Let's Talk BBQ
General => General Discussion & Topics => General Discussion => Topic started by: SmokinKat on April 07, 2014, 05:53:29 PM
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Well, the bad news first: my first-time mama goats didn't do so hot with their first round of kids, and we didn't end up with ANY survivors. (That darling little white one that had survived for over a month got crushed by his *&$^%@ stupid mama goat.)
Of course, we were planning on butchering the kids for meat later on anyway, so I suppose if I'm feeling extra "glass-half-full", it just saved me the trouble down the road. Still a bummer, though. So after using up my year's allotment of swear words in a fairly short time period, I found the silver lining: no babies means we get ALL the milk!
Between the three girls, I'm getting about 2 1/2 quarts a day! I was looking for more ways to use the milk, since even drinking several glasses a day, that is a LOT of milk! Started reading up on it, and came across goat butter!
Goat's milk is naturally more homogenized than raw cow milk, so the cream takes it sweet time separating out. I left a few quarts in the fridge for about five days and skimmed the cream-- and ended up with a little over half a pint of cream.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/cream_zps76d7682e.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/cream_zps76d7682e.jpg.html)
I had initially planned on doing it the old fashioned way, by just shaking the cream in the jar until it turned to butter, but turns out my Little House on the Prairie visions didn't match up with the reality of my girly wrists and lack of patience. Cue the food processor! In about two minutes I had definite separation!
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/separating_zpsa9f93d89.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/separating_zpsa9f93d89.jpg.html)
Goats process beta carotene better than cows, so the butter is bright white, rather than yellowish like cow butter. (My 92 year old grandma was sharing her memories of growing up in Missouri during the depression, and how they couldn't afford real butter, even though there was a dairy right next to them. They would have to get margarine, which came with a little packet of colorant that you could mix in if you wanted it to look more like 'real' butter.)
I put the glob of butter in a jar, and rinsed it under cold water while I pressed out the buttermilk until the water ran clear. It was about the consistency of cream cheese, so while it was still soft I mixed in a little sea salt.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/BUTTER_zpsba545db4.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/BUTTER_zpsba545db4.jpg.html)
Popped it in the fridge to firm up a bit, then snuck a little taste. DIVINE. It melts in your mouth like a cloud-- with no oily or greasy feel. I've never really had the urge to eat plain butter before this, so I don't have much to compare it to in that regard, but it was incredible!! It was a sweet, light flavor, and an absolute treat!
Will definitely be taking the time to skim my milk so I can keep making this! Next will have to try some goat ice cream. :)
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OMG Sk, I'm so sad for you. Even only seeing photos I was getting attached :(
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Butter looks real good Kat! Sorry about the lost of the last one. He was sure cute.
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Great idea on the butter.
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The Nannys will catch on - next time I will bet they are successful.
But, on the bright side -the butter idea sounds fantastic.how would you describe the taste for richness? I know that goat milk is richer tasting - so, is the butter as well?
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Thanks CDN... Losing that little guy was really rough, especially after all the work we put into keeping him alive, then how great he was doing back with his mama full time.
I think it was just that he was still SO small since he was premature-- barely the size of what a newborn should be and he was a month old. He'd been with her for a good week and a half, and was just growing like a champ, but... Sigh! Guess there's next year. :) Will most likely get a video baby monitor and just keep my eyes on them 24/7 this next time, since apparently they are very sneaky at hiding when they're going into labor.
The two other does had given birth while I was at work (one on that same day we lost the little trooper), and neither got their babies noses cleared off. Was one heck of a rough lunch break last week, coming home to all of that and having to go back to work afterwards. Oofda.
T²-- for texture it was definitely lighter/airier than 'regular' butter-- more like a really thick whipped cream for the mouth feel. It set up nice and solid in the fridge, but has a really pillowy feel when it hits your tongue and melts. I'm going to have to compare the two side by side to really figure out the words I'm looking for with the flavors though. It was definitely richer, but having a hard time putting my finger on the description. I just know I'm forever spoiled for all things dairy after having all this fresh milk!
I have some rennet in the freezer, as soon as I get a few more quarts I might try my hand at mozzarella too.
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I can spare you a few swears if you need....I have no limit ;D
Way to make lemonade from lemons.
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While we were in Istanbul, Turkey last October, I was fortunate to be able to taste some ice cream made from goat's milk. All I can say is it was fantastic. Keep some ice cream in mind, too.
Art
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Love it,I got all the goodies for making butter,just need the cream.Good on you,sorry on the losses.
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So sorry about losing your kids Kat! That was a tough day to say the least! I'm sure it hurt but you are right in that after working hard to keep them alive.....it would have been doubly tough butchering them out. :(
Good for you on the goat butter! Sounds excellent. I'll bring the bread!!!!
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Too bad about the babies. :(
The butter looks outstanding. Never tried goat butter before, but I guess, it tatstes delicious, especially with the sea salt in it.
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Kat, sorry to hear about losing the goat kids. We had the same issue with the current set of breeding finches (the male in the pair is a third generation finch - we had his grandparents). It took them three broods before they finally got some chicks that survived, and even then only one survived from that brood.
They have now successfully raised chicks from two broods and have another batch of eggs incubating.
T²-- for texture it was definitely lighter/airier than 'regular' butter-- more like a really thick whipped cream for the mouth feel.
Whipped butter usually has a lighter, airy texture like that - it's nice and easy to spread too. Even cow's cream has a light texture if it's whipped it instead of churned (or shaken).
It sure looks divine!
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Kat, sorry about your babies, I really liked that white one. I'm waiing for the mozz. U go girl. Pam ;*))
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Sorry you had to lose the kids Kat! I wouldn't handle that well; I get upset when I find a dead animal outdoors, let alone if I had been trying to nurture one and raise it. Some great looking butter! A while back I wanted to show the grandson how to make butter, just used some heavy cream and a pint jar. Well he shook it for about 2 minutes and then was not interested in making butter! My arm was about wore out by the time I got butter! Stick with the processor! Don
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sorry for your loss ,but the butter looks great . can you tell the difference between cow and goat butter?
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So sad to hear about the loss of the baby, but sometimes nature has its strange ways of taking care of its own problems. Maybe that goat would have grown up to have other problems and it's momma took care of it in ways that we humans don't understand.