Homemade Ricotta Cheese

charlie

Admin
The Law & Order Admin
Joined
Jan 4, 2012
Messages
14,359
Location
USA
Thank you to Ann over at www.Arkofwellness.com for suggesting this.


Homemade Ricotta Cheese
C = 4g P = 14g F = 16g
214 calories per serving
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 qts whole milk
1 c heavy cream
½ t salt
3 T fresh lemon juice

Materials:
Large fine-mesh strainer
Fine-mesh cheesecloth
Large bowl
6-qt heavy pot

Instructions:
1. Line strainer with layer of cheesecloth and place into large bowl.
2. Slowly bring milk, cream and salt to rolling boil in pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
3. Add lemon juice, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly until mixture curdles, about 2 minutes.
4. Pour mixture into lined strainer and let drain for 1 hour.
5. After discarding liquid, cover ricotta and chill. Ricotta will keep in refrigerator for 3 days.
 

Dean

Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Messages
793
Is there any reason I couldn't make this with 2 quarts of low fat milk or even skim milk instead of the whole milk and cream?
 
OP
charlie

charlie

Admin
The Law & Order Admin
Joined
Jan 4, 2012
Messages
14,359
Location
USA
Not that I know of. I have been skimming the cream off my milk before making it.
 

Dean

Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Messages
793
I made it with 2% milk and it turned out good. Will try skim next. Amazing though how little cheese you actually get (2 cups from 1/2 gallon of milk).

So if I wanted to use this cheese exclusively for my dairy intake (for digestibility reasons), how much milk would I have to convert into cheese to reach at least close to the equivalent of Dr. Peat's 2 liters of milk for calcium needs? 2 gallons? Any ideas anyone?
 

Dean

Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Messages
793
Well, if anyone is considering making this with all skim milk, take my advice and DON'T. Sticks to the pan no matter how slow you bring it to a boil (break out the sundial) and it seems to foam up voluminously which makes for even more unhappy clean-up.

Guess, I'll try half skim, half 2%
 
OP
charlie

charlie

Admin
The Law & Order Admin
Joined
Jan 4, 2012
Messages
14,359
Location
USA
I coat my pot with coconut oil to help with sticking. Not sure if it helps though. :confused
 

Dean

Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Messages
793
Have you done that using skim milk? I didn't have any problem with sticking when I used the 2%, but I used pretty low heat, which is kind of a hassle though because of how long it takes. I'll give the coconut oil coating a try. How high do you set the heat? Do you find with the coconut oil coating it requires less babysitting/stirring? Thanks.
 
OP
charlie

charlie

Admin
The Law & Order Admin
Joined
Jan 4, 2012
Messages
14,359
Location
USA
No, never used skim milk. But I do try and get as much cream as possible out of the milk before I make cheese. I set the heat extremely low and take my time. That helps with sticking too. And I do not stir it till right when I drop in the vinegar.
 

Dean

Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Messages
793
Hmm...at medium-low heat it takes about an hour for me to get it up to a boil....so do you just put it on extra low and come back to it in a few hours?
 
OP
charlie

charlie

Admin
The Law & Order Admin
Joined
Jan 4, 2012
Messages
14,359
Location
USA
Put it on low and come back in about an 45 minutes to an hour. When it starts to froth a little bit on top, thats when I start the vinegar and stirring.
 

Dean

Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Messages
793
Ahh..so you don't have to wait for a rolling boil? That will make it alot easier. Thanks, Charlie.
 
OP
charlie

charlie

Admin
The Law & Order Admin
Joined
Jan 4, 2012
Messages
14,359
Location
USA
I find it does better if you start the process(add vinegar and some stirring) right before the boiling starts, when its lightly frothing up. And then I finish it up after the light boiling starts. Or, when the separation is done. Which sometimes, a boil isn't even needed.
 
OP
charlie

charlie

Admin
The Law & Order Admin
Joined
Jan 4, 2012
Messages
14,359
Location
USA

Dean

Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Messages
793
Ok...Thanks...look like I've been doing it wrong. How many cups of cheese should I be getting out of 2 quarts milk? I've been getting 2 cups...lots of liquid to dump...am I giving up on the stirring too soon. According to the post you pointed me to, you let it set for awhile is that when most of the cheese is formed, not in those 2 minutes of stirring?
 
OP
charlie

charlie

Admin
The Law & Order Admin
Joined
Jan 4, 2012
Messages
14,359
Location
USA
I stir it, then let the hard cheese slow boil to the top. So yes the cheese does continue to separate on just sitting with low heat.

With around a gallon of milk, minus the cream, so thats less then a gallon. I get close to 1 pound of cheese.
 

MrMoose63

Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2012
Messages
23
So what are you eating your ricotta with? Mixing it with fruit? Eating it plain?
 
OP
charlie

charlie

Admin
The Law & Order Admin
Joined
Jan 4, 2012
Messages
14,359
Location
USA
MrMoose63 said:
So what are you eating your ricotta with? Mixing it with fruit? Eating it plain?

Salt. Sometimes sugar syrup. Fruit. I had some strawberry preserves that I had and that was yum! Plain with just salt is good to.
 

Dutchie

Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2012
Messages
1,413
Charlie said:
MrMoose63 said:
So what are you eating your ricotta with? Mixing it with fruit? Eating it plain?

Salt. Sometimes sugar syrup. Fruit. I had some strawberry preserves that I had and that was yum! Plain with just salt is good to.

Doesn't it taste very bland with just some salt?
Anyway,I also found lots of alternative recipes to make ricotta consisting of milk&buttermilk. But....making cottage cheese is quite the same process,milk&lemonjuice,so I wonder if they actually taste the same? I never have had Ricotta.
Back in my blissfully naive bread eating-days, I loved eating cottage cheese on bread with some chopped kiwi(preferrably the yellow they're more sweet) and green parts of chives. I think this would really taste good without the bread either and from what I've seen with Ricotta too...
 
OP
charlie

charlie

Admin
The Law & Order Admin
Joined
Jan 4, 2012
Messages
14,359
Location
USA
Tastes fine to me.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom