Milk, Unhomogenized - Skimming Methods

[Jessica_H]

Hello!

I am a new aspiring cheese making enthusiast   Previously I had made 2 mozzarella cheeses with junket rennet but for Christmas I got a basic hard cheese kit and would love to try the 8 recipes in it.  I made a Gouda recently (it's brining now) and I think I'd like to make a Parmesan next.

My question - I live in a wonderful community and have access to raw milk (cow and goat).  My understanding is that this is preferable to store bought milk.  However, the Parmesan recipe calls for low-fat milk.  I'm pretty sure I can't get low-fat raw milk...is it better to use store bought low-fat milk?  Or to ignore the low-fat part and just use the raw milk?

Thanks in advance!

[linuxboy]

Raw milk is best. As for the fat content, wait a half day for the cream to rise, skim it off, and use the skimmed milk to make parmesan. The remaining fat content should be around 2.5%, which is great for parm. You can also make a full-fat type of cheese, which will not be parm, but similar.

[Jessica_H]

Thanks for the advice!  Will is separate in the fridge?  Or should I leave it out?  When I buy it at the store it's in a half-gallon jug and it's pretty uniform in color.  I'm thinking the food co-op doesn't periodically shake the cartons up...so I'm just hoping it will separate for me.  Any tricks on getting it to separate?

I have a gravy separater that I use with my crock pot...  I'm thinking that might work too... 

[linuxboy]

Normal cow milk that's not homogenized should form a cream line pretty quickly. Maybe in half a day. And you pour off the cream and use the skimmed milk. If the one you buy doesn't separate, maybe it's homogenized?

You can use the gravy strainer, that's a great idea. You don't need to be quite that exact, however. Some leftover cream should be OK.

If you can't skim the cream off, you can use whole milk. It will not be the same cheese, but it will be similar.

[Jessica_H]

Can I do half cow's milk and half goat's milk?

[linuxboy]

Yes, but flavor will be different.

[smilingcalico]

I would suggest skimming the milk as opposed to the gravy separator (which is a great idea by the way!) for the simple fact that unless you are making tiny wheels of cheese, separating the cream from a gallon or two (or more) of milk is just not practical doing it 8 ounces at a time.
That said, goat milk doesn't separate easily. One trick to try with it is to gently heat the milk, then let it cool.  I forget the temperature to do it at, but you don't heat it too high. Another option is to put the milk in a bowl in the fridge, covered of course, and let it sit for a few days. Then you can skim it. 

[susanky]

I never understood the bowl thing.  I've read that several times.  I've always found it much easier to skim from a gallon that actually narrows at the top, as opposed to a larger surface area.  If the jar is narrowed at the top you get a 'deeper'  layer of cream which I find easier to skim.   A bowl would result in a wider, but much thinner layer of cream.  Why is this preferred?  I must be missing something
Susan

[MrsKK]

I pour my cow's milk into gallon jars and use a gravy ladle to skim the cream off the following morning for cheeses that are best made with skim.  I can never get all of the cream off, but have no problems with that.

The bonus is that you have all that lovely cream for coffee (sweeten with maple syrup for true decadence!), ice cream, butter, etc.

[smilingcalico]

 Pour it into whatever container you want, but I guarantee you won't get a Skimmer into the half gallon glass container that my milk comes in.

[susanky]

Well that certainly makes sense.  If the ladle won't fit you'd surely have to transfer it to something.  I do the same as Karen and use a gravy ladle to skim off the top of a gallon jug.  The local schools save their plastic gallon jars that they get salad dressing etc in.  It has a pretty wide mouth.  I make lots of butter!  Yum!
Susan