Cheap, easy homemade cheese --"ricotta" or queso fresco

cheese
recipe
budgetketo
#1

This is super easy and tastier and cheaper than store-bought ricotta. (I put ricotta in quotes because making real ricotta involves a lot more steps, but this cheese tastes just as good.) I’ve read that this is similar to Indian paneer as well.

1 gallon whole milk
1 cup cream (optional)
1/4 to 1/2 cup lemon juice or white vinegar
salt to taste

Heat the milk and cream in a heavy bottomed pot, simmering on medium-high heat until it almost starts to boil.

DON’T LET IT BOIL! If you let it boil, it won’t ruin your cheese, but it might come out a bit rubbery. I like to use a metal spoon to scrape the bottom every minute or so, so the milk doesn’t stick or scald. Be patient during this part – the magic is about to happen!

Add 1/4 cup of the lemon juice or vinegar and stir.

You will see curds starting to form but don’t take it off the heat until you see a clear separation between the curds and the whey – the whey will basically become clear instead of white. If this doesn’t happen within 30 seconds or so, add a bit more lemon juice or vinegar. I usually end up using 1/2 cup, but I don’t taste it in the cheese.

This photo is just as separation starts.

Now it’s fully separated. Take it off the heat!

You can scoop out the curds while hot or wait for them to cool. I use a slotted spoon to scoop the cheese into a strainer. You can use cheesecloth if you want, but it takes longer to drain.

Add salt to taste now.

I usually let it drain for an hour and then start eating it. If you want to use it like ricotta, you can also add more cream to taste to make it, well, creamier.

But this time I am making queso fresco (farmer cheese) by putting a weight on top and letting it drain all day.

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Some online recipes for this (Whole Foods has one) seem to forget that you discard the whey and show like 11-13 grams carbs per cup. Actually that’s how many carbs are contained in the whey, so your finished cheese has almost none. And the longer you drain it, the less whey your cheese contains.

I bought the milk and cream for less than $4 and it made one huge round of queso fresco plus 2 cups of ricotta.

So good!!!

#2

This is brilliant!! Thank you.

(James storie) #3

You didn’t have to use raw milk did you?

#4

No I used plain old Costco pasteurized whole milk. I’ve heard that “ultra pasteurized” milk won’t work, but I’ve never even seen that in a store.

(James storie) #5

Thanks, I’ve always wanted to make this and you made it look so easy!

#6

It really is easy! I make it all the time.

#7

Hi. When pressed, This is also known as Panir in Indian cooking. I make it often. Very often. I love it. A few technical tweaks I have arrived at over the years-
I actually DO let the milk and cream just get to the boil( it will start to rise up in the pan)- It is just easier to for me to know it is hot enough without having to keep estimating the temperature. I have not had rubbery problems with this personally. What I DO find causes tough cheese is using vinegar to do the precipitation. I use buttermilk instead, which gives a better textured cheese IMO -about 1 litre for 3-4 litres of milk. I add it after the milk had boiled. Stir for a bit for the curds to form and then filter. And If I press it, I only press for 30 minutes at the most. Longer makes the cheese more rubbery in my hands.
Enjoy.

#8

Nice, very nice tweaks… do you use cultured buttermilk? I want to try that!

#9

@gatita yep. I just use a cultured buttermilk from the shop. I don’t make my own. Probably some yoghurt will do the same thing. I assume it is the acidity of the buttermilk which makes the proteins precipitate. Haven’t tried that yet tho.

#10

Here’s a pic of the final pressed cheese with edible flowers and leaves from my yard. Just 'cause they’re pretty.

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(Linda Culbreth) #11

Glad you mentioned the carbs go out with the whey.

(Jan) #12

Just made this. AWESOME!

#13

So glad you liked it!

#14

so gorgeous!!!