Delicious Cheese Curds Recipe Cultured With Kefir
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Who woudn’t want a cheese curds recipe?! NOT MEEEE. And then to take said cheese curds, batter, and have them deep fried. HAVE MERCY. Making cheese curds is a wonderful way to dip your toe into making simple homemade cheese. And my homemade cheese curds recipe is both simple and easy to do, using things you probably have on hand if you’re already dabbling in cheesemaking!
It’s no secret that I despise making mozzarella cheese, but my kids are hopelessly addicted to cheese sticks. I just cannot stand being patient with a finnicky cheese like mozzarella. You are on mozzarella time, mozzarella does not work when you want it to. It makes me nuts and I have yet to learn enough patience to desire making more of it. Yes, I know, you can acidify it with citric acid so it’s ready when I want it to be, but where’s the fun in that?!
So, if someone tells you to start your cheesemaking venture with mozzarella, RUN AWAY. They’re as bad as the folks telling new canners to start by making jam. Absofrickenlutelynawtttt.
This cheese curds recipe is made with fresh goat milk from my dairy goats I raise on our farm. You can use cow milk as well, or even sheep milk, cat milk, your milk, whatever, I do not care. and you will be successful with my cheese curds recipe. But for the sake of my recipes, I will always say goat milk. Long as its animal milk, should be fine! Raw is best, if you’re using pasteurized you may want to add calcium chloride.
Cheese Curds Recipe Cultures
I choose to culture my cheeses naturally, as in I do not buy freeze dried cultures, but instead simply use milk kefir as a mesophilic culture and yogurt as a thermophilic culture. I make it work from there. This saves money and keeps me less dependent on someone else to provide ingredients to make my cheese, because I also make my own kefir and yogurt. I’ve been back slopping the same yogurt culture family for 7 years or better. We’re close kin at this point :D
If you would like to use a freeze dried culture, have at it. Just make sure its a mesophilic culture fit for making these cheese curds. a semi-soft cheese. Look for one that works for feta or quark. Don’t ask me for numbers and whatnot because I do not know a lick about it :D I would err toward direct set powders though and sprinkle the measurement you’re supposed to use overtop of the milk and allow it to sit for 5 minutes before stirring.
Rennet
My preference is animal rennet. It works amazing. I source mine from New England Cheesemaking Supply in liquid form. Their animal rennet is single strength, meaning 1/2 teaspoon of rennet should set 2 gallons of milk.
If you want something different, use something different!
Just know the strength of your rennet you’re using. The bottle should tell you and if it doesn’t, ask the company. And if they don’t know, RED FLAG, I would probably not purchase from them. If you do, you may have to make some sacrificial cheese to see what happens for the first batch and try to guess the strength.
Whey
Whey is a by-product of cheesemaking. Which is why when I see people using whey protein, I die a little inside. It is so EXPENSIVE for a product that would exist whether they made protein powder from it or not. Someone brilliant took that by-product, made it into a processed protein powder, and made billions.
For this particular cheese, since it is set with rennet, the whey is considered a sweet whey. It is good for making whey-monade (lemonade with whey) and for using to start fermentations or for baking. The probiotic rich whey you get after making these curds has tons of uses!
If you don’t want to use it, at minimum add it to some water and water your flowers and garden with it. Or let your chickens drink it. Give it to the pigs. SOMETHING. But, I get it, if you’re tired you can dump it. I’ll forgive you, as I’ve been there, too.
What Kind of Milk Can I Use?
I wholeheartedly recommend raw goat milk. Duh!
You can also use fresh cow milk, sheep milk, whatever. As long as its mammal milk.
Store bought milk works fine as well, but try not to use ultra-pasteurized or homogenized. It works, but the results just aren’t as good as a low-vat pasteurized milk that hasn’t been forcefully homogenized.
If using store bought milk, use 2% or whole milk.
Other Goat Milk Recipes On Our Blog
Maple & Vanilla Goat Milk Ice Cream
Equipment You Might Want
- Stainless Steel Stock Pot
- Thermometer
- Knife
- Stainless Steel Spoon
- Fine Mesh Strainer
Ingredients
- 1 gallon fresh goat milk
- 1/2 cup ripe milk kefir
- 1/2 tsp liquid animal rennet (single strength)
- 1/4 cup cool water
- salt
Step 1: Culture the Milk
Start by adding milk to a clean stainless steel pan.
Over low heat, bring milk to 86F, stirring occasionally.
Once milk is heated, shut off heat and add in kefir, pouring gently as to not cause air bubbles to be introduced to the milk. Stir the kefir in gently using an up and down motion as you do with cheese for 1-2 minutes.
Add a lid and place the milk in a warm area for about 3 hours to culture. I sometimes will let it sit up to 5 hours, depending on how I’m feeling. Kefir cultures take a bit longer to ripen the milk than direct set freeze dried ones, I’ve found. Worth it.
Step 2: Set the Milk
Dilute rennet in cool water and stir. Add to milk gently and stir with an up and down motion GENTLY with your spoon for 30 seconds, no more, no less. Do not stir vigorously!
Cover the milk again and allow to set in a warm area for 1-2 hours.
At the 1 hour mark, I begin checking for a “clean break.” This means when you insert your knife into the curds, the curds break apart and slide off the knife instead of sticking to it. If clean break has not been achieved, let the milk sit 30-60 more minutes before testing again.
Step 3: Cut the Curds
Once clean break has been met, cut the curds in 4 different directions. I do up, down, then criss cross applesauce.
Take your spoon and gently stir the curds for 5 minutes. I set a timer and just let my mind go blank. It’s actually relaxing!
After 5 minutes, cover the pot and let the curds rest for 30 minutes.
Repeat stirring and then a rest 1 more time.
After the final rest, move to the next step.
Step 4: Heat the Curds
Warm the curds over the lowest heat setting on your stove, which is 1 for me. You can even cycle that off and on if you find them heating too rapidly. I aim to raise the temperature no more than 2 degrees F every 5 minutes. If I find it’s moving too fast, I shut the heat off. Patience pays off in this step!
Once the curds reach 115F, hold them there for 20 minutes, stirring nearly continuously so they heat evenly.
You’re looking for curds that are soft, but not too soft. Firm to the touch, but still squishy. I don’t know how to explain it better. If you like squeaky cheese curds, you can increase the temp 5 more degrees and let them cook til they squeak when you bite them. These are our favorite for frying!
Step 5: Drain & Serve
Once curds have finished heating, drain them in a fine mesh strainer or a strainer lined with sterilized cheese cloth.
Salt to taste and toss to coat. Store in a clean container in the refrigerator.
Notes:
You can add seasonings and herbs that you enjoy in your cheese curds. Dill, ranch mix, and garlic are excellent. Simply mix a dry seasoning blend and toss your cheese curds in it.
To make fried cheese curds, simply batter in your favorite wet batter and fry in tallow or lard til crispy. I’m sure this isn’t Wisconsin fried cheese, but it goooooood.
And now you can make your own homemade cheese curds and the consequential deep fried cheese! I hope you enjoy this super easy, and mega healthy, cheese curds recipe.
Equipment
- stainless steel stock pot
- Knife
- Stainless steel spoon
Ingredients
- 1 gallon fresh goat milk
- 1/2 cup ripe milk kefir
- 1/2 tsp liquid animal rennet single strength
- 1/4 cup cool water
- salt
Instructions
Step 1:Â Culture the Milk
- Start by adding milk to a clean stainless steel pan.
- Over low heat, bring milk to 86F, stirring occasionally.
- Once milk is heated, shut off heat and add in kefir, pouring gently as to not cause air bubbles to be introduced to the milk. Stir the kefir in gently using an up and down motion as you do with cheese for 1-2 minutes.
- Add a lid and place the milk in a warm area for about 3 hours to culture. I sometimes will let it sit up to 5 hours, depending on how I’m feeling. Kefir cultures take a bit longer to ripen the milk than direct set freeze dried ones, I’ve found. Worth it.
Step 2:Â Set the Milk
- Dilute rennet in cool water and stir. Add to milk gently and stir with an up and down motion GENTLY with your spoon for 30 seconds, no more, no less. Do not stir vigorously!
- Cover the milk again and allow to set in a warm area for 1-2 hours.
- At the 1 hour mark, I begin checking for a “clean break.” This means when you insert your knife into the curds, the curds break apart and slide off the knife instead of sticking to it. If clean break has not been achieved, let the milk sit 30-60 more minutes before testing again.
Step 3:Â Cut the Curds
- Once clean break has been met, cut the curds in 4 different directions. I do up, down, then criss cross applesauce.
- Take your spoon and gently stir the curds for 5 minutes. I set a timer and just let my mind go blank. It’s actually relaxing!
- After 5 minutes, cover the pot and let the curds rest for 30 minutes.
- Repeat stirring and then a rest 1 more time.
- After the final rest, move to the next step.
Step 4:Â Heat the Curds
- Warm the curds over the lowest heat setting on your stove, which is 1 for me. You can even cycle that off and on if you find them heating too rapidly. I aim to raise the temperature no more than 2 degrees F every 5 minutes. If I find it’s moving too fast, I shut the heat off. Patience pays off in this step!
- Once the curds reach 115F, hold them there for 20 minutes, stirring nearly continuously so they heat evenly.
- You’re looking for curds that are soft, but not too soft. Firm to the touch, but still squishy. I don’t know how to explain it better. If you like squeaky cheese curds, you can increase the temp 5 more degrees and let them cook til they squeak when you bite them. These are our favorite for frying!
Step 5:Â Drain & Serve
- Once curds have finished heating, drain them in a fine mesh strainer or a strainer lined with sterilized cheese cloth.
- Salt to taste and toss to coat. Store in a clean container in the refrigerator.
