This is a quick and easy way to make cottage cheese at home without the use of starches or animal rennet. I just adore cottage cheese so I am making this constantly. The splash of heavy cream (or half and half) at the end is completely optional, but I find it takes it to the next level. Yum!
Feel free to double this recipe to make two cups of cottage cheese. It multiplies well. I usually make use of the milk that is soon to hit its expiration date, as I did in this version.
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 1 cup
Ingredients:
Steps:
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You can make a really inexpensive cheese at home. I sometimes use this as cream cheese and sometimes as cottage cheese.
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Does anyone know if I can make cottage cheese at home? What about sour cream? thanks a lot.
Mitra from Maryland
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My grandmother made cottage cheese all the time. I don't remember exactly how she did it, but I do know it wasn't all that difficult. Good luck with this.
Louise, Nipawin
I just saw Alton Brown on Good Eats make this. He said it was easy and delicious, and I am going to try it.
1 gallon pasteurized skim milk
3/4 cup white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup half-and half-or heavy cream
Pour the skim milk into a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Heat to 120 degrees F. Remove from the heat and gently pour in the vinegar. Stir slowly for 1 to 2 minutes. The curd will separate from the whey. Cover and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Pour the mixture into a colander lined with a tea towel and allow to sit and drain for 5 minutes. Gather up the edges of the cloth and rinse under cold water for 3 to 5 minutes or until the curd is completely cooled, squeezing and moving the mixture the whole time. Once cooled, squeeze as dry as possible and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the salt and stir to combine, breaking up the curd into bite-size pieces as you go. If ready to serve immediately, stir in the half-and-half or heavy cream. If not, transfer to a sealable container and place in the refrigerator. Add the half and half or heavy cream just prior to serving.
Homemade Sour Cream
Method 1:
1 c. cream
1 T. cultured buttermilk
Recipe can be increased at the ratio of 1 T. buttermilk to 1 c. of cream.
In a double boiler bring the fresh cream up to 180° F. Cool to room temp in a cold-water bath. Add the buttermilk, cover, and let sit at room temp. for 24-48 hours. Stir and refrigerate. The batch will keep approximately 3-4 weeks, refrigerated
Method 2:
1 c. cream
1 1/2 c. pasteurized whole milk
1/2 c. buttermilk
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl over warm water. Raise the temperature of the mixture to (68° to 70° F) and let it stand for 12 to 24 hours or until it is sufficiently sour and thick enough to cling firmly to a spoon. Keep in the refrigerator until you want to use it. For a richer heavier sour cream combine 2 c. of pasteurized heavy cream with 5 T. of cultured buttermilk and incubate as before. For better texture refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.
Juanita S.