CHEESE MAKING

FETA    

On Sunday I decided to have a go at making feta cheese. I have the goats milk and my friend Bronwyn is miking her Jersey cow so I got some milk from her.

Bring 6 litres of whole milk to 32 degrees, This is the temperature the milk comes out of the animal so if you have just milked you wont have to heat it long.

Add your cheese starter then your rennet, stirring for 1 minute.

Leave for around 30 mins

When you can slice the curds and you see whey it is time to cut your curds..

Cut your curds into 1 1/2 cms squares.. Then stir every 5 mins for the next 30 mins.

This helps the whey to come out of the curds and you will see the curds shrinking.

After 30 mins ladle the curd into a large strainer and allow to sit and drain for 1 hour.

 

Then break up the curd and and place in cheese basket.

My cheese basket is a container that Bruce drilled holes in so the whey could drain. Place a dish underneath to catch the whey. Turn the cheese after a few hours and leave for 24 hrs to drain,

COW................GOAT

After 24 hrs take the cheese out and place on a cake cooling rack. Sprinkle salt over top of cheese. Place in fridge for 2-4 days. 

I only needed 2 days, How to check is push down and cheese is spongy, what you want is a firmer cheese.

 

COW.................GOAT

Once cheese has firmed up take out and cut up...Having a good taste first....

Then make a brine and place sliced pieces into brine in glass jar.

 

So there we have it Goats Milk feta and Cow feta....

Does it taste good I hear you ask...........It is so good I mean really good...

In fact if Bronwyn doesn't come and get her half soon I will have to tell her the dog ate it...

This is only half of each slab in a jar. If I just had one kind I would put it in a large glass jar..

 

I hope you will try and give feta making a go, I think it is the easiest of cheeses to make.

Today I am making Cheddar Cheese using a mix of cow & goats milk...

Blessing to all

Mandy