Author Topic: Milk Shake....  (Read 1367 times)

Offline Fritz

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Milk Shake....
« on: July 12, 2016, 01:44:56 AM »
Hi all, I bring my raw milk home from my cow in 1/2 gal glass jars and put in a nice cold fridge until I do my cheese thing, probably every second day... The cream rises and thickens in the jar while waiting for me, of course... When I pour the milk in my vat, I need to shake and agitate the glass jars to loosen up the cream around the top from the glass.
Most literature states to handle the milk gently when warming it up...and "not break the surface" ..."stir gently" .. .... Etc. I never could understand why all the coddling...

My question is: does my milk shaking and agitation in the jar just before putting it in the vat to warm up, have any adverse affect to my cheese making in any way?

Thanks in advance,
Fritz

MrsKK

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Re: Milk Shake....
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2016, 10:49:48 PM »
I doubt it, as I have to shake the jars pretty vigorously to get the cream blended back in, too. Love that Jersey milk!

Offline Boofer

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Re: Milk Shake....
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2016, 02:03:55 PM »
Whether I'm using raw or creamline Jersey milk I have to shake the container vigorously to reincorporate the cream into the milk. The fresher the milk, the softer and more mixable the cream is. As the milk ages, that cream gets harder and more resistant to mixing. :(

Not shaking the milk up to mix the cream back in means that the cream won't be part of the cheese. ??? Gotta shake it. :)

-Boofer-
 
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Offline Fritz

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Re: Milk Shake....
« Reply #3 on: July 15, 2016, 11:45:50 PM »
Thanks for sharing your experience folks, I never seen a negative effect, also... I totally get that shaking is the way to go..
My less direct question may be: why do most published cheese recipe books describe handling the milk "gently" before coagulation time (I get why stirring curds gently is important). They say "warm the milk stiring gently" or "add the culture stiring gently" ...." Stir without breaking the surface" ... Up down stiring 20 times...etc.

I never read anywhere where it says why not to give your milk a good hearty stir as your stiring gut would tell you to...... Huh....

My guess was to not incorporate air or oxygen into the mix.... Hence the shaking jar question... Which would certainly jam pack said air into the milk .

Inquiring minds would like to know :)

SOSEATTLE

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Re: Milk Shake....
« Reply #4 on: July 19, 2016, 01:05:14 AM »
My understanding is that rough handling of milk can disrupt the milk structure (fat globules) and this can alter curd formation and texture of the cheese.


Susan