Goat cheese production

Cheese is a nutritious solid food made from milk. In Jamaica, goat cheese production is relatively new and demand for the product is overwhelming.

The following are the basic steps in making goat cheese.

Pour milk into a pot over low heat and slowly bring temperature to 82 Celsius. Raising the temperature too quickly will cause the milk to stick to the bottom, giving the cheese a burnt taste.

Remove pot from the heat when the desired temperature is reached. Quickly add vinegar or lemon juice and rennet, stirring to distribute throughout the milk.

Allow the mix to sit for 30 minutes, then use a long knife to cut the curd that has formed. Point the knife straight downward at one edge of pot and pull straight to the opposite side. Do this all around the pan until cubes are formed in the curd. Let the curds set for 10 minutes.

Line the colander with cheesecloth. Pour curds and whey into colander and let them drain for a few minutes. Pull up each corner of the cheesecloth and tie the curds into a ball.

Hang the cloth over a sink and allow to drain for at least four hours or overnight. The cheese is now ready to be eaten and may be refrigerated for later use.

Age under controlled conditions to produce desired flavour and consistency.

Terms and definitions

Rennet: An enzyme used to coagulate milk protein into a curd mass.

Curd: A product obtained by curdling (coagulating) milk with rennet.

Whey: The liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained.

Information provided by the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI).