How To Make Feta Cheese
Feta is a good cheese for beginners. It involves all the steps involved in cheesemaking but doesn’t require any special techniques or ripening. It is fast, affordable, and delicious!
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: Approx. 2 lbs of cheese
- Category: Cheese
- Method: Cultured
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the cheese
- 1 gallon (4 L) of milk (goat’s milk, sheep’s milk, or cow milk)
- 1/8 tsp of mesophilic starter
- 1/8 tsp of food-grade calcium chloride in 2 Tbsp filtered water
- 1/4 tsp of liquid rennet or 1/4 tablet in 2 Tbsp filtered water (enough to set 1 gallon of milk)
For the brine
- 1 cup filtered water
- 1 1/2 Tbsp salt (non-iodized)
Instructions
- Sanitize your cheesemaking tools. (Simplified option: Sanitizing is not required for fresh cheeses. However, if you plan on keeping your feta for longer than a few weeks, or have issues with mold in your home, I recommend sanitizing your equipment).
- Heat the milk to 86 F (30C). Stir in culture and maintain the milk at 86 F for 1 hour. (Simplified option: Sour and flavor the milk by mixing it with 1/4 cup of cultured buttermilk. Let it sit out at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours. You want it slightly flavored, but not too sour).
- After the milk has acidified, stir in calcium chloride, mixing well. Then add the rennet and mix thoroughly.
- Maintain the milk at 86 F (30C) and leave it for 1 hour for the curd to set. DO NOT STIR or touch the milk while it sets the curd.
- When the curd shows a clean break, use a long knife to cut it into 1/2-inch cubes.
- Cook the curds by stirring every 5 minutes for the next 1/2 hour, slowly raising the temperature to 90F (32C). (Simplified option: Give the curds a good stir. Put a lid on the pot and let the curds rest for 1/2 hour.)
- Line a strainer with butter muslin and pour the curds and whey into it. I usually catch my whey in a large bowl, because it’s useful and delicious! Either pack the drained curds into a feta mold or hang the curd in the butter muslin. (See the section above for photos and details of each of these options).
- Allow the curds to drain for 8-12 hours. If you are using a mold, flip the cheese at least twice to ensure even drainage.
- Prepare the brine ahead of time to make sure that all the salt has dissolved.
- After the cheese has finished draining, unwrap it from the butter muslin and place it in the brine. Store it in the refrigerator and allow it to ripen for at least 5 days before serving.
Notes
- Please read up on the detailed processes involved with cheesemaking if you are uncertain about any of the steps in this recipe.
- I’ve also used milk kefir as a culture, however, the yeast in kefir gives the cheese Swiss cheese-like holes.
- If you find that the feta is too salty, simply reduce the amount of salt in your brine to 1 Tbsp or rinse the cheese before using it.
- Feta will last for at least a month in the fridge. However, because it contains a living culture it will continue to ferment and sour over time.
Keywords: Bulgarian, Greek, Turkish, goat, sheep, cow, brined, homemade, cheesemaking, frugal, zero waste,
Find it online: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/homemade-feta-cheese/