Where to Find Pasteurized Milk to Make Cheese and Make This Cheese

Cheese making is great fun if you can find the products and tools you need to get started. Some cheese can be made with things you already have at home, with the exception of Milk, in the United States. Our local grocery stores have finally stocked their dairy section with at least one vat pasteurized milk brand. I was excited because, I have spoken with all of the dairy managers requesting vat pasteurized milk for two years! I guess I have not been the only one.

I received an article from my brother that said raw milk sales has increased 28% this year because more and more consumers are concerned about how milk is processed. It also mentioned there are quite of few small dairies who would prefer selling organic raw milk but the strict regulations prevent them from doing so because of the high cost of organic grains and other regulations and requirements. It seems to me that reducing the regulations somewhat, would be more beneficial to consumers, than selling milk that has been heated at very high temperatures destroying all the healthful ingredients that are beneficial to our bodies. Not everyone can own a Guernsey cow.

This instructable is about my journey to make cheese at home and what I learned along the way. Follow through and I hope the information will help you find the low temperature pasteurized milk or raw milk used for making cheese at home.

Step 1: Where to Buy Pasteurized Milk for Cheese Making in the US

I have spoken with creameries, food distributors, and store managers about making low temperature vat pasteurized milk products available, for people who are interested in making their own dairy products from milk and who are cooking from scratch.

For those of you who have had the same problem finding real milk, please note, that I recently discovered that local milk is often pasteurized and not ultra pasteurized. I believe, because so many people complained to the store managers, creameries, and distributors, the creameries have decided to satisfy the needs of their customers. Unfortunately I have not found any heavy cream, half and half, or light cream that has not been through the ultra pasteurization process, even at places that sell high quality milk products. That may change however if you the consumer will voice your concerns.

Just this week I found 2 local milk brands that are not ultra or ultra ultra pasteurized and I have checked the dairy section each time I visited the store, for over two years. If you can't find low vat pasteurized milk in your area, speak with the store manager and ask if they will place an order for one or two gallons for you.You might ask them who are the local distributors for your area and call the distributor and request it personally and tell them why you want it.

A farmer's co-op might be a good place to find milk.

My health food store told me she could order raw milk if I purchased a case of it. Unfortunately I had no way to store that much and I did not know of anyone who would be willing to go in together and buy it.

For this instructable I wanted to make cheese using the "Organic grass fed cow milk from Organic Valley with cream at the top"! Grass fed cows are healthier, happier animals and their cream has a sweeter flavor. When we drove 45 miles to pick up raw organic goats milk, we decided to drive an extra 30 miles to buy the grass milk at Albertson's, unfortunately they were out of stock. The store manager was so nice that he promised me, he would make sure I got it, in the town where I live so I could make cheese.

I was not able to confirm if pasteurized/homogenized,low-fat milk, or skim milk will work for making cheese but many articles suggest you can.There are some milk brands that pasteurize their milk over 172F which is too high for cheese making, that is why I suggest low vat pasteurization. I would suggest when you find a milk that might work, call the dairy and ask, what temperatures they pasteurize and or homogenize their milk. I called both of the dairies just to be sure and I thanked them for supplying their customers with real milk.

Sites like instructables is making a difference in voicing our concerns about the US food supply and in time we can continue to make a difference. Here is a link that might help you find local milk in you area Real milk Here is a supplier I found that has organic Milk Products .

Please Note: The American Academy of Pediatrics advises pregnant women and children not to consume raw milk products such as milk, cheese and other dairy products to avoid any related health risks.I would also add elderly to the list.

Step 2: Avoiding Mistakes

The woman whom I purchased the raw goats milk from, was very helpful in answering my cheese making questions. I spent an hour with her as she shared her recipe for making chevre cheese. I took notes as she spoke. She mentioned that her recipe required Rennet. I told her I had already purchased some. However, the Rennet she mentioned was not the junket Rennet that I purchased from the health food store.

I had planned on making cheese at a lower temperature to coagulate the milk, mainly because I wanted to make a very nutritious cheese but the first mixture did not turn out correctly. I did save the recipe but can't really explain what worked because I heated the mixture at a higher heat, allowed it to cool slightly and re-added more buttermilk and let it set for thirty minutes and then added more vinegar. The cheese was good with no funky flavors but because I did not use the Rennet, I decided to modify this recipe for this tutorial and compare the flavors.

When you are paying $8.00 a gallon for raw milk, it is a great disappointment if the recipe fails. If I am using a new recipe I that I have not tasted, I will reduce the recipe by half and make smaller batches just in case the recipe is not that great. You don't feel so bad if you have to feed it to the animals. It is also a fun way to experiment with recipes to create your own signature brand to give family and friends over the holiday.

Junket was used by cheese makers when the supply of Rennet was difficult to come by. Although the junket has a tiny amount of Rennet in it, some cheese makers have said they use it on a regular basis, the Rennet is the most reliable ingredient for making cheese.

I gleaned a lot of valuable information from here for making cheese and where to find supplies. I recommend all newbies to read everything they can find on this site about the cheese they want to make. Your efforts will pay off in the long run.

Don't make the mistake of using regular tap water to dissolve the Rennet tablet because the chlorine may destroy the live culture.

Pay close attention to the times the buttermilk and lemon juice are added to the recipes because adding them at the wrong time can result in a recipe failure.

I expected the goat cheese curds to be much larger than what my batch had, so I immediately realized I could not use the very loose weave cheese cloth that I had already draped over the colander, so I swapped it out and used a flour sack towel and it was perfect. I did however use the loose weave cheese cloth for the cows milk cheese and before I shaped it to go into the refrigerator, I carefully formed the cheesecloth over the round ball of cheese and as you can see it gave the ball a gorgeous appearance.

The second batch did not make large curds either, after adding the lemon juice, so I added more lemon juice as suggested. By then the milk began to make small curds but not like what I have seen in goat cheese recipes, when the mixture had cooled significantly after adding the lemon juice the curds began to form into slightly larger pieces. What I learned here was, the original batch was probably OK, but I did not know it. The video mentioned the curds should form within 30 seconds but even after adding more lemon juice, the milk did not form the larger curds, so I am leaning towards a temperature problem, perhaps because we are at a higher altitude, the mixture needed a longer cool time. This happened with the cows milk mixture also. It will be interesting next week when I make more. I will pay close attention to the temperature when it makes the curds.

Salt is crucial in making cheese for preserving and adding flavor but it is important to use non-ionized salt because using ionized salt can destroy the live milk cultures needed to make cheese. This cheese is very bland on its own. You can use cheese salt, table salt,or sea salt, with salt being the only ingredient. I am sure there are more to choose from, but I don't know what they are. Cheese salt or flake salt has larger crystals and dissolves more slowly. It is very easy to under-mix and over salt in my opinion. I would suggest mixing the salt, using less than the recipe calls for and mix it well, allowing some time for the salt to dissolve in-between, so you don't ruin the mixture.If more salt is needed, add a little bit more and wait and then taste and repeat the process until you like it.

All total I made 3 batches of goats cheese and one batch of cow milk cheese and all of them tasted good and I was able to form them into shapes.The whey can be frozen and used later for soup stock, gravies, and smoothies because whey is high in protein.I have not checked yet to find out a safe method for freezing it.

Step 3: Gather Ingredients and Tools

This is what you will need for the goats milk cheese recipe: I will repeat this list again later on.These cheeses should be eaten within a couple of days. Please note that I am not a professional and this is my first experience making homemade dairy cheese, so please, if you make these recipes, be safe and smart and do your own research to protect those who may eat the cheese.You do so at your own risk. This tutorial is for the purpose of sharing my personal experience in making this recipe.

1 Quart raw Goats milk Use the freshest possible from a reliable source for best results.

2 Tablespoons of Cultured buttermilk

2 Organic lemons; Juice and and zest the lemons (don't use the zest unless the lemons are organic).

3/4 teaspoon (cheese salt or flake salt ) or substitute using non iodized salt with absolutely no additives such as pure table salt and pure sea salt.If I recall the iodine will cause the recipe to fail because it will destroy the live milk cultures. This recipe requires salt and the salt will be added at the end of the process and at that time, you salt the mixture to taste but please keep in mind to add it slowly, mixing well and allowing the salt to dissolve somewhat before adding more. Otherwise you might end up with the mixture being over salted, in portions of the mixture. You must use some salt. The salt is added for flavor as well as a preservative.

I flavored the goat cheese and cow milk cheese using fresh washed herbs, and spices to taste. I used pomegranate and the flavor was good, but I did not like the texture , I also used fresh chopped green onions, cilantro, tomatillos, red tomatoes, parsley, jalapeno, dill, rosemary, and dried herbs such as tarragon, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin,black pepper, lemon zest, and lemon juice. None of these things caused any problems with my cheese, but they were eaten within a day or two. I gave some to neighbors and they liked all the different flavors that I made.

Cow milk cheese or farmer's cheese ingredients:

1 Quart of pasteurized cows milk ultra pasteurized will not work! for best results, buy fresh the day you are making the cheese.

1 Cup cultured (active) buttermilk

1/4 Cup fresh organic lemon juice and (zest if organic) (about 2 lemons).You may substitute the same amount of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar or adjust the recipe if using citric acid.I don't know how much because I have not used it before.

3/4 teaspoon cheese salt or flake salt, or substitute non iodized pure table salt or non iodized pure sea salt.

I suggest if you will be adding fresh fruit and herbs and spices to add the cheese add them just before serving to prevent any problems.

Utensils for both recipes:

Heavy bottomed stainless steel sauce pan or stock pot or (non reactive pans).

Non reactive utensils for everything, large spoons, ladle, fine weave stainless steel strainer,large mixing bowl, small custard cups, measuring cups and spoons, kitchen cutlery, cutting board,and tongs.

You will also need a digital thermometer,saran wrap, parchment paper, loose weave cheese cloth for cow milk cheese or flour sack towel for goats cheese, zip-lock bag for cheese and whey or a covered glass dish,writing pen and paper for taking notes.

I can't recommend freezing either of these recipes because I have no experience or knowledge about that. I have read that harmful bacteria can live in a frozen environment so please do not freeze the cheese until you do you own research.

Step 4: Heat Water

Sanitation is crucial!

Fill the stock pot full of water and bring to a boil for several minutes.

Sterilize all Utensils, counter-tops,stove-top,sink, and towels, this is very important to keep you and your family safe.Save the hot water until the next step is done.

Step 5: Set Up Work Station for Goats Milk Cheese or Cows Milk Cheese

Rinse all cloths in very hot water several times for new and old to remove any soap or chemical residue.I sprayed everything with straight vinegar and let it set for five minutes and then rinsed them in the hot pan water just to be safe. My new cheese cloth had an odor and I looked at the package and they did not say the cloth was sterilized, so I rinsed it several times and sprayed them with vinegar and rinsed them in the hot pan water. Rinse the stock pot and dry with a clean towel.

Place the strainer inside the bowl and cover with the flour sack towel for goats cheese or butter cloth.Do not use the cheese cloth if you are making goats cheese, the weave is too large.Use a flour sack sack towel for the tighter weave. If using cheese cloth fold it into four layers to strain the cows milk.

Wash, zest,slice,and juice the lemons or measure about 1/4 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, you will not use all of the lemon juice or vinegar but you should measure out the extra if the batch does not form the curds so you can add more, without having to measure. If you like, you can find a recipe using citric acid. I do not know how much for this recipe because I have not used it.

1 QT Raw Goats milk

Juice and zest from 2 organic lemons ( don't use the zest unless the lemons are organic) Alternatives: measure 1/4 cup of White vinegar or Apple cider vinegar or adjust the recipe for citric acid.You may use more or less of the lemon juice or vinegar, depending on how the milk reacts to form the curds.

2 Tablespoons Cultured Buttermilk

3/4 teaspoons Cheese salt or flake salt As a reminder: you may substitute pure table salt with no iodine or additives, I used pure course sea salt with no additives. If I recall the iodine will cause the recipe to fail because it will destroy the live milk cultures. This recipe requires salt because it is used as a preservative and a seasoning. The salt will be added at the end of the process and at that time you salt the mixture to taste but please keep in mind to add it slowly, mixing well and allowing the salt to dissolve somewhat and taste before adding more. Otherwise you might end up with the mixture being over salted in portions of the mixture. You must use some salt.

The utensils will be the same for both types of milk.

Arrange the tools and utensils close to where you will be working.

Cow milk cheese or farmer's cheese ingredients:

1 Quart of pasteurized cows milk: ultra pasteurized will not work! for best results, buy fresh the day you are making the cheese.

1 Cup cultured (active) buttermilk

1/4 Cup fresh organic lemon juice and (zest if organic) (about 2 lemons).You may substitute the same amount of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar or adjust the recipe if using citric acid.I don't know how much because I have not used it before.

3/4 teaspoon cheese salt or flake salt, or substitute non iodized pure table salt or non iodized pure sea salt.

I suggest if you will be adding fresh fruit, herbs and spices to the cheese, add them just before serving to prevent any problems. We will prepare the seasonings and herbs later on.

Step 6: Goat Cheese Instructions

Place stock pot on the stove and turn the heat to low.

Add the measured goats milk to the stock pot and stir frequently to prevent scorching, watch it very closely.

Bring the temperature up to 175,F you will know when it is close because the milk will begin to foam around the edges and small bubbles will form.You should be on your toes as the milk gets close to the temperature because the temperature rises fairly fast. Remove the pan from the heat and turn off the heat.

Gently stir and add the buttermilk and about 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice and very gently stir the contents. The mixture should begin to form curds. If the curds do not form after 30 seconds, add another teaspoon of the lemon juice and very gently stir to combine and wait a few minutes for the mixture to separate.

Let the mixture sit undisturbed for ten minutes.

Ladle the mixture over the covered bowl and separate the curds and whey.

My mixture of goat curds were very small as you can see in the picture; but as it cooled the curds kind of fused together and formed a nicer texture.

Allow the mixture to drain for an hour or two.Then carefully gather up the edges of the towel and tie a string around it so you can hang the cheese over a spoon and a pot or over the sink faucet to drip for a couple of hours or until the mixture is not dripping. Feel the ball and estimate how much liquid is still in the cheese. The more moisture you remove, the dryer the cheese will be. I removed most all the liquid but the mixture was still quite moist.

Step 7: Cow Cheese Instructions

Making Cow cheese is just like goats cheese except you will be using cheese cloth and the curds will be larger and the cheese will taste sweeter.

Place stock pot on the stove and turn the heat to low.
Add the measured cows milk to the stock pot and stir frequently to prevent scorching or the milk from developing a skin, watch it very closely. Bring the temperature up to 175F, you will know when it is close because the milk will begin to foam around the edges and small bubbles will form.You should be on your toes as the milk gets close to the temperature because the temperature rises fairly fast.

Remove the pan from the heat and turn off the heat.

Gently stir and add the buttermilk and about 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice and very gently stir the contents.

The mixture should begin to form curds. If the curds do not form after 30 seconds, add another teaspoon of the lemon juice and very gently stir to combine and wait a few minutes for the mixture to separate.

Let the mixture sit undisturbed for ten minutes.

Ladle the mixture over the covered bowl and separate the curds and whey.

As the milk cools, more curds seem to develop but as it cooled the curds kind of fused together and form a nicer texture.

Allow the mixture to drain for an hour or two.

Then carefully gather up the edges of the towel and tie a string around it so you can hang the cheese over a spoon and a pot or over the sink faucet to drip for a couple of hours or until the mixture is not dripping.

I prepared the different seasonings and spices while I was waiting for the whey to drain. I will explain how I did it after the next step.

Feel the ball and estimate how much liquid is still in the cheese. The more moisture you remove, the dryer the cheese will be. I removed most all the liquid but the mixture was still quite moist.

Step 8: Salt and Mold the Goat or Cow Cheese

Add a small amount of the salt to either cheese mixtures and gently mix.

Allow the mixture to dissolve for a couple of minutes and gently mix again.

Taste the mixture.

If it needs more salt add a pinch at a time repeating the above instructions until the mixture is salty enough.

If you wish to add fruit, veggies, or seasonings and herbs, go on to the next step before molding the cheese and storing it. I like to go ahead and add flavors to it now, while I have everything out, but if you are making a large batch of cheese, you might want to flavor a few smaller portions so you have a plain batch to use as needed.

You will see how I made small strip from parchment paper and a round circle from parchment paper to place inside a bowl to make it easier to remove the cheese for plating. It worked great.

According to an article I found on some government site, cheese should never be stored in plastic. They recommend removing the plastic wrap from the cheese and re-wrap it, using parchment paper and then place it in a glass container or plastic bag 3X the size of the cheese because, cheese is a living organism and needs to breathe. This method is supposed to make the cheese last longer. I kind of remember the source I listed in step 2, mention some types of cheese do not require refrigeration.

Step 9: Cheese Seasoning Mixtures

This method is a great way to experiment with different flavorings for your cheese.

First grab different dried and fresh fruits,and vegetables and fresh and dried herbs and spices, that you think might make a great cheese.

Wash the fruit, vegetables, and fresh herbs and pat dry with a towel.

Dice the fruit, vegetables, and the herbs and place them into small sample bowls.

Place sample amounts of different seasonings into smaller bowls and line them up in a row.

Gather a few custard dishes and line them up in a row and place a small amount of cheese in each dish.

Add different varieties of fruit and vegetables and herbs and spices to each dish and take notes on what you added to each one. It is probably a good idea to label each separate dish. I didn't do that but I remember what I added fortunately, but next time I will.

Mix them very well, using a skewer.

Sample the mixtures and rate each one.

Then you can make a larger batch using the ingredients you liked, and you have just created your very own recipe~

Step 10: Sunshiine's Final Thoughts

After the cheese has been seasoned, wrap the cheese in parchment paper and place in a glass covered dish with plenty of extra room around them or place the cheese in a plastic bag or covered glass dish.Place the cheese in the refrigerator and chill until use.

I do hope this tutorial has offered some advice, that will be useful for you when you make your very first batch of fresh homemade cheese.

Thanks so much for stopping by and viewing this tutorial and do have a save and happy holiday season~

I wish to thank the contributors for making instructables a great place to share~

sunshiinegreen onions~