How to Make Queso Blanco

My Second cheese ever!. Eventually I want to learn how to make ALL the cheeses so I can host my own charcuterie party where I have made EVERYTHING! Check out the first cheese I ever made, Mascarpone!

Queso Blanco Recipe

From the book: Artisan Cheese Making at Home

Makes: 1 pound

Milk: pasteurized whole cow’s milk

Alternative milks: Raw cow’s milk; pasteurized or raw goat’s milk

Time: 2 hours, 1 hour to make cheese, 1 hour to drain.

Ingredients:

• 1 Gallon pasteurized whole cow’s milk

• About 1/3 cup cider vinegar, or distilled white vinegar

• 1 tsp Kosher salt, preferabel Diamond Crystal brand

Method:

1. Read through the recipe, and assemble equipment, supplies and ingredients including a dairy thermometer. Clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.

2. Heat the milk in a nonreactive, heavy 6-quart stockpot over medium heat to 195º, stirring occasionally to prevent the milk from scorching. It should take 25-30 minutes to bring the milk to temperature. Turn off the heat.

3. Stir in 1/3 cup vinegar using a whisk. Cover, remove from the heat, and let sit for 10 minutes. The milk protein will coagulate into solid curds and the liquid whey will be almost clear and light green in color. Depending up the milk used, if the whey is still a bit cloudy or there are small bits of curd visible in the whey, you may need to add a bit more vinegar to fully coagulate the curds. If so, add a bit more vinegar in with a rubber spatula until the remainder of the curds are formed. Too much vinegar will negatively flavor the curds.

4. Place a nonreactive strainer over a nonreactive bowl or bucket large enough to capture the whey. Line it with clean, damp butter muslin and gently ladle the curds into it. Let the curds drain for 5 minutes.

5. Distribute the salt over the curds and gently toss the curds with your hands to incorporate. Be careful not to break up the curds in the process.

6. Make a draining sack: Tie two opposite corners of the butter muslin into a knot and repeat with the other two corners. Slip a dowel or wooden spoon under the knots to suspend the bag over the whey-catching receptacle, or suspend it over the kitchen sink using kitchen twine tied around the faucet. let the curds drain for 1-hour, or until the whey has stopped dripping. Discard the whey or reserve for another use.

7. Remove the solid mass of cheese from the cloth and place in an airtight container or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Fresh cheeses such as queso blanco are best when eaten within 24 hours, though queso blanco may be stored for up to 1 week.