Homemade Farmer’s Cheese
Growing up, homemade farmer’s cheese was a staple in our household, a versatile ingredient that found its way into many of our daily meals. Whether it was enjoyed with a dollop of sour cream and a drizzle of honey or jam, used as a filling for syrniki (a type of Farmer’s cheese pancake), or folded inside for varenyki, farmer’s cheese was a beloved comfort food. It was more than just a breakfast or snack; it was a taste of home, rich in tradition and flavor.
I still continue to make farmer’s (cottage cheese) almost every other week. I don’t know why I didn’t share the recipe earlier, but today, I’m excited to finally bring this cherished part of my heritage to your kitchen. The recipe below will make 1kg of Cottage Cheese.
Ingredients:
- 2 gallons (3.8 liters) of whole milk
- 6 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt (full-fat is best)
Equipment:
- Large pot
- Thermometer
- Wooden spoon
- Cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel
- Colander (strainer)
Directions:
Heat the Milk
- Pour the whole milk into a large pot and place it over medium heat.
- Slowly heat the milk to 190°F (88°C), stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
- Allow the milk to cool down to 120°F (49-50°C).
Add the Greek Yogurt
- Once the milk has cooled to 120°F (49-50°C), remove it from the heat.
- In a separate jar, mix 6 tablespoons of Greek yogurt with some warm milk. Stir well until fully incorporated.
- Stir the yogurt mixture into the milk, ensuring it’s well incorporated.
Let the Milk Curdle
- Preheat the oven to 230°F (110°C), then turn it off.
- Cover the pot with a lid and place it inside the warm oven. Leave it undisturbed for 8-10 hours. During this time, the milk will curdle, forming curds and whey.
Check the Curds
- After the resting period, check the curds. They should be firm and separated from the whey, which will appear as a clear, yellowish liquid.
- Make cross-cuts through the curds with a knife to help them heat evenly.
- Preheat the oven to 230°F (110°C) again, and place the pot inside for 1.5 hours. After about 30 minutes, remove the pot and check the internal temperature of the curds, which should be 105-113°F (40-45°C). Gently stir the curds, trying not to break them, and then return the pot to the oven.
Strain the Curds
- Line a colander with cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel, and carefully pour the curds and whey into it.
- Let the curds drain for about 1 hour. For drier curds, allow them to drain longer. (You can also let them drain overnight in the fridge.)
Use the cottage cheese as desired.
Enjoy!
Homemade Farmer’s Cheese (Tvorog)
Equipment
- Large Heavy-Bottomed Pot to prevent scorching
- Digital Thermometer
- Wooden Spoon
- Cheesecloth or Clean Kitchen Towel
- Large Colander Strainer
Method
- Pour 2 gallons of whole milk into a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Slowly heat the milk to 190°F (88°C), stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
- Remove from heat and allow the milk to cool down to 120°F (49–50°C).
- In a separate small jar, whisk 6 tbsp of Greek yogurt with a splash of the warm milk until smooth and fully incorporated. Stir this mixture thoroughly into the pot of milk.
- Preheat your oven to 230°F (110°C), then turn the oven OFF. Cover the pot with a lid, place it inside the warm turned-off oven, and leave it undisturbed for 8–10 hours while the milk curdles into curds and whey.
- Remove pot from oven. Use a sharp knife to make cross-cuts through the firm curds to help them heat evenly.
- Preheat the oven to 230°F (110°C) again, and place the pot inside for 1.5 hours.
- After 30 minutes, check that the internal temperature of the curds is between 105–113°F (40–45°C). Gently stir the curds once (taking care not to break them up too much), then return the pot to the oven for the remaining hour.
- Line a large colander with cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel and place it over a large bowl or sink.
- Carefully pour the curds and whey into the lined colander.
- Allow the curds to drain for 1 hour for a soft texture. For a drier cheese (ideal for baking syrniki or varenyki), let it drain longer or transfer to the refrigerator to drain overnight.
Nutrition
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Excellent, thank you for another wonderful recipe!
Thank you Elena!
Excited to try it
its my go-to recipe! I hope you’ll love it!
Hello Natasha
I would like to make sure I understood.
Do you keep the oven on at 110º C the second time your put the curd in it for 1.5 H ?
I appreciate a lot all your works and the informations you share with your followers
Fériale
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This procedure is the same as making yogurt.
Need to try
Thank you
Jane
OMG , This is not cottage cheese…its yogurt as you used the active cultures from the greek yogurt to ferment the milk. Cottage cheese uses an acid (vinegar or citric ) to curdle the milk and separate the whey. Complete misinformation
Agreed. This is what we call yogurt cream cheese 🙂
Kesinlikle bu Türk yoğurt yapımı..peynir değil..
‘Amerika’da ‘ yanlış oldu silemedim… ” peynir yapımı değil Türk yoğurt yapımı” olacaktı…
Love the idea of making my own cottage cheese. Just seeking clarification on the amount of milk to use. The imperial measurement indicates 2 gallons, but the metric equivalent stated would only be 1 gallon. Thanks.
Hi Natasha. What kind milk did you use? Was is raw milk or just regular from grocery store?
That would be great to have a how to make ricotta recipe
Nataliya, Do you have a recipe for Ricotta?
When I had a college class, we made cottage cheese, the whey that was left, we added I think citric acid and instantly ricotta was made. I thought of all the whey we threw out when we made cottage cheese at the farm. In my class, I remember making ricotta was instant when the acid was added.
Thank you dear Nataliya! I have spent hours looking for the correct recipe in net. We are from Ukraine where exactly this type of cottage cheese is traditional and I was missing it so much.