Making your own ricotta cheese is so simple and easy you will definitely be wondering why you haven’t been making it yourself all along…
Throughout the beginning phases of our homesteading process, we have learned the value in being self-sufficient in many ways. This includes making our own sourdough starter for breadmaking, water kefirs for delicious and healthy soda substitutes, and our homemade stocks for everyday use. Our newest adventure has been the idea of making homemade cheese! Once I realized how easy it was to make homemade ricotta, I knew I had to try it for myself and add it to my regular schedule of making these homemade staples. Homemade ricotta cheese has a smooth but crumbly consistency so it can be used for so many different applications and meals. Its mild flavor deepens as it sits in your fridge and according to my husband, tastes very similar to cream cheese. We love this recipe and hope you do too!
Ingredients – what you’ll need:
- 7 cups Whole Milk (preferably not ultra-pasteurized, but store-bought milk works fine in my experience)
- 1 cup Heavy Cream (pasteurization doesn’t matter as much here)
- 2 to 3 teaspoons Salt
- 5 tablespoons Lemon Juice or White Distilled Vinegar
Instructions:
- In a pot over medium heat, add the milk and heavy cream. Stir to combine.
- Using a thermometer, heat the milk/cream to 200°F. Be sure to continuously stir it so no scorching occurs on the bottom of the pot.
- Once the liquid heats to 200°F, immediately add in the salt and acid (lemon juice or white vinegar.) Stir to combine then let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to allow for curd formation. Here you will see the milk fat beginning to separate from the watery whey liquid.
- Prepare your draining station by placing a colander over a large bowl, being sure the colander sits at least 4 inches above the bottom of the bowl. Double-layer a cheesecloth by folding it in half, then line the inside of the colander. Feel free to secure the cheesecloth by clipping it to the top edges of the colander to help avoid the cheesecloth from sliding during the next step.
- After the ricotta mixture has set-up for 10 minutes, pour all the pot’s contents into the cheesecloth-lined colander. Let it sit for another 10-15 minutes depending how firm you want the cheese. The longer you let liquid drain from the cheese, the more firm it will become.
- Once ready, remove the ricotta from the draining station and store in the fridge in a sealed container.
- Enjoy!
