Fresh Goat Cheese
By Joe
Source: America's Test Kitchen.
Warmed goat's milk is set with a mesophilic culture and a touch of rennet, then hung in muslin until it drains into a soft, tangy curd. It takes two days of mostly hands-off waiting, but the method itself is simple and turns a carton of milk into a true fresh cheese.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Warm the milk. Warm the goat's milk in a large saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until it reaches 32 °C, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Add the culture. Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle the mesophilic culture evenly over the surface of the milk, and stir gently until combined.
- 3
Add the rennet. Dilute the rennet in the cold water, then stir it into the milk until fully combined. Cover the pan and let it sit undisturbed at room temperature until the milk fully separates into solid curds and clear whey, 12-24 hours.
- 4
Drain the curds. Line a colander with butter muslin or a triple layer of muslin and set it in the sink. Ladle the curds into the lined colander and let drain at room temperature for 2-4 hours, until whey no longer runs freely and the curds are thickened but still moist.
- 5
Salt and bundle. Transfer the drained cheese to a bowl, stir in the sea salt, and divide the cheese in half. Bundle each half in butter muslin or muslin and tie securely with kitchen twine.
- 6
Hang and chill. Tie each bundle to a large spoon set over a deep bowl so the cheese hangs without touching the bottom. Refrigerate for 6-24 hours, depending on how firm you want the finished cheese.
Storage
Wrap the cheese tightly in cling film and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
EU nutrition claims
- Source of protein: 5.2 g protein per 100 kcal, about 21% of energy (needs ≥ 12%)
Per serving, from the nutrition table. Condition from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
0 g per serving
0 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 0 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- large saucepan
- thermometer
- butter muslin or muslin
- colander
- kitchen twine
- large spoon
- deep bowl or container
- medium bowl
Nutrition per serving Calculated from USDA FoodData Central
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 145 kcal |
| Protein | 7.5 g |
| Carbohydrate | 11.4 g |
| of which sugars | 11.4 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 7.7 g |
| of which saturates | 4.4 g |
| Fibre | 0 g |
| Salt | 0.86 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
5.2 g High protein needs ≥ 5 g per 100 kcal (20% of energy) and ≥ 10 g per serving
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
