Homemade Cottage Cheese
Cottage Cheese was originally made on the farm from the family cow(s). It was often made from older milk in which the natural bacteria had already started to work. The milk would be brought in and placed in a warm place (near the fire, behind the wood stove, or in the warming oven). Then after a day or so the natural bacteria would produce enough acid to cause the milk to form a curd. This was then cut, cooked to a dry curd, then washed with cold water to remove excess acidic whey. The finish was a cold dry curd with a tangy flavor. At some point someone realized that the taste improved with the addition of some cream to make the much richer tasting creamed cottage cheese.
In the days when farmers brought their milk to the cheese dairies by horse and wagon, the process was sometimes slow and the milk was not very fresh, especially in warmer weather. By the time this milk arrived at the dairy, the milk had already developed too much acidity to make a good cheese such as Cheddar and the only use for this already acidified milk was to make Cottage Cheese.
Cottage cheese can be made by adding a souring agent like lemon juice, vinegar, buttermilk or tartaric acid. Setting the curd with rennet, which keeps all of the lactose from being converted into lactic acid, thus a lower acidity level, will result in larger curds. Rennet’s primary function is to set the curd at a higher pH, thus resulting in a less acidic curd. Cooking the curds results in firmer curds. Rennet gives the curd more cohesion, and when it is heated, helps to expel whey.
If a recipe calls for a half gallon of milk, you will not end up with a half gallon of cheese! In the process of making this recipe, the fat in the milk will be transformed into the curds that become cheese. The rest will become whey. You will have more whey than cheese. Expect to get anywhere from one to two cups of cheese from a half gallon of milk. This will depend on the fat and casein content in the milk itself. Whole milk will yield more than 2% milk, etc.
Also see Making Cottage Cheese from Sour Milk
No Rennet Cottage Cheese (small curd)
A more traditional form of Cottage Cheese can be made with lemon or lime juice
1 gallon milk
1 cup cultured buttermilk
1 tsp. kosher or canning salt
4 ounces half-and-half or cream
Warm the milk to about 95 degrees F. Stir in the buttermilk and allow to set at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours. The milk will clabber, or become thick.
Cut the curds into 1/2-inch cubes and let rest for 10 minutes. Place the pot into a double boiler-type pot and heat at a very low setting until the curd reaches 115 degrees F. Stir often to keep the curds from matting together. This will take an hour or more.
The curd is ready when it is somewhat firm on the interior of the cheese. Cook longer if necessary, but do not go beyond 120 degrees. Some whey will rise to the top. Let the curds settle to the bottom of the pot, drain off the whey and place the curds in a cloth-lined colander to drain. Be gentle, as the curds are rather fragile.
Allow the cheese to drain until it stops dripping. Place in a bowl and add salt to taste. I usually use about one teaspoon of kosher or canning salt per pound. Stir in about four ounces of half-and-half or cream per pound if you like a creamed cottage cheese.
Quick cottage cheese (rennet)
Cottage cheese made without rennet takes longer than cottage cheese made with rennet. The longer you let cheese sit during incubation, the tangier it gets so using rennet will give you a less tangy cottage cheese. Also setting the curd with rennet will result in larger curds.
1 gallon milk
1/2 cup cultured buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon liquid rennet
1/4 cup cool water
salt and cream, optional
Warm the milk to 86 degrees F. Stir in the buttermilk, mix the rennet into the cool water and add to the warmed milk. Set until it coagulates, usually about an hour. Cut the curds in 1/2 inch cubes.
Heat slowly by the double boiler method until the temperature reaches about 110 degrees F. Hold at this temperature for 30 minutes and stir often to prevent matting. This step forces moisture out of the curds, tightening their protein structure and giving them a rubbery texture.
When the curds are firm, place into a cheesecloth-lined colander and let drain for 20 minutes. Lift the curds in the cheesecloth and dip into a pot of cold water. This is to remove any excess acidic whey from the curds. Drain until the curd stops dripping. Place curds in a bowl and add salt and cream if desired.
