Pot Cheese

This post is part of series on different ways to use, transform and preserve fresh milk. Main article here.

This is one of my favorite fresh cheese recipes and is something in between farmer’s cheese and cottage cheese. I use it as a ricotta substitute. It bakes wonderfully and has a rich taste with very light sour notes. It works well in sweet or savory recipes.

This cheese does not behave like a farmer’s cheese with dramatic whey and curd separation. The curds are very small and grainy. You won’t see the final consistency until after straining.

Pot Cheese

Yields about 1.5 lbs/650g of cheese

Ingredients

4 cups/32 oz milk
2 cups/16 oz heavy cream
1 cup/8 oz buttermilk or kefir
3 Tbs white vinegar or lemon juice
1/2 tsp of sea salt

Method

Combine all ingredients in a large, heavy bottomed pot. Aim for at least 6 inches of space between the top of your pot and the top of the milk mixture.

Let it sit for 5 min.

Bring to a low boil for 25 min, stirring frequently. The milk mixture will foam initially. Wipe down the curds from the side of the pot. I use a silicone spatula.

Remove from heat and let rest, covered with a lid, for one hour.

Place a colander inside of a bowl with some clearance on the bottom. Line with a cheesecloth and slowly pour the contents of the pot over the colander.

Wrap the curds into a ball and tie onto a kitchen sink faucet, a cabinet handle or cheese strainer with a bowl underneath.

Strain until the wrapped cheese is no longer dripping frequently, about 30-60 min, retightening the ball once or twice to wring out excess liquid. The texture of the cheese should be light, soft and moist.

The leftover whey is quite creamy. You could even try and make more fresh cheese by boiling the whey with a little extra vinegar or save in the fridge for another use.

Stays good for at least a week in the fridge, longer in the freezer. Use as a substitute for farmer’s cheese, cottage cheese or ricotta.