# Basic chevre



## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

I have only tried making cheese once. My dad was here and he helped me. He was doing it the way his Italian mom did it. (They had a cow, not goats.) Anyway he kept telling me to squeeze all the liquid out which I did....frequently during the draining stage. In the end I had very dry, crumbly cheese.

This past summer a milk customer brought me some cheese his mom had made and it was soooo yummy! Nice and creamy. Not at all like mine was.

So....when you make basic chevre you just hang it to drain, right? And the consistency is similar to cream cheese? I'm thinking his idea of squeezing out the whey was more for a hard cheese? I WILL learn to make cheese this year. At least the easier types. LOL


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## Guest (Feb 2, 2008)

I have had best results hanging no more than a 2gal batch and gently turning the cheese after 3hrs. Also be very gentle with your curd, take care not to stir or over handle it and so it will have a smooth creamy texture.

Christy


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## goatkid (Oct 26, 2007)

We make lots of Chevre here. We do it in one gallon batches and then just leave it hang in a cool room for 24 hours. We do not squeeze it. It turns out creamy and wonderful tasting. Our friends, family and custmers love it.


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## Guest (Feb 4, 2008)

24 hours??? That seems like an awful long time to hang chevre. Personally I would never go that long. 

Sara


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## Guest (Feb 4, 2008)

goatkid can probably get away with hanging for 24hrs because of the cool room. At room temp hang time is more like 6-12hrs.

Christy


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## Guest (Feb 4, 2008)

What do you consider cool? We keep our house at 62-63 degrees and I don't hang chevre for 24 hours...

Sara


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## Guest (Feb 4, 2008)

For cheese a cool room is usually 45-55F. I have seen a few soft cheese recipes that have no rennet call for a 24hr hang time. I tried one once. I put the curds into Chevre molds on a rack in the fridge for 24hrs. It was too tart for my taste.

Christy


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Thank you! I am going to order some fresh starter and give it another try.


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## Guest (Feb 4, 2008)

Thanks Christy, that's what I was thinking. I am no expert but I love the cultures you sent me!

Sara


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

do any of you ever use your cheese press on chevre??


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## Guest (Feb 5, 2008)

I haven't tried it. But I think you would get a crumbly cheese nice for salads and cooking. Of course it couldn't technically be called Chevre' if you pressed it


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Oh I am just thinking how to drain it now that I don't have handles on cubboards over my sink any more and if I would hang it on the faucet DH would run water on it  So was thinking maybe put in the press but not press it really


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## stacy adams (Oct 29, 2007)

I don't have handles on any of my cupboards either and they all have those "hidden" hinges that are on the inside. So what I've done, is get some large strong rubber bands. When I gather the corners of my cheesecloth together, I don't tie, I just loop a rubberband around it, carry the the cheese with a container under it to catch the whey and hook that rubber band over the back of one of the hinges. This way, I can actually have it out of the way for other kitchen stuff. 
I have a bunch of cabinets in the kitchen to pick & choose from  & can hang quite a bit of cheese. :biggrin


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## Guest (Feb 8, 2008)

You can also hang cheese from a dowel set cross wise on a 5gal bucket. 

Christy


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