# Making Feta today



## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

last I made was too darn dry and hard think I let it hang too long not sure.


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## mamatomany (Aug 7, 2008)

I'm gonna try it Sondra, you probably don't use a premixed culture do you? You seem to be the all natural kinda gal  I love dump and stir methods myself  My hubby wants me to venture into that...I can't even get chevre right for God sakes! I'll keep an eye on this post and see how ya did.


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## stacy adams (Oct 29, 2007)

I love feta! and I love simplicity as well.. so I do mine a bit differently. 
I have this plastic rectangular tray with oblong holes all over it (I don't remember what it was sold as) I line that with plastic mesh you get at a craft store in the yarn section (can't remember what that's for either! :blush2
then prepare the feta as per directions, but instead of hanging, I spoon it into my "mold", cover it with cheese cloth, let it drain a few hours, then salt the top of it and let it sit usually until the next morning. I'll then flip it over into the cheese cloth and salt the other side and let it sit some more. By early evening, I can cut it into cubes, salt these a bit more and store them in jars in the fridge.. some don't make it quite that far :nooo :biggrin


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

AH I like that idea Stacy. Well I made it and it tastes great but a little on the rubbery rather than crumbly side so not sure what I did or didn't do except didn't let it hang as long I might have rushed it too much.


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## paulaswrld (Mar 2, 2008)

rubbery is usually a too much rennet problem...Feta loves to hang so that is not often the issue...I have hung it for as little as 6 hours to as long as 26 (don't ask...lol) in the end it was basically the same cheese.

Paula


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## Bernice (Apr 2, 2009)

I love feta too and would like to one day try putting it into a jar with dried tomatoes and oil! Yrs ago Linda Campbell made some and brought it to a goat show.....and wow....to die for! 

What was the recipe you used Sondra? Paula has a point there about the rennet, too much and it's all over. 

Oh.....hey, I have to dig out this recipe I got about 11 yrs ago from I think the homedairygoats list for velvetta made out of goats milk. I'll post it if anyone is interested and I can find it. I remember that it needed to sit in a jar for 3 weeks at room temp. I've never tried it, always meant to. 

Keep at it Linda, you'll be a cheese pro before long!


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Well ok I know what my problem was I used the culture and I use Fiasco farm recipe However after going back and reading it again she uses 2 to 3 gal of milk and like a dummy I used 1 gal so too much of everything. but boy is it good eating


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

Wow Stacey- what a great idea! Thank you for sharing that.
My problem with the feta is I don't like so much salt so it never gets crumbly.
Do you brine or just salt heavily? I have tried it by a recipe and just could not eat it but with out all that salt it is more like dried out cottage cheese with no dressing !

I did age it once as cone shapes made by draining in plastic cups with holes in the bottom and rolled in salt and just lightly covered with a thin towel. That was really good after about 2 weeks in the fridge and more crumbly because of the drying effect of the fridge. The salt on the outside kept it from spoiling and I just did not eat that part.
Lee


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

They claim you can rinse the salt off with water which I do prior to putting in oil w/herbs


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## mamatomany (Aug 7, 2008)

Sondra, you'll be proud  I made mozzarella the other day, used the whey and made ricotta too  I slapped the cheese on my homemade pizza and the kids loved it...DH loves everything, but how exciting. Next I will make some feta too  Oh yes, I royally screwed up my last batch of FB, BUT I mixed it with mozzarella and parm. and stuffed manicotti, hello, yummy. I'm making mistakes, learning a lot, and eating everything!


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Oh Linda I am the queen of cheese mistakes  I will be using buttermilk again to to the feta as it is better I think and less chance to goof up like I just did. Just goes to show more of something isn't always better


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

Thank goodness on a farm there is always someone to eat the mistakes!
L


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## Guest (Jul 4, 2009)

Feta sounds so good right now.. I always feed my mistakes to the chickens.. they love it.
sometimes I eat it anyway.. I made cottage cheese today and it turned out wonderful, but then again it is so easy to make.. 
Barb


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