How to Make Your Own Cheese at Home

Making cheese at home is something most people would never think of yet it is remarkably easy in principle. Home cheesemaking can be a fun hobby, a method of storing milk that would otherwise sour or even a business opportunity.

To make serious quantities of cheese you really need a source of low cost milk. This need not just be cows milk, goats milk makes fine cheese as does sheep’s milk .

If you know a local farmer or smallholder then you may well be able to get enough milk at an affordable price to make cheese in larger quantities.

We met a couple on a market selling their own cheese who had teamed up with a small farmer to turn his ewe’s milk and goat’s milk into cheese

Personally, we just make small amounts of cottage or curd cheese at home, sometimes the supermarket has over stocked and we pick up some reduced organic milk cheaply and convert it to cheese which can be frozen. If we find cream reduced then we grab that too and convert it into butter (see making your own butter).

The process of cheesemaking is an ancient craft that dates back thousands of years, ever since man domesticated animals and found himself with milk going sour.

Why Make Cheese at Home?

Now we can buy a huge range of cheese from around the world in our local supermarket you might wonder why make cheese at home?

Well the answer could just be that is a fascinating hobby and the sheer pleasure of eating something unique that you have created yourself.

And you know exactly what has gone into the food on your table.

Artisan cheeses are something special and you might have a few mistakes and disasters along the way but that’s all part of the learning process.

Articles & Information on Making Cheese at Home

Cheese Making Basic Guide, Tutorial - Home Made Cheese

Making cheese need not be difficult as long as attention is paid to the quality and handling of the milk, hygienic procedures are followed and the appropriate equipment is used. It is appropriate to look at what processes are involved and what equipment...

Cheese Making Equipment for Making Cheese at Home

The amount of equipment needed obviously depends on the scale of operations. For the home producer, many existing kitchen items can be used, but there are specialist suppliers who cater for both commercial producers and hobbyists. Cheese Vat...

Milk & Starter Cultures - Ingredients for Making Cheese

Milk is obviously the main ingredient for cheese and may be from cows, goats or dairy sheep. There are also some that use buffalo milk. Cheese Making Milk Milk is obviously the main ingredient and may be from cows, goats or dairy sheep. There...

Cheese Making - Ingredients for Making Cheese at Home - Rennet, Salt, Herbs etc

The ingredients for making cheese haven't changed since people discovered how to save summer gluts of milk to see them through the lean winter times. Rennet In cheesemaking, it is not always convenient to have coagulation at a very acid level;...

Making Cheddar Cheese at Home

Making Cheddar Cheese at Home. This hard cheese is one of the great cheeses of the world. It is usually made with cow's milk, but I frequently made it from goat's milk. Goat and ewe's milk both produce a slightly softer curd than cow's milk, and they...

How to Make Your Own Cottage / Curd Cheese at Home

This 'cheat's' cottage cheese is easy to make and uses no special ingredients, not even rennet. It's handy if you find yourself with some milk about to turn. Making Cottage or Curd Cheese A lot of people are put off the idea of making cheese...