Tonight I made Queso Blanco using Ricki Carrol's recipe. She says you can use a slightly higher temp and less vinegar to avoid the 'vinegary' taste. So that made me nervous about adding too much. I had a gallon of raw milk that I just picked up at the farm (milked the cow). I took it right from the cow and was home within 1/2 hour so it was still about 99 degrees. (101-102 out of the cow). Heated to 195. Added just under 1/4 cup vinegar then stopped when curds began to form. Yield was low and whey very 'milky'. If I had added more vinegar would I have precipitated more curds? I read someone else had done that. It tastes good if not a bit bland. But no vinegar flavor. Did I use enough? I've read this is usually a high yield cheese. I got a large fist size. Doesn't seem like much.
When I make ricotta, the temperature is not always exactly the same when I finally get the clouds to "bloom". This last time, the whey was almost 210 degrees Fahrenheit before it worked. BTW, I don't use vinegar in my ricotta.
Maybe if you had heated it more? I don't make much queso blanco, so I'm not the best person to reply, I guess.
Thanks for the reply. I read in another thread (about another cheese) that if the whey was milky all of the cheese/curds have not been extracted. So heated the whey back up, added more vinegar.. and voila'! Got more cheese than the first time! Live and learn.
Susan
That's where a pH meter helps.