Brick Cheese Recipe with Goat Buttermilk

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This brick cheese recipe is made from goat milk and buttermilk, and has a cheddar-like taste.
This brick cheese recipe is made from goat milk and buttermilk, and has a cheddar-like taste.
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“Goat School,” by Janice Spaulding, is a must-have guide for anyone who has, is about to get, or dreams of one day owning goats.
“Goat School,” by Janice Spaulding, is a must-have guide for anyone who has, is about to get, or dreams of one day owning goats.

Ingredients

  • 1 gallon goat milk
  • 1/2 cup Goat buttermilk
  • 1/2 teaspoon liquid rennet (mixed with 1/2 cup cool water)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

  • Place the goat milk in a double boiler and heat to 160 degrees. Put the heated milk in a sink of cold water and bring the temperature down to 86 degrees. Use ice in the cold water to bring the temperature down quickly.
  • Add the buttermilk and let stand for 2 hours to ripen.
  • Add the rennet mixture and stir gently for 1 minute. Cover and allow curds to start forming. This takes about 45 minutes. You can peek after 45 minutes!
  • The curd is ready when you can stick your finger into it and it leaves a hole that fills up with whey.
  • Take a long knife and cut the curds into 1-inch pieces.
  • Cover the curds and allow to set for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, put the pan of curds into a sinkful of hot water and bring their temperature up to 102 degrees. Hold at 102 degrees for about 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, stir the curds every 5 minutes to keep them from matting together. When ready, the curds will look like scrambled eggs and will hold their shape. If they don’t, let them stay at 102 degrees a little longer.
  • Remove from the sink and allow to set for about 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes. Line a colander with cheesecloth, and lift the curds out of the whey with a slotted spoon.
  • Rinse the curds with warm water and then let drain for 25 minutes. Work in the salt.
  • Fold a clean dishtowel lengthwise several times until it is only about 3 inches wide and pin it together. Leave the curds in the cheesecloth and place them in the dishtowel band.
  • Using two small bricks, press between two boards for 12 hours.
  • Remove the cheese from the folded dishcloth and remove the cheesecloth. Put the cheese on a cake rack to air dry.
  • Turn occasionally, and allow to dry until all surfaces are dry to the touch. Lightly salt outside surfaces to help draw moisture out.
  • Turn daily for 6 or 7 days and salt lightly if needed. When completely dry, apply melted cheese wax and then age 1 to 6 months.
  • Store cheese in a dry place of 50 to 60 degrees. Turn occasionally to make sure the moisture inside the cheese is distributed evenly.Want more from Goat School? Have a look at these other articles:• The Benefits of Dairy GoatsKidding: Goat Pregnancy and Labor
    This excerpt has been reprinted with permission from Goat School, by Janice Spaulding and published by Down East, 2011. Buy this book from our store: Goat School.
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Looking to add some goats to your homestead? Goat School (Down East, 2011), by Janice Spaulding, is part manual, part cookbook, and is perfect for homesteaders looking to own goats for fun or for more self-sustainability. This Brick Cheese Recipe with Goat Buttermilk is from the section, “Making Goat Cheese.”

Buy this book from the MOTHER EARTH NEWS store: Goat School.

Brick Cheese Recipe with Goat Buttermilk

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