it to make this cheese.  It is a FAVORITE with MM & Flower Girl and I like it too.  It’s also Wicked EASY to make so that helps.  IMG_5039r

  • Slowly heat milk to 185 degrees
  • Add 1/4 cup of vinegar
  • Keep temp @ 185 stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes.  Soft curds will form.
  • Line strainer with cheesecloth then pour curds/liquid into strainer (remove liquid)
  • Sprinkle cheese with salt (I use a coarse sea salt)
  • Tie corners of cheesecloth together and hang allowing it to drip for a few hours.
  • Add seasonings (dill, pepper, and/or garlic) if desired
  • Break up with fork & refrigerate

 

11 comments:

Justine said...

mmm that sounds delicious so this may sound like a stupid question but can you use goat cheese like other cheeses in recipes and stuff or is it kind of a softer spready cheese? Also is the goat hard to keep penned? I am dying to get a goat but hear horror stories of them being escape artists lol.

Anonymous said...

milk and products from goat milk have VERY bad smell and taste. You can read about that on internet if you don't believe. Same with their meat.

it would be great to use it, but the taste prevents me from doing that.

Country Girl said...

I am not sure Justine. I am going to attempt to make a cream cheese type spread sometime soon.

Anonymous, I disagree. I find the flavor is a little different but not "BAD". My kids even drink it and they'd be the first to pipe up if it smelled or tasted bad.

GreyWolf said...

I would like to address a comment to Anonymous:
As someone who experienced bad goats milk as a child, I had reservations about getting dairy goats that my wife and daughter wanted. Until I met a dairy goat farmer and tried goats milk again.
After 40 years of telling people the same thing you wrote, I am now the proud owner of two future dairy goats. The only difference I noticed was a creamier taste than fresh cows milk. The way I now understand it is that a lot depends on the breed, feed and care of the goats AND the care (ie. cleanliness) of the milk and milking process.

Tonia said...

Dolly is very pretty! Definitely some alpine in there. Those face stripes are a dominant trait for the british alpines.
I made Vinegar cheese for years till a friend convinced me to make Chevre.. Its soooo much easier no heating what so ever. You strain it add culture and rennet let it set over night. cut the curd strain through cheese cloth till at consistency you want. Its done. I use it in place of Sour cream and cream cheese. Its very mild flavored.
No goaty flavor Milk, Cheese or Meat here! Its sweeter than cows milk and creamier because its naturally homogenized. Thats why very little cream will separate out with out a cream separator.

Anonymous said...

to GreyWolf: you sound like my parents who try to get me into this milk and meat thing everytime. They will swear they can't notice any difference/taste/smell. I read same stories on inet. It must be smth personal, some ppl sence it others not.

Country Girl said...

Tonia I agree she does look mostly like an Alpine and she is very quiet and I hear Nubians are a little loud.

doglady said...

To anonymous. The bad taste of goats milk and milk products is usually because a buck is living too close to the milking herd. Sometimes feed also plays a role.
Very often, milk digestion issues are due to pasturization. Never believe that pasturizing milk doesn't change it.

Beth said...

I have two goats that I milk, and there is no bad smell or taste. Even my grandson said, "There no differece, Mimi! And it's creamier!"

Question in the recipe....how much milk do you use?

Peace and Blessings!
Beth

Country Girl said...

Oops 1 gallon

goatgirl said...

How'd I miss this one! Yeah you got a goat! I have been making cheese regularly and my hubby loves it too...as do my friends and neighbors and anyone else I can get to try it.
If the milk is bad tasting or goaty it is because it isn't being handled right. Goat milk is much more delicate and must be handled gently and cooled right away. You will never convince some people of its virtues so let them drink the "milk" they buy at the store.
Some people like a goaty flavor that comes with aged cheeses.
Dolly is a doll!