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homemade fresh farm cheese - ser

(3 ratings)
MonisiaH avatar
Recipe by
Monica H
@MonisiaH
Michigan City, IN

This picture is of my aunt's cheese. She makes it straight from her cow's milk (in Poland). Everyone loves it; they ask her to make extra for them and they come over to the farm to pick it up! It is the freshest, most delicious cheese I have ever tasted. If you cannot obtain fresh, raw milk, use a milk that is not very pasturized (low-heat pasturized). Ultra-pasturized milk has had most/all its proteins destroyed, and therefore little is left in it that can curdle into cheese. Read the whole recipe before you start. Tools you will need: pot large enough to hold a gallon of milk. Cheesecloth. Something to tie the cheesecloth with. Another pot that fits nicely under heavy weight of your strainer. Also, you can play with flavors! During straining time, maybe you can add a pinch of pepper or curry, or basil or oregano, or ... ?! After you drain your cheese, you don't have to discard the liquid. There are many things to do with whey: make ricotta! ("Ri-cotta" means "re-cooked". Ricotta is a cheese made from using whey of previous cheese-making). Drink it straight up like my mom and uncle do, it can be used in smoothies, also in bread making, nutritional supplement for pets, and in making yogurt.

(3 ratings)
yield serving(s)
prep time 1 Hr 20 Min

Ingredients For homemade fresh farm cheese - ser

  • 1 gal
    milk
  • 2 c
    cultured buttermilk
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp
    white vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp
    salt

How To Make homemade fresh farm cheese - ser

  • 1
    Heat milk in pot over very, very low heat. This will take some time, maybe an hour, even. You want the milk to simmer, but you have to be patient for it! Stir constantly to prevent it from burning on the bottom.
  • 2
    You will have to always be watching it (or have someone watch it along with you... take turns! Put your kids on milk-watching duty!). As soon as it starts to simmer, turn off the heat.
  • 3
    Add buttermilk and vinegar, slowly stirring while adding. Curdling will begin at this time.
  • 4
    Let this sit for 10 minutes. Now prepare your cheesecloth. You will be straining the cheese through it.
  • 5
    Place about two layers of cheesecloth over a strainer and place that over a large pot or bowl (large enough to hold the whey; that is, the liquid from the pot that did not curdle.)
  • 6
    Using a ladel, spoon in the curds into the cheesecloth.
  • 7
    You now have a choice! To make a dry and crumbly cheese (like the picture), tie up the cheesecloth tight. Hang it somewhere (my mom hangs hers from the kitchen faucet. Or, tie it up and leave it in the strainer and place something heavy on top.
  • 8
    Let this strain out for at least 30-40 minutes. Then, unwrap, sprinkle salt over the top and enjoy!
  • 9
    Your other choice... don't wrap up the cheesecloth. After draining, the cheese should be moist like a ricotta. Add salt and enjoy.
  • 10
    You can refridgerate this cheese for about a week.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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