Learn To Make Cheese

Beyond the cheese making process, many cheeses pleasantly evolve with age. Cheddar cheese curds are not one of them. Cheese curds
typically should be eaten within one day of making. This beloved squeaky cheese snack originated in Wisconsin and it’s hard to find in less dairy-centric parts of the country. (Though we did just spot some in Toronto. Go figure!). If your friends and family are wary of your homemade cheesemaking efforts, this is one crowd pleasing snack that everyone will enjoy.

We were were delighted to come across this comprehensive guide to cheese curds on The Nibble. In addition to the history and how cheese curds are made, the article includes wine pairings for cheese curds. Ready to get started?

From what we hear, strangely, regular folks don’t make cheese curds. They buy cheese curds from farms and creameries and local grocery stores in the northern Midwest. Hence, it’s hard to find a specific recipe for making them. But this presents a welcome challenge to the enthusiastic cheesemaker. To make cheese curds, we suggest you proceed as you would any cheddar or monterey jack cheese, curdling the milk until curds form, draining the whey, and drying the curds for several hours until they are ready to eat, making sure they are uniformly bite sized. Once salted, the curds can be eaten as is, bearing a signature squeak and unique texture. They can also be flavored with garlic, jalepeno, or spices like paprika. Coat with breadcrumbs and deep fry any that are still around after a day.

Not ready to make your own cheese curds yet? Check out Cheese Curds and Batter from the Wisconsin Cheeseman, which includes yellow, white and garlic dill cheese curds.

Why cheesecloth?  Many cheesemaking recipes call for cheesecloth, a cotton or nylon lint-free cloth that can help in draining curd cheeses to remove whey or line cheese molds.  (Some cheese molds actually come with cheesecloth but others don’t).  Cheesecloth comes in different sizes of weave. If you’re making a smaller curd cheese, fabric with a fine weave will keep the curds from passing through, and can be less messy.  Sometimes a type of muslin will be used, which resembles a tea towel in thickness. For medium and larger size curd cheeses, a bigger waffle weave cheesecloth is sufficient.

Depending on the type of cheesecloth you use, you can sometimes wash and reuse it.  A package of cheesecloth typically costs about three to six dollars for two square yards.  If you plan on using a lot, buying cheesecloth on a roll in bulk is the way to go.  The nice thing about cheesecloth is that you can use it for other things in the kitchen such as making a bouquet garni, a sachet of herbs and spices that helps to flavor soups.  It’s also useful in craft projects.

Cheesecloth can be found at kitchen supply stores, fabric stores and even discount stores.  If you’re shopping for cheesecloth online, you may want to check out the Good Cook Cheesecloth.

If we lived in the Austin or Houston, Texas areas, we’d be sure to check out Cheesygirl, a passionate maker of vegetarian goat cheeses and spreads made with vegetable rennet.   President and CEO of Cheesygirl Susan Holle was once an executive at a large health care provider and now, with the help of hundreds of much-loved goats, makes lovely vegetarian cheeses

Here’s a bit more about Cheesygirl cheeses from their website.

“Huh? Isn’t all cheese vegetarian? The answer is no And also no.

Fact is, most cheeses use a product called rennet to help form the curds. We’d love to tell you where rennet’s from, but trust us, you don’t want to know. Let’s just say it’s an “animal by-product” The good news is we don’t use animal rennet. Zero, Nada, Never. We use only vegetarian acceptable rennet and let it perform its magic. Our aged cheeses hold up beautifully, becoming even more delicious and interesting as they age. It may take a bit more time but we’re not in a great big hurry and we think you’ll agree CheesyGirl cheese is worth the wait.”

$6.59 For Cheese…Must Be Local – Houston Restaurants and Dining – Eating Our Words.

Paneer, a delicious South Asian cheese typically pressed and cut in cubes, is quite simple to make.  All you need is milk, salt, lemon juice and some cheesecloth, and you’ll have a lovely fresh cheese that will last several days in the refrigerator.   Typical dishes featuring paneer cheese include Palak Paneer (spinach and cheese) and Mattar Paneer (peas and cheese).   It’s a must try for lacto-vegetarians and a great way to start learning cheesemaking!

Here are the paneer-making instructions from Saveur:

Paneer Cheese

MAKES ABOUT 1 1⁄2 LBS.

Here’s how to make the fresh Indian cheese (which can also be purchased at many Indian grocers) called for in the Curry With Peas And Fresh Cheese recipe.

1. Put 18 cups milk and 2 1⁄2 tbsp. salt into a large pot; bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally.

2. Add 1⁄2 cup fresh lemon juice; turn off heat. Large curds will form. Using a wooden spoon, gently push curds together toward one side of the pot; do not stir, or the curd will break into small pieces.

3. Strain mixture through a colander lined with 4 large layers of dampened cheesecloth. Let curds drain briefly, undisturbed.

4. Gather ends of cheesecloth together to form a purse. Tie ends around a wooden spoon. Place spoon over a large pot, balancing ends so that purse hangs freely. Let drain at room temperature for 1 hour. Discard any liquid that collects in pot.

5. Unfold cheesecloth and rewrap curds into a rectangle; wrap package in a kitchen towel. Place package on a cutting board and top with a baking sheet; weight down with several heavy pots and pans. Press cheese for 1 1⁄2 hours, rewrapping and tightening the cheesecloth every 30 minutes (which helps form a compact shape).

6. Unwrap paneer and cut as desired; refrigerate for up to 3 days.

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #102

How To Make Paneer – Saveur.com.

Steve Shapson, expert cheesemaker, home-brewer and winemaker offers a great cheesemaking kit that makes up to 30 pounds of cheese.   He provides detailed instructions and his methods are clear and easy-to-follow.  While we haven’t used it ourselves, it looks like a great way to demystify the cheesemaking process.

Here are a few helpful tips from Steve:

“1. Avoid aluminum pots, the acid will dissolve them and possibly overload you with aluminum.
2. Sterilize the pot just before use by pouring ½ inch of water in the bottom, covering, and bring to a rolling boil for at least five minutes. Pour out the water, replace sterile lid, keep sterilized pot covered until you are ready to add the milk.
3. If the curds float, you have a gas-producing contaminant in your starter or your milk was contaminated. You need to pay closer attention to handling your milk, and/or purchase fresh starter. The bacteria which form bubbles may be a form of Escherichia. However, it does not necessarily ruin the cheese, but does make it iffy. Many CO2 formers are non-pathogenic. Indeed, you might WANT bubbles in your finished cheese. Think about Swiss cheese… However, to be safe, age your cheese for at least two months because pathogens do not survive this extended aging. In addition, you will have a little more difficulty separating the curds from the whey if the curds float.”

Home Made Cheese Making thats very Satisfying when you taste your first Cheese.