NomNom
Active Member
Do you guys recommend using Raw Milk? A local health food store sells it, but it's more expensive. Just wanted to see if its worth it...
Raw Milk
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avaserfi
Well-Known Member
My experience is from eating and minimal cheese making. Yes, raw milk has far more flavor due to lack of processing. This flavor will make its way into the final product. Additionally, raw milk has not been pasteurized or homogenized which will make the cheese making process easier (or possible) in some cases. For example, when making mozzarella it is not possible to get good curd formation with ultrapasteurized milk.
From reading it appears that many/most premium cheeses use raw milk so there appears to be some benefit. A number of recipes in "Home Cheese Making" recommend raw milk, how ever most can be made with homogenized.
I would say if a recipe recommends it highly I would listen. In other cases I would make a batch with cheaper milk and the raw milk and see if you can appreciate the difference.
Just in case it is not obvious, I have no real experience cheese making.
Craig
I would say if a recipe recommends it highly I would listen. In other cases I would make a batch with cheaper milk and the raw milk and see if you can appreciate the difference.
Just in case it is not obvious, I have no real experience cheese making.
Craig
I would only use raw milk for making hard cheeses. There is no reason to spend all the time and energy to produce a fine cheese only to have it end up tasting like BMC cheese.
I always use raw milk. However, I know my milk source and the milk went from 102 degrees (from the goat) to 40 degrees in under an hour. That's crucial, so that you don't have any bacteria growing in it.
If you're making hard cheeses, raw milk is great. According to the health officials, it's completely safe if aged over 60 days.
If you're making soft (unripened) cheeses, it's recommended to pasteurize raw milk before consuming.
I've only pasteurized once, because I was serving it to friends and didn't want to risk anybody getting sick, or to admit I was serving them unpasteurized milk. I did it at the lowest temperature I could (I think it was 135, but I'd have to check) for 30 minutes. I didn't notice any change in flavor or texture.
If you're making hard cheeses, raw milk is great. According to the health officials, it's completely safe if aged over 60 days.
If you're making soft (unripened) cheeses, it's recommended to pasteurize raw milk before consuming.
I've only pasteurized once, because I was serving it to friends and didn't want to risk anybody getting sick, or to admit I was serving them unpasteurized milk. I did it at the lowest temperature I could (I think it was 135, but I'd have to check) for 30 minutes. I didn't notice any change in flavor or texture.
Evets
Well-Known Member
I use raw milk for mozzarella.
So, does it get pasteurized while cooking a pizza or a lasagna?
So, does it get pasteurized while cooking a pizza or a lasagna?
