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A few years ago I decided to try my hand at making cheese at home, from everything I’d read about cheese making; asoft cheese was the way to go for beginners. The biggest sell point for me? You don’t need fancy equipment! My first try was Mozzarella, which was delicious. But I wanted to make Homemade Feta Cheese.
Learning to make Homemade Feta Cheese
So, I turned to my friend who’s a Homemade Feta Cheese pro,and we spent a lovely afternoon together. I am a hand’s on learner type of gal, and I love learning by watching, asking questions and getting my hands in there. A mentor, friend, or Youtube is the route I usually take when I want to learn a new skill.
Why you should make Homemade Feta Cheese
- No fancy equipmentis necessary!
- It’s easy peasy
- The taste is amazing.
- Raw Feta Cheese is good for you
![Making Homemade Feta Cheese | Recipe & Tutorial (1) Making Homemade Feta Cheese | Recipe & Tutorial (1)](https://i0.wp.com/www.forgottenwayfarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Homemade-Feta-CheeseRecipe-copy-3.png)
Homemade Feta Cheese Recipe and Tutorial
![Making Homemade Feta Cheese | Recipe & Tutorial (2) Making Homemade Feta Cheese | Recipe & Tutorial (2)](https://i0.wp.com/www.forgottenwayfarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Forgotten-Way-Farms.png)
- Heat 1 gal. milk (preferably non-hom*ogenized. Fresh raw milk is what I use) to about 86 degrees F. (88 degrees F. for cow’s milk) If you are using using store-bought pasteurized and hom*ogenized milk, you will need to add Calicum Chloride at step 4. You don’t have to use it with fresh raw milk. Avoid usingultra-pasteurized milk when making cheese, no amount of calcium chloride will compensate for ultra-pasteurized milk.
- Dissolve both ¼ tsp. of Mesophilic starter and ¼ tsp. Lipase powder in a ¼ C. of water. Add to the warm milk.
- Cover the milk and let sit for one hour to ripen.
![Making Homemade Feta Cheese | Recipe & Tutorial (3) Making Homemade Feta Cheese | Recipe & Tutorial (3)](https://i0.wp.com/www.forgottenwayfarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Forgotten-Way-Farms-copy.png)
4. (If you are using store-bought pasteurized and hom*ogenized milk you will need to add 1/2 tsp. of calcium chloride to your milk at least 5 minutes before you add the rennet.)
Add ¼ tsp. Rennet and let it sit for about an hour, or until set.
5. When you can put a knife into the curd mass and get a clean break, it’s ready to cut. Cut the curds into ½ inch pieces making horizontal cuts and then vertical cuts using a curved knife or curd cutter. (I used a regular knife,and it still worked.)
6. Gently stir the curds and whey for about five minutes and then allow the curds to rest in the whey for about ten minutes.
![Making Homemade Feta Cheese | Recipe & Tutorial (5) Making Homemade Feta Cheese | Recipe & Tutorial (5)](https://i0.wp.com/www.forgottenwayfarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Forgotten-Way-Farms-copy-2.png)
7. Lay a piece of cheesecloth into a colander. Drain off the whey and scoop the curds into the cheesecloth gather the sides twist and tie with a piece of string.
8. Hang your cheese at room temperature for twenty-four hours over a bowl; this will allow your curds to ripen.
![Making Homemade Feta Cheese | Recipe & Tutorial (6) Making Homemade Feta Cheese | Recipe & Tutorial (6)](https://i0.wp.com/www.forgottenwayfarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Forgotten-Way-Farms-copy-3.png)
9. Cut the curds into slabs and place in a sanitized tray or 9×13 pan. Salt both sides of the curd slabs with coarse non-iodized salt.
10. Seal the tray or 9×13 pan( I put a clean cloth over it) and let sit at room temperature (55-68 degrees F.) for 1-3 days.; this will further ripen the cheese.
![Making Homemade Feta Cheese | Recipe & Tutorial (7) Making Homemade Feta Cheese | Recipe & Tutorial (7)](https://i0.wp.com/www.forgottenwayfarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Forgotten-Way-Farms-copy-5.png)
11. Then, I gently slice the slabs of cheese into cubes and pack them into clean jars.
![Making Homemade Feta Cheese | Recipe & Tutorial (8) Making Homemade Feta Cheese | Recipe & Tutorial (8)](https://i0.wp.com/www.forgottenwayfarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Forgotten-Way-Farms-copy-4.png)
12. Then comes my favorite part! I mix a marinade of about 2 C. olive oil, minced garlic, and herbs. Stored in the fridge this way it lasts for 2-4 weeks. The flavors will just get better! But be sure and flip the jar every once in a while. You can eat it fresh too. Sometimes my Feta doesn’t even make it to the jar; everyone just eats it!
![Making Homemade Feta Cheese | Recipe & Tutorial (9) Making Homemade Feta Cheese | Recipe & Tutorial (9)](https://i0.wp.com/www.forgottenwayfarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Forgotten-Way-Farms-1.png)
Homemade Feta Cheese Recipe and Tutorial
Ingredients
- 1GallonRaw Milk
- 1/4Tsp.Mesophilic Starter
- 1/4Tsp.Lipase Powder
- 1/4C.WaterNon-Chlorinated
- 1/4Tsp.Rennet
- 1/2Tsp.Calcium Chlorideonly if using hom*ogenized milk
- Coarsenon-iodized Salt,
- 2C.Olive Oil
- Garlic/Herbsminced
Instructions
Heat 1 gal. milk (preferably non-hom*ogenized. Fresh raw milk is what I use) to about 86 degrees F. (88 degrees F. for cow’s milk)
If you are using store-bought pasteurized and hom*ogenized milk, you will need to add Calcium Chloride at step 4. You don’t have to use it with fresh raw milk. Avoid usingultra-pasteurized milk when making cheese, no amount of calcium chloride will compensate for ultra-pasteurized milk.
Dissolve both ¼ tsp. of Mesophilic starter and ¼ tsp. Lipase powder in a ¼ C. of water. Add to the warm milk.
Cover the milk and let sit for one hour to ripen.
(If you are using store-bought pasteurized and hom*ogenized milk you will need to add 1/2 tsp. of calcium chloride to your milk at least 5 minutes before you add the rennet.) Add ¼ tsp. Rennet and let it sit for about an hour, or until set.
When you can put a knife into the curd mass and get a clean break, it’s ready to cut. Cut the curds into ½ inch pieces making horizontal cuts and then vertical cuts using a curved knife or curd cutter. (I used a regular knife,and it still worked.)
Gently stir the curds and whey for about five minutes and then allow the curds to rest in the whey for about ten minutes.
Lay a piece of cheesecloth into a colander. Drain off the whey and scoop the curds into the cheesecloth gather the sides twist and tie with a piece of string.
Hang your cheese at room temperature for twenty-four hours over a bowl; this will allow your curds to ripen.
Cut the curds into slabs and place in a sanitized tray or 9×13 pan. Salt both sides of the curd slabs with coarse non-iodized salt.
Seal the tray or 9×13 pan( I put a clean cloth over it) and let sit at room temperature (55-68 degrees F.) for 1-3 days.; this will further ripen the cheese.
Then, I gently slice the slabs of cheese into cubes and pack them into clean jars.
Then comes my favorite part! I mix a marinade of about 2 C. olive oil, minced garlic, and herbs. Stored in the fridge this way it lasts for 2-4 weeks. The flavors will just get better! But be sure and flip the jar every once in a while. You can eat it fresh too. Sometimes my Feta doesn’t even make it to the jar; everyone just eats it!
Recipe Notes
Notes: ~I don’t brine my feta, but you can! We eat it fresh or marinated in oil and herbs. Yum. ~If your feta turns out rubbery in texture, the curd was handledtoo much. Remember, gentle stirring and handling. ~Feta is a great cheese to start out with because it’s easy to make and is delicious on everything!
Notes on making cheese:
- I don’t brine my feta, but you can! We eat it fresh or marinated in oil and herbs. Yum.
- If your feta turns out rubbery in texture, the curd was handledtoo much. Remember gentle stirring and handling.
- Feta is a great cheese to start out with because it’s easy to make and is delicious on everything.
- Make a loaf of Challah Bread, grab a jar of your Homemade Feta Cheese, some Olives + Cured Meats and you’re picnic ready!
My question to you is, do you like making cheese and how often do you make it?