Knowing how to make cheese at a dairy farm is a different ball game altogether. Quite contrary to the cheese-making process that is followed on a small scale at homes, making cheese at a dairy farm means large-scale production, skilled manufacturing, right technique and quality equipments. With so many criteria, it therefore becomes an absolute must to know how to make cheese at a dairy farm correctly. Well, if you are still a little vague about it, fret not, for here is the secret to great cheese making revealed and simplified for you.

Things Needed:

For making cheese at a dairy farm, you need the following things:

• Cow Milk – 3 gallons
• Buttermilk – 8 oz
• Liquid Rennet – ½ teaspoon
• Kosher Salt – 2 tablespoons
• Saucepan
• Cooking Thermometer
• Knife
• Colander
• Bowl

Process:
• Dissolve the liquid rennet in ¼ cup of water and keep aside.
• Take the saucepan and place it over medium-high heat. Pour the milk in it and heat it to 90 degrees.
• Add the buttermilk to the hot milk and stir well so that both mix thoroughly. Let this sit for about an hour. Ensure that the temperature is maintained at 90 degrees.
• After an hour, add the rennet solution to the milk, stirring briskly for about half a minute.
• Now, cover the saucepan with the lid and let this sit for another 45 minutes at 90 degrees.
• Once the milk solution is set, you will see its consistency has changed and has taken the form of curd. Using the stainless knife, cut this curd into small pieces and let them rest for about five minutes.
• Now, increase the temperature slightly and gradually (over the next 20 minutes) to about 99 degrees. Keep stirring the curd continuously to ensure that the curd does not stick together and form lumps. Now, let the curd settle for another five minutes.
• Once the curd is settled, drain half of the whey, letting the remaining half stay in the saucepan.
• Now, lower the temperature of the mixture to 85 degrees by adding some cold water to it. Retain the temperature at 85 degrees for the next 10 minutes and keep stirring occasionally.
• Using the colander, drain the curd, stirring in carefully to prevent them from sticking together.
• Let the drained curd sit for 30 minutes. Then, break the curd into small pieces carefully.
• Add salt to it as per your taste.
• Once cooled, put the curd in a covered bowl and refrigerate for about two days. This will age the curd and make it lose its squeakiness. You can now use the cheese press to squeeze out the additional water, so that the curd gradually forms into cheese.

Depending on the kinds of ingredient and method you use, your quality of cheese will vary. But, no matter what process you follow, with cheese making at a dairy farm, you need to follow the instructions very meticulously. If you can keep this one point in mind, cheese making would be an easy and fun thing to do.

Photo Courtesy:  farm4.static.flickr.com