# Cheese Chat



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

I'd love to hear if any of you have made hard cheese, feel free to share any of your cheese experiences or pictures you have going on. Soft cheese adventures are welcome too and even yoghurt or other dairy products! Let's get this cheese party started! 🧀

I've just gotten into making hard cheese. On Saturday I made my first Colby. I had some trouble with a few stages so I'm not sure it's going to turn out right, but we'll see! I waxed it today using my sister's home harvested beeswax and now it's in my cheese cave (converted refrigerator) aging until July 9th.

Here's my Colby after I took it out of the mold and then when I waxed it. It changed a lot in shape from the time I took it out of the brine to when I waxed it.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Nice! It looks good!


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

I have made lots of cheese and it can be very fun. Sadly, we are not particularly fond of goat cheese. The times I actually waxed it and let it age; it was so goatie we couldn't stand it. 
I took to freezing what we could not eat right away. It tastes fresh much longer.
I don't have pictures handy right now but I will find some. I like using spices in my cheeses.
Since we switched from full sized goats to ND's I have not had enough surplus for cheese making. Will probably go more with soft now.
(I actually make my own rennet from a baby goat stomach.)


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

That is amazing- good job!
Oh man… I’ve really got to get things figured out for a milker 😅


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## Nubian-Shepherdess (Aug 7, 2021)

I'm looking forward to making cheese next year! I plan on taking Carolyn Thomas', from homesteading family,practical dairy course. She is so fanstisticly down to earth and real I look forward to learning!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

That looks great! I have not ventured into hard cheese yet. Life gets too busy is my excuse lol. But we make farmers cheese (vinegar cheese) today I made jalapeño cheese. I cant say if it's good since I'm a huge spicy food baby..but will serve it tonight to see how hubs likes it. I like farmers cheese...its pretty versatile but I have a cheese press and cheese cloth ready to do a Cheddar 😊


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

luvmyherd said:


> I have made lots of cheese and it can be very fun. Sadly, we are not particularly fond of goat cheese.


Is that your feeling on all cheese made from goat milk or just "goat cheese" as in chevre? I just made my third batch of Chev in two weeks because my family loves it so much we couldn't get enough of it. Not even a hint of goat flavor.


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## Boadicea (9 mo ago)

Ok-
How did you convert the fridge for a cheese cave? That’s been my big hang up. I have a small fridge just sitting on the back porch waiting to be my cheese cave but I don’t have time/ energy to get it done. My husband already had a list THIS long of stuff to do around the house/farm that a cheese cave never makes it to the top of the list, you know.


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## Rancho Draco (Sep 29, 2021)

The closest I've gotten to hard cheese is cheddar cheese curds. I've made a few batches now and they turned out wonderfully. I too have a fridge awaiting destiny as a cheese cave but have yet to actually make any hard cheese. I've made plenty of different soft cheeses and quite a few batches of mozzarella.


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

MellonFriend said:


> Is that your feeling on all cheese made from goat milk or just "goat cheese" as in chevre? I just made my third batch of Chev in two weeks because my family loves it so much we couldn't get enough of it. Not even a hint of goat flavor.


When it is fresh it doesn't taste goatie but it gets strong pretty fast. We just really like cow cheese better. I made cow cheddar once. It was so good I was amazed as I really didn't know what I was doing.
I mean, we eat it; just not our favorite.

We bought a thingy called a Johnson controller that will keep your cheese cave at the right aging temp.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Boadicea said:


> Ok-
> How did you convert the fridge for a cheese cave? That’s been my big hang up. I have a small fridge just sitting on the back porch waiting to be my cheese cave but I don’t have time/ energy to get it done. My husband already had a list THIS long of stuff to do around the house/farm that a cheese cave never makes it to the top of the list, you know.


We have this fridge in our garage that wasn't getting much use, so I cleaned it all out and turned the temp _way_ down. It's currently at a perfect temp around 48-51*, but I've been really struggling with humidity. I've been having to spritz down the walls with water and today I added a tray of water so we'll see if that helps a bit. I'll also probably slap a sign on the door that says "cheese cave" to make it official. 😉


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## Boadicea (9 mo ago)

Pics once the sign is up!


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## Aozora (Mar 28, 2018)

I've had a lot of problems with my hard cheeses getting moldy. My waxing technique is to dip them in wax and rotate, and just do multiple coats, but I think because the rind is lumpy or has cracks due to the drying/salting/brining process, I end up with spots that miss out on wax. Also, I have yet to get the technique just right of getting the cheese properly dried and warmed to room temperature so that condensation doesn't get under the wax.

Any tips or tricks on how to do this right to avoid mold?


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Aozora said:


> I've had a lot of problems with my hard cheeses getting moldy. My waxing technique is to dip them in wax and rotate, and just do multiple coats, but I think because the rind is lumpy or has cracks due to the drying/salting/brining process, I end up with spots that miss out on wax. Also, I have yet to get the technique just right of getting the cheese properly dried and warmed to room temperature so that condensation doesn't get under the wax.
> 
> Any tips or tricks on how to do this right to avoid mold?


I'm too new to know if I did it right or whether mine will develop mold or not. I did dip mine in wax and I did it when the cheese was room temperature. After I finished dipping it, I took a natural bristled brush and waxed over any minor cracks I saw. My cheese did have some cracks after brining. I wasn't sure if that was normal or not.


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

Getting mold quickly was why I started freezing what we could not eat right away.
Commercial cheeses are treated with mold inhibitors. Usually antibiotics and I won't do that.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

I know that not all mold on cheese is bad. I read that if you get mold before you wax it, you can just wipe it off with vinegar. Now mold that is happening under the wax, that is undesirable, but I don't know if it will hurt you or not. 

I think I need to find myself a cheese making book so that I can understand all this a bit better.


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

There are lots of good books on cheese making out there. Most cheese molds are okay but I simply don't like the taste. I believe some people even do like a mold aging thing. Don't know anything about it cuz I would not like it.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

I made a second batch of Colby today. I got the curds to be a bit bigger than the first time, but they still aren't very uniform. I wish I knew if that was just how it is or if I should use a different method to cut them and/or stir them. I also still don't know if I got the curds to be the right texture while cooking them. They seemed wetter than I thought they should be. Process went a lot quicker, took me about four hours instead of five. Here's dem cute wittle curds in their colander before I put them in the press.


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## Feira426 (Dec 11, 2019)

Wow, so cool!!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I have not made hard cheese yet, but was reading My cheese book which said mold happens if too moist or too warm. 45 to 55 degrees is best for resting the cheese, 45 being better.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

I tried making ricotta today. My younger sister is making a recipe tomorrow that calls for it, so I figured I might as well make it for her. (Just gonna brag on my sister for a minute, she's fifteen and started taking on making supper for all of us once a month to help my mom out. She's shockingly good.) Anywho... The ricotta turned out fine, but woo doggy did it have a rocky beginning. I was only going off of text instructions so I made it take way wuh way longer than was necessary. I should have just continued to add citric acid until the curds obviously formed instead of thinking that they would just form with time. I was sooo tired of standing at that pot just stirring the milk, and the steam was so warm, I felt like I going to fall asleep standing up 😴😝. Three hours in I finally watched a video of someone making it to see what I was doing wrong. So yeah, next time it probably wont take me _three and a half hours_.😅


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## Rancho Draco (Sep 29, 2021)

Looks good! I use white vinegar to make mine curd. I do a good splash for a gallon of milk. You can see it starting to curd almost instantly. I let it set for 20 minutes, then strain.


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

So cool- and good job on your sister! 
your mom did good w/ you guys 😉


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## Dandy Hill Farm (Aug 5, 2021)

Looks great! Good job! What recipe is your sister using it in?


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Dandy Hill Farm said:


> Looks great! Good job! What recipe is your sister using it in?


She's making lasagna soup. It gets a dollop of ricotta on the top. I'm very excited to try it!


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

MellonFriend said:


> She's making lasagna soup. It gets a dollop of ricotta on the top. I'm very excited to try it!


I just knew it was lasagna something… I swear that’s like the only recipe I know that calls for ricotta cheese 🤣
Sounds delicious - eat an extra bowl for me 😜


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Looks good.


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## Aozora (Mar 28, 2018)

I learned with ricotta--don't use fresh milk. Use milk that has aged a couple of days. It seems to separate better.

I made mozzarella last night--now that can be made with super fresh milk. It's so easy to make.
Heat 1 gallon of milk. When it's above 70 degrees, add 1/2 tablespoon of citric acid.
When it hits 95, add 1/4 teaspoon of rennet, which has been diluted in 2-3 tablespoons of cold water.
Turn the heat up to about medium hot, and stir until the curds form. For me, it took approximately 3 minutes?
Turn the heat off and let it sit for 15 minutes (on the same burner).
Pour off whey.
Put on thick gloves as the cheese is hot. Squish and stretch it until it's at the consistency you like. I find with mine that if I squeeze it until it stretches really well, then the final product ends up too hard. I usually give about 5 good squeezes and 2 good stretches, but your preference may vary.
Store the cheese in a bowl of brine until you use it.

I picked some beautiful ripe tomatoes, so dinner will be served with a mozzarella, basil, and tomato salad--topped with a bit of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and with toast corners!


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Aozora said:


> I learned with ricotta--don't use fresh milk. Use milk that has aged a couple of days. It seems to separate better.
> 
> I made mozzarella last night--now that can be made with super fresh milk. It's so easy to make.
> Heat 1 gallon of milk. When it's above 70 degrees, add 1/2 tablespoon of citric acid.
> ...


My milk was a few days old, not exactly sure how old. Today when my sister went to use it, it had hardened up a lot. Definitely didn't seem to be how it should be. She made it work though. So much went wrong, that I'm just going to have to try that again before I change anything.

I like making mozzarella. Very simple process. I always find it tricky to get the salt incorporated without stretching it too much. I'll have to try brining it! What brine do you use? I have one that I brine my hard cheeses in. It's water, salt, vinegar, and calcium chloride. Should I use that or would just a salt water solution be better?


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## Aozora (Mar 28, 2018)

I sprinkle a few pinches of canning salt onto the curds before I start stretching, and then I just use plain iodized salt for the brine solution. I don't know that vinegar would help, as a lower pH solution is probably going to hold on to the NaCl+ ions harder than a more neutral solution.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Aozora said:


> I sprinkle a few pinches of canning salt onto the curds before I start stretching, and then I just use plain iodized salt for the brine solution. I don't know that vinegar would help, as a lower pH solution is probably going to hold on to the NaCl+ ions harder than a more neutral solution.


Fascinating! The brine for my hard cheese only has a little tiny bit of vinegar in it. I think it's to deter mold. I'll have to try brining my mozz sometime.


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## Aozora (Mar 28, 2018)

Hmm, I had never considered vinegar in a brine for the hard cheeses... that would definitely help with deterring mold. Do you mind sharing your brine recipe for hard cheeses?


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

I love making ricotta. It always comes out so good.
Kudos to your sister


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Aozora said:


> Hmm, I had never considered vinegar in a brine for the hard cheeses... that would definitely help with deterring mold. Do you mind sharing your brine recipe for hard cheeses?


Here it is 🙂 : Making and Using Salt Brine


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

We tasted the first batch of colby today! It's... not what I would have expected. It tastes a little bitter. Sort of like munster cheese if you've ever had that. My parent think it's pretty good. My mom likes munster so that's not very surprising. Also a nit pick that I'm going to make is that I think the texture is a little rubbery. A little squeaky. I'm going to crack open the other batch I made tomorrow to see if ageing it less makes a difference. This first batch was aged six weeks and three days. I would have aged it less but we all got sick so our tastes were off.

I'm very surprised to see that there are holes in the cheese. I wonder if that is as a result of something I did during the pressing process.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Looks nice! I bet those were air bubbles.


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## Rancho Draco (Sep 29, 2021)

Well it sure looks delicious! That's very interesting that it was bitter. I wonder what caused that.


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

Is it bitter like vinegar? 
just curious if something had a mishap in that process.
Ive never made cheese so have no idea what I’m talking about- just what came to mind as a possibility after seeing you use vinegar in the the brine 😅


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Boer Mama said:


> Is it bitter like vinegar?
> just curious if something had a mishap in that process.
> Ive never made cheese so have no idea what I’m talking about- just what came to mind as a possibility after seeing you use vinegar in the the brine 😅


No, it's not really bitter like vinegar. Definitely not sour, just... 🤔 Not sweet. The only other cheeses I could compare it to would be swiss and provolone. If I had to take a completely uneducated guess it would be that I cooked the curds too long and they developed and odd flavor from that or I aged it too long for my liking. I really have no idea though. If the second batch tastes the same way, I'll go on the cheese forum I'm on and ask them about why it tastes that way.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Today we tasted the second wheel I made. This one is better than the first one. A lot better texture and more of a mild flavor. That "bitterness" is still there, but it's less. I did a better job waxing this one (about four layers of wax instead of two) and it didn't develop any mold whereas the first batch got little cracks in the wax that ended up with little mold spots underneath. I did a little looking and found that Colby is supposed to have those little holes in it, so that's _something_ I did right! 😄


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Glad your second one is better.


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

Let us know what you find out about the underlying bitterness- seems like it does in crease with your aging time.
I find this very interesting. I’m currently devising plans for a milker 🤣


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Boer Mama said:


> Let us know what you find out about the underlying bitterness- seems like it does in crease with your aging time.


I'm still unsure whether it had to do with the aging or not. So much went wrong with the first batch it could have been something in the process and the second batch didn't go perfectly either, so it's really hard to say. I will be asking the cheese forum about it, and I will update you if they have an answer. 🙂



Boer Mama said:


> I find this very interesting. I’m currently devising plans for a milker 🤣


DO IT! 😆


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

I had my colby melted on a ham and cucumber sandwich today. It melted awesomely and the flavors when heated really bloomed. I really want to make a grilled cheese out of it now.


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

That looks so yum!


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## The Goat (8 mo ago)

I think you made this post just to make me drool


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

🤣


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

I made Monterey Jack Cheese yesterday. The process went perfectly, but I didn't quite end up with the curd consistency I think I was supposed to. They weren't as elastic as I was expecting. I think I might be cooking the curds too fast, traping the whey inside. I'll have to adjust that next time. I used Blue Cactus Dairy Goat's video on Monterey. It seems quite different than the colby in texture. I suspect it's going to end up being creamier than the colby. I am going to have to get some kind of anti-fatigue mat to stand on while I'm making cheese. My legs hurt so bad after standing at the stove and stirring for TWO HOURS. 😰


A few days ago I also made sherbet. (I know not cheese). I used this recipe, but made it with raspberry Jello instead. Then the next day we happened to make some sugared peaches and a lightbulb went off in my head. Rapsberry sherbet + Sugared peaches = Un-freaking-believable deliciousness! 🤤















I wish all my food images wouldn't get so yellow. 😐


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Looks good!


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## Rancho Draco (Sep 29, 2021)

That sounds delicious 😋


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## The Goat (8 mo ago)

Good job I don’t think I could do that but I can still drool


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

Oh.em. Gee. Goat milk sherbet?!? That’s it. That’s the catalyst… I’m gonna get a milker 🤣


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Still not cheese, but I finally made thick yoghurt!!! I have been on a mission to make thick yogurt for like a year, and it finally happened! There were times when I thought it must just be impossible. You all can't imagine how much this makes me happy! 😃 

What I did was I first heated the milk to 190-200* and held it for 15 minutes. This kills any unknown bacteria that you could be culturing incidentally that could mess with the thickness. After the fifteen minutes were up, I rapidly cooled it in an ice bath, getting it down to 115* before removing a cup of milk and adding my starter yoghurt. I used my favorite store-bought yoghurt, noosa, which is very thick and tastes amazing. I then poured the cultured milk into a gallon jar, put it in a cooler, and packed the cooler with towels. It incubated for about eleven hours and then I strained it with two layers of cheese cloth for about four hours, stirring it occasionally to help unclog the cheese cloth. 

It's outstanding! Even my mom who only likes thick yogurt thinks it's amazing! I sweeten individual servings with honey, and I'll say it again, it's just fabulous! 

Cameo of my sister's honey.

















This means that in a week I've made sherbet, monterey jack, chevre, yogurt, and soap from my milk! 😀


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## NigerianNewbie (Jun 6, 2018)

That's so wonderful, and gosh, you've had a productive week. 💐


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

So amazing- I wish I could say my week has been as productive! 🤣
And your sisters honey is so dark! 😍
I’m glad you were able to create the yoghurt to how you like it. _when_ I get my milker I’m gonna be revisiting this thread constantly to try and figure out what to make first 😅🍀🙏


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## Rancho Draco (Sep 29, 2021)

That's awesome! I've taken to culturing the yogurt for up to 22 hours to get it really thick, then straining for a few hours after that. I've recently switched over to making quark with a buttermilk culture and that has turned out at a good thickness after straining and it is a lot sweeter than the yogurt.


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

I need to be making notes.. quark… 😂


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Rancho Draco said:


> That's awesome! I've taken to culturing the yogurt for up to 22 hours to get it really thick, then straining for a few hours after that. I've recently switched over to making quark with a buttermilk culture and that has turned out at a good thickness after straining and it is a lot sweeter than the yogurt.


I really want to try quark. I told myself that if this round of yoghurt didn't turn out, I'd go there next. I'd love to hear how exactly you make your quark, if you ever are able to detail it. You can do it on this thread, if you'd like. 

I think it would be awesome for us all to share our cheese making adventures on here. Anyone who wants to post here, feel free! 



Boer Mama said:


> And your sisters honey is so dark! 😍


I will say, that the picture makes it look darker than it is, but that jar is still pretty dark! My sister likes to keep all her varieties of honey separate instead of mixing it all together, so we get a whole rainbow of shades!


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## The Goat (8 mo ago)

Wow good job


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Title has now been changed hopefully to reflect my intentions of having anyone who wants to join in! 😀🧀


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

Well, if I start milking next spring, maybe I can join your thread by next fall… I’m sure I’ll have lots of questions before then tho! 😅


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Boer Mama said:


> Well, if I start milking next spring, maybe I can join your thread by next fall… I’m sure I’ll have lots of questions before then tho! 😅


Hopefully by the time you start making cheese, I will have learned more to be able to help with your questions! 😄


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## Rancho Draco (Sep 29, 2021)

Quark:

Take one gallon of milk still warm from the goat. Add 1 half packet of buttermilk culture. 









Buttermilk Starter Culture


This buttermilk culture makes a thick, old-fashioned New England Style, Buttermilk. For each batch, you can use 1-2 quarts of skim or whole milk, depending on your desired thickness. The amount of character (flavor, texture) can be customized by increasing or decreasing the setting time and/or...




cheesemaking.com





Cover loosely and let set at room temperature for 24 hours. Strain until desired thickness. The next time I make this, I will have to take a picture of my straining setup. I use a one gallon pitcher and a flour sack cloth. I tie the cloth to the pitcher so that it sits open like putting a garbage bag in a can. Then pour in the quark. I then stick this in the fridge. You can strain it for a few hours and get a good result if you stir it a few times but I stick it in the fridge and forget about it for a few days and then put it in a container.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Rancho Draco said:


> Quark:
> 
> Take one gallon of milk still warm from the goat. Add 1 half packet of buttermilk culture.
> 
> ...


That sounds really easy! I'm going to have to give this a shot sometime. I don't have any buttermilk culture, but I keep seeing recipes that call for it so I'm going to have to get my hands on it.


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## Rancho Draco (Sep 29, 2021)

As promised, my straining setup. I have a rather hard time showing this to someone in person so I'm sure this will be confusing. If there's anything I can do to make this more clear let me know! 

Take a one gallon pitcher









Lay a flour sack cloth over the top









Push down on the center of the cloth, leaving about 2 inches of room in the bottom of the pitcher.









Position the handle of the pitcher towards you and pull the two corners farthest away from you around the sides of the pitcher.









Run one of the two corners through the handle of the pitcher and tie them with a single knot.









Pour in and let strain


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Rancho Draco said:


> As promised, my straining setup. I have a rather hard time showing this to someone in person so I'm sure this will be confusing. If there's anything I can do to make this more clear let me know!
> 
> Take a one gallon pitcher
> 
> ...


I totally get it! I think I'm going to have to try a flour sack cloth next time. I was losing a lot of yogurt even through two layers of cheese cloth.


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## Rancho Draco (Sep 29, 2021)

I really like using them. Make sure that when you are done using it, immediately rinse it out well and wash as soon as possible. Otherwise the milk solids get stuck in the cloth and they don't come clean. I do have to every once and a while just buy new flour sack cloth as they get clogged up and don't drain well if I forget to wash them right away.


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## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

Cheese question- made my first batch of Feta using instructions from Home Cheese Making and the culture I used was Flora Danica culture. I’m brining after cutting it in bricks and am 7 days in. It’s salty on the very outside but the inside isn’t very flavorful still. Is this normal? I’m used to a much tangy-er feta.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

BloomfieldM said:


> Cheese question- made my first batch of Feta using instructions from Home Cheese Making and the culture I used was Flora Danica culture. I’m brining after cutting it in bricks and am 7 days in. It’s salty on the very outside but the inside isn’t very flavorful still. Is this normal? I’m used to a much tangy-er feta.


I've never made feta before, @Rancho Draco, how 'bout you?

I did read in _Mastering Basic Cheesemaking _by Gianaclis Caldwell that if your feta isn't tangy enough it might be that the room temperature during the draining process might not have been warm enough. Or that the feta needs to drain longer in order for more acid to develop.


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## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

MellonFriend said:


> I've never made feta before, @Rancho Draco, how 'bout you?
> 
> I did read in _Mastering Basic Cheesemaking _by Gianaclis Caldwell that if your feta isn't tangy enough it might be that the room temperature during the draining process might not have been warm enough. Or that the feta needs to drain longer in order for more acid to develop.


Good tip. Our room temp tends to run low unless the temperature outside is in the 90s. Wonder if I would need to do some kind of temp control chamber


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

BloomfieldM said:


> Good tip. Our room temp tends to run low unless the temperature outside is in the 90s. Wonder if I would need to do some kind of temp control chamber


The book said to not let it drop below 72 degrees.


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## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

Yeah mine didn’t specify which is weird. At least for the draining part. For the ripening/stirring part it was clear on the temp.


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## Rancho Draco (Sep 29, 2021)

I have not made it myself but have seen it mentioned in quite a few recipes not to let the temperature drop too far during draining so it would make sense to me for that to be the problem. A cooler with some warm water bottles in it makes for a good temperature chamber as long as you make sure to drain the whey as it runs off.


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## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

Rancho Draco said:


> I have not made it myself but have seen it mentioned in quite a few recipes not to let the temperature drop too far during draining so it would make sense to me for that to be the problem. A cooler with some warm water bottles in it makes for a good temperature chamber as long as you make sure to drain the whey as it runs off.


Oooo good tip


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

So, I cracked open my Monterey Jack yesterday. I'm apparently going to need to do this a bunch of times before I get something that actually tastes good. The texture is rubbery, and the taste is lacking, I'm going to rewax one half of it and age it longer to see if it gets better with time. I'm speculating that I'm not cooking the curds right. Maybe I'm cooking them too fast. 🤔


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Sorry it didn’t turn out right.


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## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

MellonFriend said:


> So, I cracked open my Monterey Jack yesterday. I'm apparently going to need to do this a bunch of times before I get something that actually tastes good. The texture is rubbery, and the taste is lacking, I'm going to rewax one half of it and age it longer to see if it gets better with time. I'm speculating that I'm not cooking the curds right. Maybe I'm cooking them too fast. 🤔


Yeah this is why I’m nervous about hard cheeses… it’s a long time to wait to be disappointed. I just make chèvre and my first feta batch is going to flop..


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

BloomfieldM said:


> Yeah this is why I’m nervous about hard cheeses… it’s a long time to wait to be disappointed. I just make chèvre and my first feta batch is going to flop..


How do you like the chevre? It's become a stapple in my household we love it so much.


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## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

MellonFriend said:


> How do you like the chevre? It's become a stapple in my household we love it so much.


I make it twice a week! We love it too and basically eat it every day. It’s good on everything


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Do you know that it freezes amazingly? I make two and a half gallon batches and freeze it so that I don't have to make it all the time. I eat it almost every day!


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## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

MellonFriend said:


> Do you know that it freezes amazingly? I make two and a half gallon batches and freeze it so that I don't have to make it all the time. I eat it almost every day!


I have frozen one batch so far, saving it for when my gals milk drops off. I am glad to hear it works well, I think I will freeze more then. How long does it stay good in the freezer?


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

BloomfieldM said:


> I have frozen one batch so far, saving it for when my gals milk drops off. I am glad to hear it works well, I think I will freeze more then. How long does it stay good in the freezer?


Well I haven't had any last long enough to really test it since we go through it too fast. I'm thinking about holding my family off of a package of it to test how long it can go. I would image pretty darn long though if you packaged it right. I do mine in two layers of plastic wrap, a layer of foil, and then in a Ziploc bag. Overkill probably. 😅 I'd love to produce enough to last me through my does' dry periods, but that's likely a pipe dream.


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

Note to self… chèvre 

gotta start with the easiest possible one 😅🤷🏼‍♀️😉


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## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

Boer Mama said:


> Note to self… chèvre
> 
> gotta start with the easiest possible one 😅🤷🏼‍♀️😉


And it is so easy. I have an insta pot with the yogurt button. I pasteurize the milk, take out the pot, put in water bath with ice packs. After about 10 minutes it gets down to the correct temp. I add the starter let it sit for a few minutes, then the rennet and bam you are ready to let it ripen. I make it in the evening and at lunchtime next day I’m draining the curds.
BUT just because it’s easy doesn’t mean it’s not soooo delicious.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Boer Mama said:


> Note to self… chèvre
> 
> gotta start with the easiest possible one 😅🤷🏼‍♀️😉


It is really a great cheese to start with. You can't really screw it up! I start mine in the evening too. I don't pasteurize my milk, so I just slowly bring it up to 88 degrees, add the culture, sit for five minutes, add the rennet, and let it sit over night, strain it in the morning for a few hours, and done!


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

That’s so cool. Definitely one I’d rather start off with 😊


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## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

I made 3 batches of chèvre this last week with every intention of freezing some… then we had company and they ate it all. Gotta stop sharing it 😂


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

BloomfieldM said:


> I made 3 batches of chevre this last week with every intention of freezing some… then we had company and they ate it all. Gotta stop sharing it 😂


That's how it goes! Guard that chèvre stash like it's gold! 😆


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## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

So I made my feta about 3 weeks ago. About a week into brining it was still not that flavorful. Tried it again this weekend and it definitely had a more feta brined taste but it was really gooey. Very creamy though. Used it in a quiche and it tasted good but even with it removed from the brine and in a colander For more than a day it continues to be wet and gooey. I guess since it’s edible it’s not a total fail but it’s like no feta I have ever had…. Cheese making is hard 😂


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

BloomfieldM said:


> Cheese making is hard 😂


Tell me about it. 😅 Hey, if it's edible, that's a win in my book. 😄 You made some kind of cheese at least and that in and of itself is something to be proud of!


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## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

MellonFriend said:


> Tell me about it. 😅 Hey, if it's edible, that's a win in my book. 😄 You made some kind of cheese at least and that in and of itself is something to be proud of!
> We will get there some day, right?


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## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

Some how I added my comment to the quote. Anyway we will get there someday right?


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

As long as we keep trying, I'm sure we'll succeed at some point! 😃


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## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

MellonFriend said:


> As long as we keep trying, I'm sure we'll succeed at some point! 😃


I sure do love trying 😂.

I think my next project is going to be a chèvre cheesecake. I need a win before I try another feta


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Well let me know how that goes! I LOVE cheesecake. 🤤


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

Wish I could sample your cheesecake! 😂
Good luck! 🍀 🍀🍀


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## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

Boer Mama said:


> Wish I could sample your cheesecake! 😂
> Good luck! 🍀 🍀🍀


Come on over! 😂😂


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

👍


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

I haven't made cheese with goats milk but I've given mozzarella a few tries with our cows's, it's been hit or miss. Mozzarella is a finicky beast I discovered, I'm glad other's have had success with it. 

I'm hoping to give it another go pretty soon, we just moved into our new house a few weeks ago and settling in is taking way longer than expected and also frankly getting back into a routine in a new kitchen. 

I'd also like to get into hard cheeses soon, now that we have the space to do so - I'm really curious about all of your cheese caves! I need to figure something out for that....


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## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

Do you use culture in your mozzarella? I’ve seen recipes with and with out it.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Lstein said:


> I haven't made cheese with goats milk but I've given mozzarella a few tries with our cows's, it's been hit or miss. Mozzarella is a finicky beast I discovered, I'm glad other's have had success with it.
> 
> I'm hoping to give it another go pretty soon, we just moved into our new house a few weeks ago and settling in is taking way longer than expected and also frankly getting back into a routine in a new kitchen.
> 
> I'd also like to get into hard cheeses soon, now that we have the space to do so - I'm really curious about all of your cheese caves! I need to figure something out for that....


My cheese cave is an old refridgerator that is still functioning. I turned the temp up really high, and I have pans of water in there to keep the humidity up. It's a little finicky, but it works!



BloomfieldM said:


> Do you use culture in your mozzarella? I’ve seen recipes with and with out it.


I do not. I can't recall at the moment what exactly the recipe is that I use. I'll have to check that in the morning.


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

I made my first goat cheese the other day. It was chèvre and a very simple recipe. It did come out crumbly but was moist, tangy, and delicious and everyone who tried it really enjoyed it. But it sounds like I’m using a recipe that’s a little less complicated than some and takes about half an hour to make and an hour to let drain. Here’s the one I used:









How to Make Goat Cheese Recipe


Making your own goat cheese is incredibly simple and will please a crowd. It's goooood. Just remember to grab some crusty bread, dried fruit, and some wine and you've got a party. | ethnicspoon.com




ethnicspoon.com





I’m not sure why mine was more crumbly. I didn’t heat the milk too fast. I went very slow with it. But there’s no way I could shape it into anything like a log and have it hold the shape for long. But at least it was yummy. 

I tried to make caramel coffee creamer and that was a total fail, had to dump it all. With the very small amounts of milk I’m getting, I’ll stick to chèvre until I have more milk to play with. Right now, the chunky little baby is taking most of it. Soon, I’ll start taping my goat’s teats overnight so I can get a good amount of milk in the mornings. Maybe then I’ll be brave enough to try mozzarella. That’s next on my cheese making list. I don’t know if I’ll ever have the patience to try making hard cheese. 

I was thinking about making some goat milk fudge too. Does anyone have any other easy, beginner suggestions to try?

Here’s my attempt at chèvre. We had it on chicken pitas and I know it doesn’t look great but it tasted great, so I’ll take it. Lol. (Please forgive the paper plates, it had been a long day and no one wanted dish duty.)


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Looks yummy! We use a lot of paper plates on busy days too. 😉
Try making cajete it’s like caramel sauce for ice cream but I like it on fried bread too.


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

Ohh, that sounds good. I’ll look up a recipe.


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## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

My guess on the crumbly is the butter fat. My understanding is many goats will hold milk back while nursing and it makes the butter fat lower. Also making cheese from frozen milk is supposed to be more crumbly because it damages the fat molecules although I haven’t seen it make a difference with chèvre. Just a guess.

It looks delicious though and more like I was used to seeing goat cheese in the store.


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## Rancho Draco (Sep 29, 2021)

Yes I highly recommend cajeta! I was recently recommended Crystal's recipe from Blue Cactus Dairy Goats and it is wonderful. Here is a link to her video.


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

BloomfieldM said:


> Do you use culture in your mozzarella? I’ve seen recipes with and with out it.


The one I've been using is just milk, cultured yogurt and rennet. I don't think it's technically mozzarella, the creator calls it an easy pizza cheese but I've handled it like mozzarella. I don't know if using cow milk for it makes a difference either.

I'm going to give the recipe mentioned earlier in this thread a try, once I get my ducks in a row. I hardly ever see recipes that aren't an 8 hour process or require a microwave.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

FizzyGoats said:


> I made my first goat cheese the other day. It was chèvre and a very simple recipe. It did come out crumbly but was moist, tangy, and delicious and everyone who tried it really enjoyed it. But it sounds like I’m using a recipe that’s a little less complicated than some and takes about half an hour to make and an hour to let drain. Here’s the one I used:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've actually tried that exact recipe! It got crumbly for me too. Once I switched to a recipe that had culture in it, mine got so much better. Even in taste I like the cultured chevre better as well.


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## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

MellonFriend said:


> I've actually tried that exact recipe! It got crumbly for me too. Once I switched to a recipe that had culture in it, mine got so much better. Even in taste I like the cultured chevre better as well.


There goes my butter fat theory. But now I know how to get the cheese crumbles 😂


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

Rancho Draco said:


> Yes I highly recommend cajeta! I was recently recommended Crystal's recipe from Blue Cactus Dairy Goats and it is wonderful. Here is a link to her video.


 Ohhhh, that looks yummy!



MellonFriend said:


> I've actually tried that exact recipe! It got crumbly for me too. Once I switched to a recipe that had culture in it, mine got so much better. Even in taste I like the cultured chevre better as well.


 I really liked the taste. I even enjoyed the texture. But I’ll have to look in to cultures because I am not sure what to get when it comes to that. I want to eventually get good at this stuff like so many of you are. Lol. 



BloomfieldM said:


> There goes my butter fat theory. But now I know how to get the cheese crumbles


Well I didn’t even have a theory, so you’re still ahead of me.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

FizzyGoats said:


> I really liked the taste. I even enjoyed the texture. But I’ll have to look in to cultures because I am not sure what to get when it comes to that. I want to eventually get good at this stuff like so many of you are. Lol.


It's great that you liked the taste! When I made it, it was much too sour for most of my family. I use mesophilic culture from New England Cheese Making supply company for my chevre. Here's the link if your are interested. I get my rennet from them too (my chevre has rennet in it as well). Mesophilic culture is a good one to have on hand to start with. It's the culture used in lots of easy cheese recipes.


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

Thank you for the link! I’m going to order some culture from them.
*Update: I just ordered culture from them.


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