Queso Fresco Cheese Recipe
How to make quick and easy Queso Fresco for use in Mexican dishes, stir-fries, curries, dips, spreads and crumbles on salads. Savory or sweet. It is so versatile and works as a substitute for many other cheeses. Takes just little over an hour from start to finish.
Equipment
- 1 large 12 quart stock pot, preferably with a heavy bottom. - to heat the milk
- 1 approximately 30 x 30 inch heavy duty cheese cloth, flour sack towel or butter muslin - for draining the curds
- 1 long-handled spoon or skimmer - to stir the cheese while cooking and for skimming the curds out of the hot whey
- 1 thermometer - optional
- 1 colander - optional
- 1 large pot or bowl to catch the whey - at least 2 gallon size if you use 2 gallons of milk
- 1 a hook to hang the bag from, or a dowel - optional for hanging the cloth bag
Ingredients
- 2 gal milk
- 1 cup acidifier, such as Vinegar or Lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp sea salt
- 1-2 cups cream - optional. Use if you desire a richer, creamier cheese,
Instructions
- Pour the milk into your large stock pot.
- Warm milk on medium-low heat to a temperature of at least 165 degrees. If you go over even to the point of boiling, it'll be OK. Watch that it doesn't scorch. So keep stirring while it heats.
- Turn off the heat or take the pot off the burner if it's electric. Slowly add your acidifier at this point while stirring. Watch for curdling. When it starts to curdle, quit adding more acidifier. Stir it for a few more seconds. There should be a good separation of curds and whey. The whey will look greenish and should be clear. If it's milky it needs a little more acid.
- Now let it rest in the pot for about 5-10 minutes.
- While your curds and whey are resting, prepare your catchment pot. Line with a cheesecloth. Alternatively you can put a colander over the pot and line that with the cheese cloth. I hate extra dishes so I don't usually do that. But if you want to salt the cheese this is the best way to do it. Mix the salt into the curds before hanging.
- Carefully pour your curds and whey into the lined catchment pot or colander. It might splash, so be really careful. You can also use your skimmer to take the curds out first and then pour the rest of the whey in it to catch all the bits. I prefer that.
- Now take 3 ends of the cheesecloth in one hand and wrap the fourth around the other three. When you come around, slide the corner through the loop from underneath and make a knot. After that I usually take the corner and make another knot with one of the other corners, just to keep from having it unravel when I hang it on a hook.
- Slide a hook into that knot and carefully test it to make sure it won't come undone and splash hot liquid all over. Then hang on a looped rope that is suspended from a rafter or cabinet knob. Or slide the whole thing over your faucet in the sink.
- Let it drip for an hour or so. Less is OK if you are going to blend it.
- It is now ready to use for chopping or blending or it can be pressed to yield a firmer cheese.
- To blend the cheese, use a food processor, blender, hand mixer, stick blender or potato masher to blend the curds into a smooth cream cheese. This can be mixed with savory or sweet ingredients or use as cream cheese, ricotta or sour cream in recipes. If you omitted the salt earlier, you can add it now if you like.
- Optional step, pressing the cheese: The reason for pressing this cheese would be to increase the curd firmness. This step is optional after the cheese has drained for an hour. If you own cheese making equipment, you can use a cheese press, but it is not necessary. The simplest way to press it is by keeping it in the cloth bag. Twist it tight and lay it in a colander that's perched over a catchment bowl or put the bag on a board inside a cookie tray. Not much liquid will seep out. Put another board on top and add some weight on top of that. A few rocks, cast iron pan, or cans of food work. Keep it somewhere where nothing gets damaged in case the weights slide off. Press for another hour or so. It will be nice and firm for slicing and dicing.
Notes
Save the whey! There are lots of Uses For Whey.