Let's Talk BBQ
Recipes => Recipes => Appetizers => Topic started by: SmokinKat on December 17, 2013, 06:19:16 PM
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In anticipation for my goats beginning their milking adventures next year (fingers crossed), I've been experimenting with making home made goat cheese (chevre). I've done it a few times, and it turns out just incredible. It's obviously a bit more work than just buying it at the store, but there's just no comparison in flavor. This is far milder in taste, especially at first, but will gain more ripeness and a more tart flavor if you let it age a few days in the fridge.
First, I'll introduce you to my girls: Peanut (Alpine) is on the left, with Faith and Grace (Saanen/Nigerian Dwarf mix) to the right. No clue which one is which with those two :) And yes, that is duct tape on Peanut's unicorn horn (scur). We're attempting to help it fall off naturally with elastic bands so she'll quit getting her fool head stuck in the fence.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/all3girls_zpsa2049e9a.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/all3girls_zpsa2049e9a.jpg.html)
Faith and Grace really are a pretty angelic little pair.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/goaties_zps9350b93d.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/goaties_zps9350b93d.jpg.html)
SO! Now for the goodies. The Ingredients are: 1 quart of goat milk, 1/4 cup of lemon juice, and some salt and herbs. If you can find goat milk that is NOT ultra-pasteurized, that's preferable, but UP is okay if that's all that is available.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/ingredientsgoatmilk_zps219a0a67.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/ingredientsgoatmilk_zps219a0a67.jpg.html)
Heat the milk in a saucepan slowly until it hits 180 deg. F, making sure it doesn't scorch on the bottom.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/tempforgoatmilk_zpsf7662224.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/tempforgoatmilk_zpsf7662224.jpg.html)
Gently stir in 1/4 cup of lemon juice and remove from the heat.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/lemonjuice_zps6990987b.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/lemonjuice_zps6990987b.jpg.html)
The milk will start to curdle (it's gets grainy, basically, not curdled like you might traditionally see with other cheese-making). This isn't a great shot, but you can kind of see it separating/curdling on the spoon.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/curdling_zps8a326d81.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/curdling_zps8a326d81.jpg.html)
At this point, you can slowly spoon it into a cheesecloth lined colander (you'll need LOTS Of layers of cheesecloth) or use a fine coffee filter. The filter takes longer to drain, but I find it less frustrating than the cheesecloth method. Probably user error. :)
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/straining_zps0590bf4c.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/straining_zps0590bf4c.jpg.html)
If you use the cheese cloth, you'll help drain the whey by pulling the edges up and making a ball, then gently squeezing the cheesecloth. With the coffee filter, you can stir and press the cheese against the filter to drain the whey.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/impatient_zpse8823d80.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/impatient_zpse8823d80.jpg.html)
Once it's to the desired consistency, mix in salt and herbs to taste. I usually use a few teaspoons of salt, and add garlic, rosemary and parsley.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/herbsforgoatcheese_zps00e29de6.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/herbsforgoatcheese_zps00e29de6.jpg.html)
No final shot on this batch, it usually doesn't sit still long enough for a photo before getting eaten. :) Once it's finished, you can pop in the fridge to cool and let the herbs infuse the cheese with flavor. If you leave it (covered) in the fridge a few days, it takes on more of that typical goat-cheese taste like you might enjoy from store bought chevre.
Here's the tutorial I used when I first started making this-- they've got some good photos of the process!
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/02/how-to-make-goat-cheese-recipe.html
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Sounds great. I love goat cheese.
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OH, NO!! Another "thing" I must try!! We love goat cheese around our household.
Art
The last time I had any discussions involving goats was with Rick (Nepas). This was while he still lived in PA. He wanted a goat to take care of the grass in his yard so he wouldn't have to cut the grass all the time. His wife asked him what did he plan to do with the goat in the winter months. His reply, "That's what the grinder and stuffer are for, dear!"
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Another goat cheese fan. A lot of work for the photos and many thanks ;D
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Love goat cheese.. Thanks for post Kat.. Never thought to make it myself.
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Wonderful Kat! I love goat cheese, I just wish my better half did as well. In a few years retirement beckons and I was thinking a few goats would be a nice thing, as of late that idea is being nixed! I don't give up easily! 8)
Thanks for your post, I will try this soon!
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That looks great! We just finished smoking a couple of chevre logs purchased at Costco. We like regular goat cheese drizzled with honey, and smoked goat cheese spread on thin, extremely crisp rice crackers. This definitely looks like a fun project
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I would live to have a couple goats. This looks like fun.
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I would live to have a couple goats.
only if they oink. ;)
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Very cool. I love goat cheese, too.
Try to make ice cream with goat milk - that was the best ice cream I ever had!
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Kool post Kat!!! Love goat cheese and the goats. Thanks for showing just how easy it is to make goat cheese. I always wanted to have a goat! I guess it was memories of the ones my Grandpa had when I was a kid ::) I have a photo of me holding a goat on a chain, I was no taller than the goat. I always wanted to try BBQ goat too and will if I can ever find some. Don
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That goat cheese looks and sounds delicious Kat but I've never had any. Might have to buy me a chunk and try it after seeing your post 8)
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They really are a kick in the pants-- we got the Alpines (Peanut and Herman) from a local goat dairy when they were three days old, and bottle fed them for the first couple of months. Time consuming, but they're more like puppies now-- they'll follow us around and wag their tails when they see me coming.
Try to make ice cream with goat milk - that was the best ice cream I ever had!
Oh no kidding-- that local dairy we got our goats from makes a soft-serve goat ice cream (among other incredible treats like skyr) and it is just to die for. That is definitely on my to-do list when we start milking.
That goat cheese looks and sounds delicious Kat but I've never had any. Might have to buy me a chunk and try it after seeing your post 8)
It's tasty stuff... some people don't care for the taste, since it's a little tangy, but... but like pz said, it's great drizzled with honey (the sweetness offsets it just great) and on crackers. I need to try smoking some this next batch!
Kool post Kat!!! Love goat cheese and the goats. Thanks for showing just how easy it is to make goat cheese. I always wanted to have a goat! I guess it was memories of the ones my Grandpa had when I was a kid ::) I have a photo of me holding a goat on a chain, I was no taller than the goat. I always wanted to try BBQ goat too and will if I can ever find some. Don
They are fun animals, and haven't been too hard overall! Will hopefully be posting some pics of a goat roast sometime next year! Depending, of course, on me getting over the hump of butchering my first goat. ??? Thankfully it won't be these ones in the pictures, since they're more like pets at this point. The first one of any type of animal is always the hardest emotionally, for me at least.
They ROCK for clearing blackberries, but aren't so much on just grazing... Will have to add some sheep to the mix next year! Both are super functional AND delicious! :)
Here's a couple of pics from when we first got them.
Here's Herman on his first day at the farm:
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/Facebook/Spring%202013/536796_10200897171899339_1326395835_n.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/Facebook/Spring%202013/536796_10200897171899339_1326395835_n.jpg.html)
My step-son Garett with Herman (Garret is a Little Person, and is only about 4 ft tall, so you can see how teeny these little buggers were!)
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/Facebook/The%20Rounds%20Farm/734333_10200799705422738_1625430565_n.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/Facebook/The%20Rounds%20Farm/734333_10200799705422738_1625430565_n.jpg.html)
And Peanut, taking a little nap in the hay:
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/Facebook/The%20Rounds%20Farm/157039_10200799703862699_635539679_n.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/Facebook/The%20Rounds%20Farm/157039_10200799703862699_635539679_n.jpg.html)
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Kat I too have a bit of trouble with the first of any creature (butchering that is). And I could not butcher anything that I had named unless of course hunger beckoned, even then it would be tough. I try to follow the Native American way in that you respect and honor the creatures that give me sustenance. Even then, the cuter they are the harder it is for sure!