Raw vs Store Past & Homogenized Milk?

[Stuart]

I have a half gallon worth of raw neufchâtel straining over my sink. I didn't get a good looking curd set, it was thinner than normal, but it worked just fine, it's slowly dripping, properly. I used the basic neufchâtel recipe, but since the raw, local, farm fresh milk was over $5 a quart (!), I only made a half gallon.

I'll post tomorrow about the result after I refrigerate it and flavor it, but I wanted to see if anyone else was using raw milk in their soft cheeses, and if there were any notable working or gastronomical differences.

[Tea]

I use raw milk, (if I can get my hands on it) for everything, and yes there is quite a difference in curd quality, yield and final cheese flavour.  Once you have used it, you won't want to go back to "commercial" milks.

[MrsKK]

Raw milk is all I use in cheesemaking.  I can't say anything about differences, as I've never tried to make cheese with p/h milk.

[Cheese Head]

Stuart, good question, I don't know as I'm opposite of MrsKK, all I've ever used is cheap store bough past & homogenized milk and works great for me.

Congrats on your Neufchatel making.

[DeejayDebi]

I have used both raw and store bought milk. I definately think raw makes a creamier tasting cheese and a has a higher yield. That being said here anyways it costs twice as much as store bought milk.

[wharris]

I have never used anything but Pasteurized/Homomgenized milk.

I would imagine that if I had to prioritize between the two, I would take non-homogenized, over non-pasteurized.

Anyone else?

[Stuart]

What's the effect of non-homogenized milk on the cheese process?

The raw neufchatel did taste better, but not worth the price difference. I need to find a cheaper source of raw. Paying $5+ a quart is not worth it.

I would like to try raw goat milk. 

[DeejayDebi]

Good point Wayne! We pasteurize most of our raw milk during the cheese making process anyway don't we? Well at least some of the cheeses require it if they are not aged over 60 days. It's the homogenization process that messes up the milk not the pasteurization.

One of my farmers pasteurizes the milk but doesn't homogizes it and it it almost as good as the purely raw milk. I think he skimms it more though.

[cmharris6002]

With most cheeses we don't get the milk hot enough for pasteurization.

To pasteurize milk it needs to be heated to 145°F (63°C) for 30 min or to 160°F (71°C) for 15 sec, followed by rapid cooling to below 50°F

Christy

[DeejayDebi]

Many of the recipes I used that are aged for short durations say to pasteurize at 167 degrees for 15 to 30 second and chill quickly if using raw milk.

You will find several of Peter Dixsons recipe do also.

[cmharris6002]

Oh, I see. I usually just ignore that part if it an aged cheese

Christy

[DeejayDebi]

  I have been know to do that as well unless I know it will be eatten before the 60 days are up - just in case! But I don't have my own critters so who knows for sure what happened at the farm today?