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Farmer Cheese

Cheese • Cheese
Serving size: Servings: 4 servings
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 15 mins

Ingredients

  • 1/2 gallon pasteurized whole milk
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • Optional: 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, or chives
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

  • 1. Gather the ingredients.
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  • 3. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, bring the milk to a slow boil. Keep the heat at medium or medium-low; otherwise, you risk scorching the milk on the bottom of the pot.
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  • 5. When small, foamy bubbles begin to form in the milk, but it is not yet at a rolling boil, turn off the heat. If using a thermometer, the temperature should be about 190 F.
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  • 7. Slowly add the vinegar and stir the milk. Curds will immediately begin to form.
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  • 9. Let the milk sit for 15 minutes without stirring.
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  • 11. After 15 minutes, add the optional herbs, if using.
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  • 13. Place a colander over a large bowl or pot. Drape either a dampened cheesecloth or thin dampened clean dish towel over the colander. Pour the curds into the cheesecloth. The whey, all the liquid in the mixture, will drain and be collected in the bowl below, while the solid curds will be caught in the cheesecloth. (Use the leftover whey for bread making, add it to soups, or use it as a protein boost in smoothies.)
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  • 15. Lift the cheesecloth and wrap it around the curds, twisting and squeezing to remove as much moisture as possible.
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  • 17. After squeezing out the moisture, the curds for farmer cheese will be dry and crumbly. If you want a creamier texture, mix a little of the reserved whey back into the curds.
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  • 19. Add the salt and stir it together.
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  • 21. To shape the cheese, keep it wrapped in cheesecloth and form it into a mound on a plate. Set another plate on top and press the curds into a flat disc that is 1 to 2 inches tall. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or so before removing the cheesecloth.
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  • 23. To make a round ball, tie the cheesecloth with a length of butcher's twine, attach it to a shelf in the refrigerator, and suspend it over a bowl. Gravity will help shape the cheese into a ball and remove any excess moisture. Enjoy the cheese in any of your favorite recipes.
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  • 25. Why Not Use Ultra-Pausterized Milk?
  • 26. UHT or Ultra High-Temperature Processing is a widely used food process that sterilizes dairy and some other products like wine, fruit, and soy products to get rid of many forms of bacteria. Ultra-pasteurized milk is not always labeled as such: the extremely long expiration date—usually 30 to 90 days from purchase—is good indication of it, however. When using UHT milk, the curd in the farmer cheese will not set because the proteins have been destabilized from the high temperature used in the process and the calcium in the milk won't bond adequately to make the curds.
  • 27. Regular pasteurized milk works fine, but raw milk, if it's available in your area, works the best.
  • 28. How to Store Farmer Cheese
  • 29. Farmer cheese will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container.
  • 30. Freeze farmer cheese wrapped in plastic food wrap and then placed in a zip-top storage bag. Upon thawing it, however, the texture won't be exactly the same but a bit crumblier.
  • 31. If saving the whey, store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
  • 32. How to Prepare a Crowd-Pleasing Cheese Board

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