How To Make Feta Cheese
Feta is the most well-known cheese and is a soft, white, brined cheese that is very nutritious and is an excellent source of calcium. Feta cheese is used in all sorts of dishes ranging from appetizers to desserts. Make your own feta cheese by using this feta cheese recipe below!
Ingredients/Inoculates:
- theMilkman™ FETA Cheese Starter Culture or LyoPro FETA Starter Culture
- Mild or Sharp Lipase Powder (if using cow or sheep milk)
- Rennet: Chymosin or Veal or Microbial;
- Liquid Calcium Chloride if not using raw milk
Note:
Inoculation temperature: 86-92F
Rennet: Add calcium chloride prior to adding the rennet if using homogenized milk.
- if adding Calcium Chloride; mix 1/4 tsp liquid CC into 1/4 cup distilled water to add to each 1-5 gallons of milk (use if using homeginized milk)
- Rennet; mix 1/4 tsp into 1/8 cup distilled water for each 1-5 gallons of milk
Steps:
1. Heat milk to inoculation temperature.
2. Sprinkle starter culture on surface of milk and allow 1-2 minutes to dissolve.
3. Stir inoculates into milk for 2 minutes.
4. Ripen for one hour at above temperature.
5. Add Rennet, stir gently for 2-4 strokes.
6. Allow 30-60 minutes for milk to set.
7. Test for clean break.
9. Cut curd, allow to rest (heal) for 10 minutes, then stir gently for 5-10 minutes.
8. Drain off partial whey (about 40-50%) then scoop curds into colander or Feta
Moulds (square moulds).
9. Turn over moulds every hour or so to allow for even draining.
10. Let rest at room temperature (not over 75F) overnight.
11. 24 hours later cut Feta blocks.
12. Sprinkle coarse salt evenly on all sides of blocks or make a brine using a ratio of 10 oz. (by weight) of non-iodized cheese salt to ½ gallon of clean non-chlorinated water. Place the Feta blocks into the brine and then into the refrigerator. If using brine, skip step 13.
13. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 24 hours.
14. Keep in refrigerator. Can be eaten the next day or left to age for another 2-3 days at room temperature to further ripen for stronger flavor.
15. Once you like the level of flavor, you can cut the Feta into ½ in. or 2 cm small
blocks and place in jar with 70% olive oil and 30% safflower or other light oil. This
proportion will keep the olive oil from becoming solid while refrigerated.
