% Grass Fed Raw Milk Organic Sheep Cheeses
Take all the benefits from 100% grass fed raw milk sheep and serve it in a tasty piece of cheese. It is exciting to see the number of young farmers learning the art of making raw milk and artisanal cheeses. As practice makes perfect, there is more and higher quality cheeses available for those who really enjoy and care about their food.
Homemade Raw Cheddar Cheese
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They say this cheddar gets better with age. I don’t know about that because we ate it fresh. For those of you without a cheese press, you can eat the curds fresh and un-pressed!
What Is Unpasteurized Cheese
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Unpasteurized cheese, also known as raw-milk cheese, is made from milk that has not been pasteurized. Pasteurization occurs during cheesemaking when milk is heated at the beginning of the cheesemaking process to destroy microorganisms that can potentially cause sickness or spoilage. In addition to destroying potentially dangerous microorganisms, some argue that pasteurizing milk also destroys the aromas and flavors that lead to great cheese.
Cheese made with unpasteurized milk can’t be sold in the USA unless it has been aged for at least 60 days. This is regulated by The Food and Drug Administration. After 60 days, the acids and salts in raw-milk cheese and the aging process are believed to naturally prevent listeria, salmonella, E. coli and other harmful types of bacteria from growing.
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Is Raw Milk Safe For Cheese Making
Only you can make the decision to use raw milk and you will need to do your own evaluations and research.
To start with raw milk is still illegal to sell in some parts of America and other countries too. Big brother is looking out for our well being, or so they say. Maybe they just want to avoid any remote chance of a raw milk incident coming back on them. Either way this outlook is slowly changing because of consumers calling for raw milk to become more easily available.
Prior to the introduction of pasteurization in the early to mid-1900s, all milk was consumed raw in its natural, unprocessed state.
And today in parts of Europe there are locations where you can walk up to a raw milk dispensing machine, insert your Euro and walk away with a Liter of raw milk, no questions, no supervision.
- It provides better curd formation
- Your Raw milk is intact with everything from the pasture that nature provided
- It contains natural bios, in many cases a healthy dairy blend that has sorted itself out over generations
- Raw milk contains beneficial dairy bacteria and enzymes to make cheese easier to digest
- Omega3 is higher in raw milk providing many health benefits, especially in pasture raised animals
Cons for raw milk
Why Does Milk Get Homogenized
In addition to Pasteurization, bottling facilities also tend to Homogenize the milk. This process prevents cream from rising while bottled milk is transported and placed on a store shelf.
Homogenization shatters and breaks larger fat globules into smaller sizes. This is not normally a problem for cheese making except when the cheese has a longer aging period.
This process can actually make the cheese making process a little easier because it eliminates having to deal with cream as it rises and separates in the cheese vat. It also prevents you from having to deal with varying amounts of butterfat, which means you wont have to make process changes to compensate.
The downside of homogenization is that the butterfat surface is changed and can become a problem with long term aging of higher fat milks made into cheese.
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Raw Milk Unpasteurized Full Of Flavor
Bunker Hill Cheese Raw Milk Cheese is produced without pasteurization. Our Raw Milk cheese has a stronger richer flavor profile and our fastest growing product line. It is continually a source of interest among cheese lovers everywhere and those interested in a more holistic lifestyle. Were proud to present this flavorful non-pasteurized cheese as an new option to our customers.
Pasteurization is a process where the milk is heated to no less than 161.5° F and held at that temperature for a minimum of 15 seconds. This process step is used to kill unwanted bacteria in the milk. There are many arguments in regards to the affect of the pasteurization to the proteins and fatty acids in milk. At this high of a temperature it is argued that the proteins become denatured and that fatty acids are destroyed which eliminates a lot of the value one gets by eating or drinking dairy products.
We at Bunker Hill Cheese want our customers to be as informed about our products as possible. We pride ourselves in our cheese and the fact that our milk comes from local farms. We hope the above information will help you make an informed decision in choosing the Bunker Hill Cheese of your choice.
What Are The Differences Between Milk Quality And Milk Economics
Many large and small scale dairies today are faced with the hard job of balancing the scales between quality and economics when it comes to milk.
For us cheese makers, this can mean the difference between milk with the potential for a great cheese and milk that is difficult to produce a good cheese from.
However, the right choice is not always black and white, raw vs pasteurized, because there are many world award winning cheeses made with pasteurized milk and many low quality cheeses made from improperly sourced and stored raw milk.
Milk Quality
- Quality of milk over quantity
- Pasture raised
- Diets for yield over quality
- Competing for a lower priced product
- High yield animals, sub-standard quality milk
- High heat pasteurization
- Shelf stable for extended period of time
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How To Find The Right Milk For Cheese Making
When looking for good milk the first decision is often based on how much you want to pay for milk vs the quality of the final cheese. Finding the right milk in your area for cheese making is well worth the effort because the result will be a high quality cheese you can enjoy time and time again.
You can find the perfect milk, that is both economic and high quality, by first deciding which qualities are most important to you.
Good milk for cheese making checklist
- Good Flavor | Source a milk that has the best flavor to start with
- Right Cost | Milk that you can comfortably afford for your cheese making
- Avoid | Ultra-pasteurized and high temp pasteurization milk, anything above 168F
- Processing | 162F held for 16-20 seconds or lower temp is a good choice for cheese making
- Expiration Date | Avoid milk that is close to the best before date
- Keep it Simple | Try making a simple cheese from several milks before making cheese that needs longer aging, this will help you find a good quality milk more quickly
- Good Milk List | Visit our Good Milk List for a collection of good milks for cheese making. This is a resource built by happy cheese makers, filled with milk they have worked with successfully over the years
Cheese Made With Unpasteurized Milk Is Legal And Delicious
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Gurth Pretty sells cheese at Toronto farmers’ markets raw milk cheese. Some customers are taken aback.
“People would say, `But isn’t that illegal or unsafe to eat?'” Pretty recalls.
“There is a lot of misunderstanding by consumers,” he adds, “and even by the local health board.”
When he first informed the city he planned to sell raw milk cheese, the official on the phone said, “Hey, that’s not legal.” Pretty said, “Take another look.” There was a pause and the flipping of pages.
The man probably just heard the words “raw milk.” That phrase has been high on the public’s radar since the arrest of farmer Michael Schmidt, now on trial for distributing raw milk. The trial is expected to end tomorrow.
Pretty says the trial has created confusion. “The mission is to inform the consumer that raw milk cheese is legal to make.”
As part of that mission, Pretty is hosting a Cheesy Soirée Feb. 18 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Bata Shoe Museum. He’s bringing 17 raw milk cheeses to the party. They are made from sheep, goat or cow’s milk. Most are from Ontario, “which will be a surprise for a lot of participants,” he says. Six are from Quebec and one is from New Brunswick.
Attendees will be able to taste the raw milk cheeses. Experts debating the risks and benefits are also on the menu. Tickets are $40 and include a glass of beer or wine.
“From the cheese lover’s perspective, it’s the bacteria that gives the cheese the flavour,” Pretty says. “And the milk is in its most pure form.”
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Can Milk Quality Affect Cheese Making
Yes, the quality and type fo milk can affect cheese making, in both good ways and bad.
Many people believe that milk is never changing and always stays the same, in actuality this couldnt be further from the truth.
If you make cheese with raw milk you may have come to this conclusion on your own. You may have noticed the same type of cheese made with the same type of rennet, cultures and milk can vary drastically from batch to batch, season to season, year to year, etc.
This is because the exact same milk is not definitely not the same from day to day, season to season or year to year.
Many cheese making issues can be attributed to the milk being used, and often times something that has changed in the milk or the environment over time.
In addition to changes in the milk, there are also certain types of milk that make outstanding cheese, types that are good for cheese making, ok for cheese making and some that wont make proper cheese.
Finding Good Milk For Cheese Making
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When trying to find good milk for cheese making there are a few things to consider and sometimes it can be tricky to know where to begin. That’s why we’re sharing some tips and suggestions, including information on pasteurized milk, raw milk, how milk is processed, checklists to help you along the whey and much more.
When you’re ready to find good milk near you we also have a Good Milk List to help you find milk locally. This resource is created by happy cheese makers who share their favorite milk sources around the world.
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What Is Raw Milk Cheese
Most supermarket varieties are pasteurised which guarantees a safe and consistent-tasting product, but raw milk cheese can be different every time. The season in which its harvested and the conditions it is aged in makes it as complex as wine, with good and exceptional years. Its why more and more smaller cheesemakers are using raw milk.
Sam Wilkin, cheesemonger at Pick & Cheese in London, says, There can be shattering lows but also transcendental highs in quality and complexity. The challenge for pasteurised cheese is to reach heights of complexity the challenge for raw milk cheese is to reach a level of consistency.
What Makes Raw Milk Cheese So Good
Its not as if its new. Until the introduction of pasteurisation in the mid-1900s, all cheese was made with raw milk.
Charlie Turnbull, from the Academy of Cheese, explains, Raw milk leaves all a farms bacterial cultures in place to make the cheese. Bacteria are an essential part of cheesemaking, which is introduced as a starter.
Different starters are used for different cheese recipes, and they significantly contribute to flavour and texture. Using raw milk offers a way to personalise a starter. By retaining the bacterial load from their milk, a cheesemaker can bring flavours into their cheese that no-one else can.
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What The Government Of Canada Does To Protect You
The Government of Canada is committed to food safety.
Health Canada establishes regulations and standards relating to the safety and nutritional quality of foods sold in Canada. Through inspection and enforcement activities, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency verifies that food sold in Canada meets Health Canada’s requirements.
Buy Local From A Trusted Small Farm
The lesson to be learned here is that the only way to be sure that the cheese you buy comes from truly raw milk is to buy from a preferably local, small dairy farm that specializes in cheesemaking and to talk to the cheesemaker yourself. To find a small farm near you, check out the Real Milk website or contact your local Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter Leaders from around the world for their list of locally produced goods.
If you dont have a local dairy farm near you that makes cheese, contact the Weston A. Price Foundation and order the 2010 Shopping Guide for $3 plus shipping. This handy little brochure fits in your pocket or purse and lists many small farms across North America where you can mail order truly raw cheese.
And, whatever you do, dont buy the fake raw cheese from Organic Valley!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Many thanks to Pete Kennedy, Esq. of the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund for tracking down the Code of Federal Regulations references for this article.
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What About Safety Concerns
Charlie explains, The UK has exceptionally high food safety standards, and the threshold for acceptable food risk is so low that if raw milk cheese was thought to be unsafe, it would be banned. Additional procedures need to be in place to make cheese with raw milk as safe as pasteurised milk, but the Food Standards Agency accepts these to be sufficient.
Good Quality Pasteurized Milk Is The Best Choice For Beginner Cheese Makers
Lots of fantastic cheese is made with good quality pasteurized milk.
Good quality, pasteurized milk is by far the easiest milk for beginner cheese makers to work with. This milk is typically processed on a large scale with many herds and sources combined together. When different sources of milk are all blended together to a standard the processing location will have specific criteria for the farms to follow in regards to their milk. Because there is so much variety it ends up balancing out a lot of the variables found in milk.
When it comes into the processing facility cream is separated from the milk and stored separately. When it’s time for processing, pasteurization and homogenization, the milk and cream are standardized to 1% 2% or 3.25% butterfat. Any excess cream is saved and later used for butter or other products requiring cream.
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Things To Keep In Mind When Purchasing Raw Milk
Our overall recommendation is that raw milk should be sourced direct from the farm as close to milking as possible. Transporting and storing cold can open the door for undesirable activity in the milk. We feel raw milk is best when used for cheese making within about 2-3 days. After this time the protein changes can begin to show a weaker curd development.
Raw milk naturally has its own collection of bacteria and enzymes that begin working as soon as conditions are right. Some of these can even start developing at fridge temperatures. So as soon as raw milk leaves the udder enzymes begin to reduce the protein structure and bacteria begin to multiply and convert lactose to lactic acid. On most farms that have been milking for years, many of these bacteria have established themselves as good dairy bacteria.
A good thing to remember, before we had access to lab prepared cultures, all cheese makers relied on these natural dairy bacteria to make their cheese. Today it is still possible to make your own cultures from raw milk but, its a lot of work to safely prepare and and keep them going. A lot of trials are needed to sort out the gas producers as well as any off flavors or smells and of course the milk needs to start out clean.
Checklist when searching for raw milk
We hope this will help you make decisions on the milk you want to use in your cheese making.
If we missed anything you’d like to see added, please send us an email at .
Why Does Milk Get Pasteurized
For centuries people have enjoyed fresh un-pasteurized milk from a healthy animals. However, if the animal has health issues or the milk is handled poorly the milk becomes unsuitable for human consumption.
Milk can meet all of the nutritional needs of a newborn. But, it is also perfect for many non-dairy bacteria that can populate milk quickly if its not properly cared for. This can lead to some major health risks when drinking raw milk.
Traditionally, before pasteurization, the procedure was to milk animals daily and consume their milk quickly, because natural bacteria, as well as the un-invited ones, can grow quickly if left at room temperature and some can even grow at fridge temperatures. This natural fermentation is often referred to as clabbered milk, when it begins to coagulate on its own.
When farms were small and milk was consumed quickly there were very few problems. As populations and demand for milk in non-rural areas increased health issues increased.
Over time larger populations grew and herd sizes had to grow in order to keep up with demand. Larger herds often made it more difficult to maintain sanitation standards. Milk borne diseases began to rise as herds became larger and the supply chain became longer and longer. This is when the scientist Louis Pasteur stepped in with his pasteurization process.
Today, milk could not travel and sit in a store for the period of time it does without pasteurization.
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