Homemade Cottage Cheese Crock Pot Food

HOMEMADE COTTAGE CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat the milk to 190F.
• You will need a thermometer for other cheeses but you can get by here turning off the heat just before the milk begins to boil.
• Add the vinegar and allow the mixture to cool.
• When cool, pour the mixture, which now consists of curds and whey into a colander and drain off the whey.
• Pour the curds into a bowl and sprinkle on the salt and mix well.
• You may wish to use less salt or more, depending on your taste.
• A little cream could also be added, for a more silky variation.
• Now the best part, enjoy fresh or use in a cooked dish such as a lasagna!

HOMEMADE COTTAGE CHEESE (CROCK-POT)

Steps:

• Add the rennet liquid to the 1/2 cup of water, set aside.
• Heat skim milk to 85 degree F and maintain temperature for one minute.
• Add buttermilk and Rennet solution and stir well.
• Cover with towel and leave at room temperature (70 degrees F) for 12 to 18 hours. A firm curd will forms and a little Whey will appear on the surface. (To test for firm curd, remove a milk sample at a point near the edge of the pan or bowl with a spoon. The curd is ready when the coagulated milk sample holds its shape and the edges are sharply defined.).
• Cut the curd into 1/2 inch squares by passing a long knife through the curd lengthwise and crosswise of the container.
• Heat curd slowly over hot water until temperature reaches 110ºF.
• Hold this temperature for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to help distribute the heat evenly and keep the curd from sticking together.
• Note: If using a double boiler bring the water to boil and then turn off and watch closely, otherwise it may overheat and you'll have 'cheese'. In my crockpot I turn to high and keep a close eye on the temperature; stirring around the edges and bottom every 5 minutes. Once it gets up to 100 degrees, I turn it to low until it reaches 110, then turn to the keep warm setting. Each crockpot is a little differnt so watch it carefully. I've also read where the container with the curd can be microwaved on high for 1 minute, then stirred and let stand for 5 minutes; but I haven't tried this method yet.
• Immediately pour the the curd into a bowl, or collendar that is lined with cheese cloth and drain for several minutes; shifting the cloth occassionally to help drain off the Whey.
• Once the Whey has been drained off, immerse curd in the cheese cloth in a bowl of cold water for approximately 2 minutes.
• Drain the Whey from the curd and transfer the cheese to a bowl.
• Mix in salt and cream.
• Chill before serving.

HOMEMADE RICOTTA CHEESE FROM WHEY

Steps:

• This recipe is so simple that it was difficult to get it published here as there is a requirement of a minimum of 3 ingredients.
• There is no requirement for the chives or even the salt, but I was required to have 3 ingredients. All you really need is how ever much whey you have left over from your cheesemaking session.
• In a stainless steel pot, heat the whey until it reaches 200 degrees. Do not stir. You'll notice a film that will start forming on the top of the whey. This is your ricotta starting to form.
• When your whey reaches 200 degrees, take it off the heat. You'll know when you have reached this temperature as bubbles will have formed around the edges. Using a slotted spoon or ladle, scoop the layer of thickened ricotta that formed on top of the whey into a cheesecloth-lined colander over a bowl. Continue scooping the ricotta until all that's left is the clear whey.
• Grab all 4 corners of the cheesecloth and tie into a ball. Place a string around the top of the cheesecloth/ricotta bundle and hang to drain over a bowl.
• For moist ricotta, hang for 2 hours.
• For more dry ricotta, hang for 8 hours.
• Remove ricotta from cheesecloth and store in a mason jar or plastic tub. It's now ready to be used in recipes or add salt & herbs and it becomes a wonderful cheese spread.
• Enjoy!

HOMEMADE COTTAGE CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat milk to a low boil in a small saucepan, stirring so it doesn't stick to the bottom. Using a thermometer, position it so that is it touching the milk but not the pan. Heat the milk up to 120 degrees.
• When it reaches that temperature, turn off the heat. Add the vinegar. Let sit for a half hour.
• Put a cheesecloth in a colander and pour the mixture out into it. Let the green liquid drain away for about 3 minutes. Wrap the cottage cheese in the cheesecloth and run under cool tap water for about 3 more minutes. While you do this, knead the cheese with your fingers.
• You have made cottage cheese!