Making CHEESE AT HOME! - Yes You Can Make Your Own Cheese!

For the past few weeks we have been making cheeses, yogurts, butter, creams, and all kinds of other milk products with the raw milk that we are getting from a neighbors milk cow. We started searching out and drinking raw milk back before we moved off grid. Our kids are so used to it that they can't stand the store bought stuff. If you have never tasted raw milk, you are truly missing out on an amazing food product that humanity has consumed since even the early chapters of Biblical history.

It's been so demonized in American media and the food industry that most people in our country have never tried it. But I'm going down a rabbit trail here. Back on track.

Making Artisan Cheese

Midwest Supplies is a brewing company that I have purchased much of our wine making equipment from in the past. In the last few years, they have started carrying cheese making supplies for home cheese making. Up until now, we have been making what is called farmers cheese. It is a soft cheese that is easy to make and you don't need any special enzymes or rennet during the process.

But we are interested in making the next step to some more complex and tasty cheeses like cheddar and mozzarella.

THE BOX HAS ARRIVED!

Wow, this looks easy. The box says to just add milk! I think you probably have to do more than just pour milk into the box but let's check out what all this kit includes.

Opening the box, you are greeted with some instructions and items checklist, all of which are included as part of the kit. In fact, I think the only thing you need to provide is the milk and a stainless steel pot that will hold at least one gallon of milk. So far, the packaging seems organized and tidy.

Now I understand that not all have the option to get raw milk as easily as possible. And don't think that this kit is only going to work with REAL Milk. (I call raw milk, real milk sometimes...because that is what it is.) You can purchase whole milk at the store and still do this kit. It recommends to stay away from anything that is ultra-pasteurized. Store bought low pasteurization whole milk would be your best option if you can't get the real stuff from a local farmer. According to the reviews, this kit should still make excellent cheeses.

The first thing you see is the rennet and enzymes for the cheddar and mozzarella. The packaging says to refrigerate these immediately. We will put these in our cooler. We make our own ice blocks for our cooler with our solar powered freezer.

Then you have the items for the mozzarella contained in this package, It contains the cheese salt, citric acid, cloth and some instructions.

The package for the cheddar includes the cloth, cheese salt, natural Annato coloring, and calcium chloride along with instructions.

Other items included in the kit are the drying mat, bees wax, brush and the oxygen wash.

Also we have a curd skimmer, a curd knife and dairy thermometer. (Not pictured: cheese mold and follower)

So, we are ready to take it to the next level. I'm dreaming of rounds and rounds of aging cheddar cheese and maybe even include a few of these into our smokehouse for some extra artisan flavor! How wonderful would that be?!

Stay tuned as we will update our progress on this and let you know how it goes. As with anything like this, the more you do it, the better you get. The simple farmers cheese we have been making lately taste nothing like it did when we first started. We continue to seek out knowledge and advice from more experienced cheese makers and as a result we learn and produce a better product! At the very least, your failure will happily feed your chickens!

Never give up and keep at it!