Making Farmers Cheese

Fun fact! My husband and I recently got a really sweet milk cow named Pepper. She is currently being loaned to us by my parents. Pepper is a Belgian Blue and Jersey Milk Cow cross. She is a beautiful blue color that is similar to that of an appaloosa. With our new wealth of (organic, raw, whole) milk, I have started trying to make our own yogurts and cheeses. I started with Farmers Cheese.

This is potentially the easiest cheese to make ever. It is extremely beginner friendly, and if you're attentive to the process, it is very hard to mess up. I would highly recommend trying this with your kids if they want to learn an extremely basic way of making cheese.

Farmers cheese is a soft cheese with a mild flavor that my husband and I love using in dishes like spaghetti, egg casserole. Honestly, we just like it for a good healthy nibble every now and then as well. This cheese does not require rennet to make and the process is a lot faster than some other cheese recipes that I have looked into.

The base recipe requires three simple ingredients, although there are a lot of recipes with add ins that I would recommend researching and trying.

1/2 Gal. Raw Milk (Regular whole milk should work also)

1-1 1/2 t Salt

1/4 C Vinegar

I use raw, whole milk for this recipe and have had good luck. It tastes really yummy and the texture is soft and crumbly. I was first exposed to farmers cheese in a solid block form however if you use this recipe, do not expect it to be in block form. Another thing to note, this recipe is very basic from what I have seen and doesn't make a very large amount, I am in the works of experimenting with larger volumes.

Step 1

Bring half a gallon of raw milk to 190 degrees Fahrenheit. If you use a digital thermometer, check it periodically as the milk warms up. I would recommend stirring frequently to avoid scalding it to the bottom of the pot. I personally love using my dutch oven for this because the bottom is thick enough to help prevent scalding.

Step 2

As soon as the milk has reached the desired temperature, slowly add in the vinegar. If you stir it in nice and slow, you will see curds begin to form and separate from the whey. It's a really cool process to watch.

QUICK TIP: Whey can be used for baking and is also really good for plants that prefer a higher PH. Be sure to do some reading before you throw it away!

Step 3

Let the curds sit for about 15-20 minutes, before you strain the whey off the curds. I use a cheesecloth for this which works like a dream, but a really thin towel would also work. Squeeze as much of the whey out of the cheese curds as you want. The more whey you take out, the dryer the end result will be. Be a little careful not to burn yourself, the curds can still be pretty warm.

Step 4

Break up the curds in a bowl and salt. I have salted the cheese during the whey separation phase and it doesn't turn out as flavorful as I would like. During the salting phase I would recommend 1- 1/12 t salt depending on the saltiness you prefer. Test the cheese after 1 t and go from there so you don't accidently oversalt. Breaking up the curds helps you distribute the salt evenly through the cheese. After salting, gently gather your cheese back into a ball in the cheesecloth. I am sure a mold would work also, I just have yet to try it. If you're using cheesecloth, it works well to use two plates or something similar to press the cheese into a round brick. I have also seen people hang a round of cheese over a bowl in the fridge to help it drain more. Really, this is up to your creativity, play around with shapes if you want and experiment with what works.

Step 5

Lastly, cover the cheese with beeswax wrap or a freezer bag (just cover it with something) and let chill in the fridge for about an hour before you eat. This cheese can keep in the fridge for a week. I can't recommend to use it after that, but just use good judgement.

Honestly, regarding step 5, if your desperate for cheese, eat it warm, it's delightful.

Now that you have been given a basic preview of this type of cheese making process, go have fun, be your own cheese connoisseur and don't take it too seriously if it takes you a couple times to get it just right.

You can always try!

Recipe adapted from Thespruceeats

https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-make-farmers-cheese-591547