Homemade Ricotta Cheese

So I love cheese. My family loves cheese. We love ricotta cheese but it is so darned expensive that when I found a blog that gave instructions on how to make ricotta myself I decided to give it a try. Below is my tutorial. It was remarkably easy and SOOO yummy. The best part is it is definitely cheaper (if you have a fairly inexpensive milk source - Halo Farms is a good one around here) and healthier (no stabilizers or gum additives).

Making Ricotta Cheese



You will need 1 gallon of milk, 1/2-1tsp salt (I did 1/2tsp and it needed a tiny bit more) and 1/2 cup vinegar and cheesecloth. You also need a thermometer. I couldn't find mine, so I rigged up the meat thermometer....



Heat the milk over medium heat to 180 degrees - stirring regularly to keep the milk from burning.

Remove the milk from the heat when it reaches 180 degrees. Stir in salt and vinegar. The milk will start to curdle immediately.




Cover and let sit for 2 hours. Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the curdles from the pot and put into cheesecloth lined collander. Let drain. Store in the fridge for about a week. Or enjoy right away....






The liquid that is leftover is called whey. It can replace the liquid in biscuits, breads, etc. Or you can use it to feed your acid-loving plants like I did. My blueberry bushes loved it.