Basic Goat Cheese

This simple recipe makes a semi-soft goat cheese suitable for molding into shapes, slicing thickly, or crumbling onto salad or pizza.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon goat milk
• 1 packet mesophilic direct-set culture
• 2 drops liquid rennet mixed with 1/4 cup water

Supplies:

• A pot big enough to hold a gallon of milk (stainless steel or other non-reactive material)
• Thermometer
• A large non-wooden spoon for stirring
• Butter muslin
• Bowl and colander

Instructions:

1. Heat the milk to 75°F.
2. Remove the milk from the heat and allow the mesophilic culture to dissolve on the surface of the milk for approximately 2 to 3 minutes.  Once the starter culture is dissolved, thoroughly incorporate it into the milk.
3. Add the rennet mixed with water.  Using up-and-down strokes (don't stir!), incorporate the rennet into the milk.  Do not over-mix.
4. Cover the pot and allow the mixture to culture for 14 to 16 hours at approximately 72°F (generally kitchen room temperature).
5. After 14 to 16 hours, the cheese should look like yogurt (solid if tipped but still relatively soft).  You may see some whey separating from the cheese.  The whey is a mostly clear liquid.
6. Place a piece of butter muslin (doubled) in a colander in a bowl.  Gently spoon the cheese into the butter muslin.  Gather up the corners of the muslin and tie knots to secure.  Hang the butter muslin filled with cheese over a bowl to drain the whey.  An easy way to do this is to tie the butter muslin around a cupboard handle, so the bowl to catch the whey can rest on the counter underneath.
7. Allow the cheese to drain for 10 to 12 hours to reach the best consistency for soft crumbling.  Let it drain for 16+ hours for a firmer consistency.  You can drain in the fridge if you'd prefer.
8. Salt the cheese to taste.  Flavor the cheese with fresh or dried herbs if desired.  Generally speaking, the cheese will stay good in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Chèvre

Chèvre is a traditional, soft, spreadable cheese made with goat milk.  It is incredibly versatile and can be flavored in any number of ways. 

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon goat milk
• 1 packet mesophilic direct-set culture
• 1 drop liquid rennet mixed with 1/4 cup water

Supplies:

• A pot big enough to hold 1 gallon of milk (stainless steel or other non-reactive material)
• Thermometer
• A large non-wooden spoon for stirring
• Butter muslin
• Bowl and colander

Instructions:

1. Heat the milk to 75°F.
2. Remove the milk from the heat and allow the mesophilic culture to dissolve on the surface of the milkfor approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Once the starter culture is dissolved, thoroughly incorporate it into the milk.
3. Add the rennet mixed with water. Using up-and-down strokes (don’t stir!), incorporate the rennet into the milk. Don’t over-mix.
4. Cover the pot and allow the mixture to culture for 14 to 16 hours at about 72°F (generally kitchen room temperature).
5. After 14 to 16 hours, the cheese should look like yogurt (solid if tipped but still relatively soft).  You may see some whey separating from the cheese.  The whey is a mostly clear liquid.
6. Place a piece of butter muslin (doubled) in a colander in a bowl. Gently spoon the chèvre into the butter muslin. Gather up the corners of the muslin and tie to secure. Hang the butter muslin filled with the chèvre over a bowl to drain the whey. An easy way to do this is to tie the butter muslin around a cupboard handle, so the bowl to catch the whey can rest on the counter underneath.
7. Allow the chèvre to drain until it reaches the desired consistency:  (A) You can choose not to drain the chèvre at all for a delicious, thick, yogurty cheese.  (B) A small amount of draining (1 to 4 hours) will yield a thicker consistency.  (C) Drain the chèvre for approximately 6 hours for a soft, spreadable consistency.  (D) Drain the chèvre for approximately 12 hours for a cream cheese consistency.
8. Salt the chèvre to taste.  Flavor chèvre with fresh or dried herbs mixed in, if desired.  Alternatively, you can mold the chèvre and then roll it in the herbs.  Generally speaking, chèvre will stay good in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Feta

Feta cheese makes a wonderful addition to salads or sandwiches, or as a garnish for meat or vegetables.  Generally made with goat milk, it can be made with cow milk if desired.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon goat or cow milk
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid rennet mixed with 1/4 cup water
• 1 packet mesophilic starter direct-set culture or 1 tablespoon yogurt
• 1/8 teaspoon calcium chloride (optional)

Optional Brine Solution:

• 1/3 cup non-ionized salt (celtic, kosher, etc.)
• 1/2 gallon filtered water

Supplies:

• A large pot (if metal, be sure it's non reactive such as stainless steel)
• A wooden spoon
• Colander
• Curd knife or other long-blade knife
• Thermometer
• Butter muslin or tea towel

Instructions:

1. Warm the milk in a stainless steel (or other non-reactive) pot to 86°F.  If using calcium chloride, dilute the calcium chloride in 1/4 cup of water and incorporate it into the milk as it starts to heat up.
2. Add the culture to the milk and stir thoroughly.  Allow the milk to sit undisturbed for an hour at room temperature.
3. Once the milk has sat, mix the rennet and water mixture into the milk using an up-and-down motion with your spoon (not a stirring motion). Incorporate the rennet but do not over-mix.
4. Place a lid on the pot and let the milk mixture sit undisturbed overnight.  The next morning, check that the milk has gelled and there's a clean break in the curd.
5. Use a knife to cut the curd into 1/2 x 1/2-inch cubes. If necessary, use very clean hands to check the bottom of the pot for curds that may have been missed.
6. Gently stir the curds off and on over the next 20 minutes.  They should retract somewhat.
7. Place butter muslin, tea towel, or multi-layered cheese cloth in a colander. Pour in the curds and allow the visible whey to drain off. Once the whey has drained, tie the cloth in knots and hang it over the sink or a bowl. Allow the curd to drain for another 4 hours or until no more whey drips off.

8. While feta can be eaten fresh, the flavor is more pronounced if it is aged in a brine solution.Make a brine solution using 1/3 cup non-iodized salt and 1/2 gallon of water.Brine the curds in a lidded jar in the fridge for 4-5 days if using store-bought milk or for 30 days if using farm-fresh milk.