Thursday, October 8, 2015

Feta

It should make about a pound.  I didnt weigh mine, but pretty sure it's less.  We love feta.  This was really bland to start, almost like cream cheese.  I brined it and tried it just a day later and it was really salty at first, but mixed in with an Israeli Cous Cous salad, it was great.

Feta

1/2 gallon raw goat milk
1/4 teaspoon liquid rennet or 1/4 rennet tablet diluted in 1/8 cup cool water
1 tablespoon yogurt

Warm the milk in a stainless steel pot to 86°F.  Add the yogurt to the milk and stir thoroughly but gently.  Let sit for one hour.
After an hour, dilute the rennet in water.  Mix the rennet/water into the milk using an up-and-down motion with your spoon, very gently.  Incorporate the rennet but do not over-mix.
Place a lid on the pot and let sit overnight. The next morning, check that the milk has gelled and there is a clean break in the curd.
Use a knife to cut the curd into 1/2-inch cubes. If necessary, use very clean hands to check the bottom of the pot for curds that may have been missed.
Gently stir the curd off and on over the next 20 minutes. The curds should become somewhat retracted.
Place a tea towel, cotton bag, butter muslin, or multi-layered cheese cloth in a colander. Pour in the curds and allow the visible whey to drain off. Once the whey has drained, tie the cloth in knots and hang it over the sink or a bowl. Allow the curd to drain for another 4 hours or until no more whey drips off.

While feta can be eaten fresh, the flavor is more pronounced if it is aged in a brine solution. Make a brine solution using 1/6 cup non-iodized salt and 1/4 gallon of water. Place the curds in the brine solution in a jar with a lid in the fridge. Brine for 4 to 5 days if using store-bought goat milk or for 30 days if using farm-fresh goat milk.  .

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