Simple Soft Cheese

This is an easy recipe that only requires half  gallon raw goat milk, the strained juice of 2 medium lemons, a thermometer capable of the 180-200°F range, some “cheesecloth” (many cotton cloths will work for straining), and some coarse salt,  like kosher or sea salt. Please take note *This recipe will not work well with pasteurized milk.

Heat milk on medium heat (in a stainless steel pot) to 185°F

Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice

Stir for several minutes until milk has curdled

Add 1/2 tablespoon of coarse salt (optional)

Pour milk through cheesecloth

Wrap curds in cheesecloth and hang (using a rubber band works well) in the refrigerator to drain

Drain for 4-8 hours, depending on how dry you want the curds

Scrape curds off cloth into bowl and stir

That is all there is to it! You can use on toast, in salads, with pancakes or whatever you wish. Experiment using herbs (added at the end when you stir the cheese). For larger curds, heat the milk well into the 190’s before curdling. Experiment with curdling temperature and drying time to get the cheese that meets your needs. Happy experimenting !