Best 2 Homemade Feta Cheese Recipes
Homemade feta cheese is a delicious and versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes, from salads to pizzas to pastries. It is also a relatively easy cheese to make at home, and with a little care and attention, you can create a feta that is just as good as (if not better than) what you would find in the store. In this article, we will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to make homemade feta cheese, as well as some tips and tricks for getting the best results.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
HOMEMADE FETA CHEESE
If you love making homemade cheese, try your hand at feta. The results are well worth the effort. Use goat or cow milk, or even a mixture of both. To serve, remove from brine and allow the cheese to air-dry before serving.
Provided by ChefJackie
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Greek
Time 14h58m
Yield 16
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Combine 1/4 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon calcium chloride in a small bowl; mix well.
- Combine 1/4 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon rennet in another small bowl; mix well.
- Pour milk into a double boiler set over medium-low heat. Heat milk until it registers 86 degrees F (30 degrees C) on an instant-read thermometer. Sprinkle cheese culture on the surface. Allow to dissolve without stirring for a few minutes, then stir well. Cover and keep at 86 degrees F (30 degrees C) for 1 hour.
- Pour calcium chloride mixture into the milk; stir for 1 minute. Add rennet mixture; stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Let stand at room temperature until milk sets into curd, about 1 hour. Press edge of the curd gently with a palette knife or the back of a spoon to check for firmness.
- Cut curd all the way to the bottom of the pot into 1-inch squares. Stir gently with a rubber spatula. Let rest, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Stir curds, maintaining temperature at 86 degrees F (30 degrees C), until they sink to the bottom of the pot, about 20 minutes. Scoop out liquid (whey) with a ladle and discard or reserve for another use.
- Line 2 basket-style molds with damp cheesecloth. Ladle curds into the molds with a slotted spoon and cover with ends of cheesecloth. Place one mold on top of the other, pressing lightly. Let drain, switching the molds and stirring curds a few times, until cheese is firm, at least 4 hours.
- Mix 8 cups water, sea salt, 1 teaspoon calcium chloride, and white vinegar together in a large container to make brine. Submerge cheese in brine and let soak, at least 8 hours and up to 3 weeks.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 121.2 calories, Carbohydrate 11.3 g, Cholesterol 19.4 mg, Fat 4.8 g, Protein 8 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, Sodium 1753.2 mg, Sugar 11.3 g
HOMEMADE FETA CHEESE
Cow milk, goat milk or a combination of both may be used. Fresh milk is best (I'm talking FRESH here - like straight from the cow!) but store bought milk works fairly well. I have not tried the buttermilk version. There are numerous internet sources for cheese cultures, and they come in various forms (powder, frozen, etc). I have only used powder cultures from cheesemaking.com. Whatever form your culture is in, you should use the amount recommended for one gallon of milk, and follow any pre-cheesemaking instructions that come with it. This recipe was adapted from several sources and is designed for the beginning cheesemaker with limited access to specialty ingredients and equipment. Cheesemaking is a little tricky, as you are working with live cultures, as with sourdough bread, and a sensitive base - milk. It may take a few tries to get good results.
Provided by Elisa72
Time P4DT1h
Yield 1 pound
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Sterilize all of your equipment before you begin (wash in hot soapy water, rinse well. Spray with a bleach cleanser or soak in water with bleach added, then rinse well again).
- Heat the milk slowly to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. (You will get better results if the temperature changes are always gradual.).
- Add starter culture. A pinch of lipase enzyme may be added for more flavor.
- Stir occasionally for 1 hour, holding the temperature at 90 degrees.
- If using rennet tablet, crush well. Add the rennet to the 1/4 cup of cool water and stir until well mixed (for liquid rennet) or thoroughly dissolved (for rennet tablet). Add the rennet to the milk and stir for one full minute, then do not touch for 40 minutes or until the milk has coagulated, continuing to hold it at 90 degrees. The milk is ready when a finger or thermometer inserted into the curd at a 45 degree angle will separate the curd firmly and cleanly.
- Cut the curd into 1/2 inch cubes. (Using a knife, make cuts all the way through the curd 1/2 inch apart, first in one direction, then perpendicular to the first cuts. Then, holding your knife at a 45 degree angle, do your best to make another series of 1/2 cuts. They need not be perfect - your goal is pieces of fairly uniform size.) Do not stir!
- Let rest for 10 minutes, then stir gently. Cut any large pieces in half. Continue to stir gently about every ten minutes for another 1 to 2 hours, continuing to hold at 90 degrees, until the curds have shrunk to about 1/4 their original size.
- Ladle curds and whey into Feta molds or a colander lined with coarse cheesecloth (which has been sterilized). The whey will drain out and the cheese will stay in the mold.
- Leave overnight in a cool place to drain. The cheese will shrink down.
- Take the cheese out of the mold and cut into 2-3 inch pieces.
- Using coarse salt, generously salt all sides of pieces.
- Leave at room temperature for a full day turning the pieces every once in a while.
- Place the pieces UNCOVERED, on a wooden board in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. They will continue to drain whey.
- Store your cheese in a brine solution made with 1/2 cup salt (Kosher, if possible) per 1/2 gallon of water (boiled and cooled to below room temperature), using just enough to cover the cheese. Let it age 1 to 4 weeks to develop flavor. Stored in brine in the refrigerator it will stay good for months, but the flavor will continue to get sharper.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 2342.4, Fat 126.9, SaturatedFat 72.8, Cholesterol 390.4, Sodium 1562.8, Carbohydrate 176.5, Sugar 205.3, Protein 125.7
Tips:
- Use fresh, high-quality milk: The quality of your milk will greatly impact the quality of your feta cheese. Look for fresh, whole milk from grass-fed cows or goats.
- Maintain a consistent temperature: Feta cheese needs to be kept at a consistent temperature during the culturing and draining process. The ideal temperature is between 70-75°F (21-24°C).
- Be patient: Making feta cheese takes time. The culturing process can take up to 24 hours, and the cheese needs to be drained and aged for at least 4 weeks before it is ready to eat.
- Experiment with different flavors: Once you have mastered the basic recipe, you can experiment with different flavors by adding herbs, spices, or other ingredients to the milk before culturing.
Conclusion:
Making feta cheese at home is a rewarding experience. With a little time and effort, you can create a delicious, healthy cheese that is perfect for salads, sandwiches, and other dishes. Feta cheese is a versatile ingredient that can also be used in baking and cooking. If you are looking for a new cheesemaking project, I encourage you to try making feta cheese at home.
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