How to Make Cheese & Butter

Cheese and butter are both traditional ways to preserve milk. These products can be made from any milk, but when you are making cheese or butter at home, use whole milk. Avoid using milk labeled as "ultra-pasteurized." Purchase rennet from a cheese-making store rather than using the sub-standard rennet available at the grocery store. The ingredients for both cheese and butter are few, but both processes require some time and labor. If you are a beginner, start by making the butter. After mastering that, progress to making cheese.

Things You'll Need

• For butter: 1 pt. heavy whipping cream Stand mixer with bowl and whisk attachment Strainer Cheesecloth Spatula Bowl Plastic wrap For cheese: 1-gallon pot 3/4 cup water (divided use) 1 gallon whole milk 1 1/2 tsp. citric acid (sour salt) 1/4 tsp. liquid rennet or 1/4 of a rennet tablet Candy or frying thermometer Knife long enough to reach the bottom of the pot Large ladle Slotted spoon Large fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth-lined colander Large bowl

Instructions

Make butter

1. Place the container of whipping cream on the counter for 90 minutes before making the butter. It will churn faster if the cream is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Pour the cream into the mixer's bowl. Place the whisk attachment onto the mixer and lower it into the cream.

3. Turn the mixer on medium-high speed and let it whip the cream until the solids have separated from the liquid. This will take six to nine minutes. The solids are the butter and the liquid is buttermilk.

4. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and place it over a bowl.

5. Transfer the contents of the mixer bowl into the cheesecloth-lined strainer. Keep the buttermilk that strains into the bowl for another use, discard it, or drink it.

6. Rinse the solids in the strainer to get excess buttermilk out. The more buttermilk left in the solids, the more likely the butter will develop a sour odor and flavor over time.

7. Knead the butter solids several times in the strainer with the spatula until they come together in a solid mass of butter. While kneading the butter, add salt to taste if desired, but this is optional. Store tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Make homemade cheese with rennet

1. Mix 1/4 cup of water with the rennet. Dissolve the citric acid in the remaining 1/2 cup of water in a 1-gallon pot.

2. Add the milk to the pot with the dissolved citric acid and heat the mixture. To test the temperature, use the clip included with the candy thermometer to attach the thermometer to the side of the pot. Attach it as soon as you pour in the milk. The bottom of the thermometer should be in the milk but not touching the bottom or sides of the pot. When the milk reaches 88 degrees, remove it from the heat, pull the thermometer off the side of the pot, and mix in the dissolved rennet. Stir for one minute until slightly thickened. Let the milk mixture rest for eight minutes.

3. Cut 1" cubes all the way to the bottom of the pot through the thickened milk. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the solids (curds) out of the pot to a large bowl. Pour the curds from the bowl into a large sieve over the pot, straining as much of the liquid (whey) as possible from the curds into the pot.

4. Heat the whey in the pot to 185 degrees, just below a boil. Shape the solid curds into a ball and place it in a large ladle. Dip the ball into the heated whey at least four times for 15 to 20 seconds for each dip. Between dunkings, knead the ball with your hands. The cheese is finished when it has the look and consistency of taffy.

5. Eat the finished fresh cheese warm or chill it for serving later. Store wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider wearing heatproof gloves when kneading the cheese because it must be 135 degrees to be kneaded.

References

• How to make homemade butter
• What kind of cheese can I make with rennet?