Patrick Oconnell
Goat cheese, also known as chèvre, is a versatile cheese made from goat's milk. It is a popular alternative to cheese made from cow's milk and is used in a variety of recipes, charcuterie boards, cheese trays, and salads. Goat cheese is produced using milk from domestic goats, specifically common breeds such as Alpine, Saanen, Poitevin, and Nubian. The process of making goat cheese involves filtering the milk to remove impurities, adding a curdling agent, moulding and separating the cheese from the whey, and then drying, flavouring, and curing the curds. The final product can be flavoured with herbs such as chives, thyme, or rosemary, or covered in nuts or fresh herbs. Goat cheese has a unique flavour profile, ranging from mild and sweet to tangy, rich, and pungent, with hints of citrus and milk. It is also lower in lactose and fat compared to cow's milk cheese, making it easier to digest for those with mild lactose intolerance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Goat cheese production | Goat cheese is produced using goat milk, the milk of domestic goats. |
| Goat milk | Use full-fat goat milk, preferably raw. Store-bought goat milk is usually pasteurized. |
| Curdling agent | Rennet, lemon juice, vinegar, citric acid, or bacteria such as Lactococcus lactis lactis, L. l. cremoris, and Streptococcus thermophilus. |
| Cheese salt | Use kosher salt or sea salt. |
| Flavouring | Herbs (chives, thyme, rosemary, dill, tarragon, za’atar, basil), dried fruit, nuts, and spices. |
| Consistency | Goat cheese is a soft, creamy, and spreadable cheese. |
| Health benefits | High in calcium, selenium, and beneficial probiotics. Easier to digest than cow's milk and cheese. |
| Serving suggestions | Spread on toast, bagels, or croissants. Serve with crackers and jam. Crumble into salads or pasta. Use in pizza, baked potatoes, or tarts. |
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What You'll Learn
Goat cheese production process
Goat cheese, or chèvre, is made from goat's milk. The process of making goat cheese involves several steps, including sanitization, pasteurization, curdling, molding, drying, flavoring, and curing.
Firstly, it is crucial to ensure that all equipment and surfaces are spotless before beginning the cheese-making process. This step is essential to prevent the contamination of the cheese. Once the sanitization is complete, the goat milk is sourced from dairies and sent through a pasteurizer, which involves heating the milk to at least 145°F for 30 minutes to eliminate harmful bacteria.
Following pasteurization, the milk is cooled, and a special culture of beneficial bacteria is introduced. This bacteria transforms the milk into curds, the building block of cheese. A curdling starter agent, such as rennet or starter bacteria, is added to the mixture. The type of starter bacteria used can affect the curd's size and the cheese's consistency, resulting in variations of texture and flavor. Examples of starter bacteria include Lactococcus lactis lactis, L. l. cremoris, and Streptococcus thermophilus.
Once the curds are ready, they are gently pumped into cloth bags, allowing the whey to escape and leaving behind the curds. At this stage, a small amount of salt is added for stabilization, and the curds are then removed from the bags. The curds can now be molded, dried, and flavored according to the desired goat cheese product, resulting in soft, semi-hard, or hard cheese. The cheese is then cured, and the aging process begins.
After the aging process, the cheese can be further infused with various flavors, such as herbs, berries, or spices. Each batch is hand-mixed to evenly distribute the added ingredients and aerate the product. Finally, the finished cheese is packed into fillers and containers for sale.
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Goat milk and its health benefits
Goat cheese is made in a similar way to other cheeses. The milk is filtered to remove any impurities, and then a curdling agent is added. The cheese is then molded and separated from the whey (the uncurdled liquid part of the milk). The curds are then molded, dried, flavored, and cured.
Goat milk is the most commonly consumed type of dairy in the world, with nearly three-quarters of the world's population consuming it. In the US, however, it is considered a specialty item. Goat milk has a different taste to cow's milk, which takes some getting used to. It is also lower in lactose than cow's milk, and has a higher presence of "prebiotic" carbohydrates, which help to nourish the beneficial bacteria in the gut.
Goat milk has a range of health benefits, including:
- Rich source of calcium: Goat milk contains about 33% of the daily recommended value of calcium, which is essential for bone health and helps to boost bone mass.
- Promotes a healthy heart: Goat milk has therapeutic effects on heart health due to its high levels of medium-chain fatty acids, which provide an energy boost and help to lower cholesterol levels.
- Provides healthy skin: The fatty acids and triglycerides in goat milk help to keep skin soft and smooth, while the lactic acid helps to rid the body of dead skin cells. Goat milk also contains high levels of vitamin A, which improves complexion and fights acne.
- Rich in protein: Goat milk contains more protein than cow's milk, soy milk, or nut milk, and this protein is more digestible.
- Easier to digest: Goat milk is easier to digest than cow's milk because the fat globules are much smaller. It is also lower in fat, calories, and cholesterol than cow's milk.
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History of goat cheese
Goat cheese is an ancient food, with the first cheeses dating back to around 7,000–5,000 BC when hunters turned to livestock rearing, making goats one of the first domesticated animals. Goat milk was carried in pouches made from the stomachs of certain animals, and inside these goatskins, the milk partially solidified to reveal a new flavour. In ancient Egypt, only priests knew the formula for making goat cheese, and one such cheese was discovered in the tomb of an Egyptian dignitary, aged 3,000 years.
In the 8th century AD, the Moors brought goats to the Loire Valley, where French goat cheeses, or chèvres, were first made. The word chèvre simply means "goat" in French, and the use of the term spread with the cheese's popularity. In the Middle Ages, mankind discovered that rennet (an enzyme found naturally in the stomach) sped up the curdling of milk. This transformation became a closely guarded secret, and goat cheese became a luxury product.
By 77 BC, the manufacturing of goat cheese had been sufficiently mastered to produce no fewer than 13 varieties. In the Middle Ages, goat cheese had become so popular that it was used as currency by pilgrims on routes leading to Santiago de Compostela. In the 19th century, the pointed top of the Valençay cheese was cut off before being presented at Napoleon's table, to avoid reminding him of his disastrous expedition in Egypt.
Goat cheese remained a relative newcomer to the United States until 1979, when Laura Chenel of Sonoma, California, introduced the idea of high-quality, domestic goat cheese using techniques she had learned in France. Several goat dairies in Vermont soon began experimenting with cheesemaking, and today, there are dozens of dairies and creameries dedicated to the production of goat's milk cheese in nearly every state where cheese is produced.
Goat's milk has a much higher concentration of fatty acids, but less milk protein, than cow's milk. The higher concentration of fatty acids such as caproic, caprylic, and capric acid gives goat cheese its signature tangy flavour, and the lower amount of milk protein gives it a smoother, creamier texture. Goat's milk can be coagulated with rennet to create an aged cheese, or even just vinegar or lemon juice if one wants to make fresh cheeses such as ricotta or queso blanco.
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Global varieties of goat cheese
Goat cheese is produced using goat milk and is commonly used to make cultured dairy products, including cheese. There are many varieties of goat cheese produced around the world. Here are some examples:
Europe
In Holland, goat Gouda is produced exclusively and is known for its sweet and delicious taste with caramel overtones. Tomme goat cheese is a variety made only in France, although U.S. cheesemakers are creating tomme-style goat cheese. Majorero, a goat cheese from Spain, is similar to Manchego and is protected under European Law with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. Sirene cheese, also known as "white brine sirene", is a type of brined cheese made in the Balkans (South-Eastern Europe). It is popular in Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Romania, Albania, Greece, Israel, and Lebanon.
Asia
Yagi cheese is a goat cheese made in Japan, with "yagi" being the Japanese word for goat. Kesong puti is a Filipino soft, unaged, white cheese made from unskimmed carabao milk and salt curdled with vinegar, citrus juices, or sometimes rennet. It can also be made with goat or cow milk. Shosha is a pungent cheese and staple food in Tibetan cuisine, often made from goat or yak milk. Darfyieh is a flavorful cheese that comes specifically from baladi goats and is treated as a delicacy in Dargyieh. Djamid or Jameed is an unripened, hard cheese with a salt-encrusted rind that is popular in Jordan and Syria. Jibneh Arabieh is a soft white cheese found all over the Middle East, especially in the Persian Gulf region. It has a mild taste similar to feta but less salty. It is traditionally made with goat or sheep milk, but today it is usually made with cow's milk. Labneh is consumed in many parts of the world and is primarily produced in Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Jordan, as well as throughout the rest of the Middle East.
North America
FireFly Farms in Accident, Maryland, produces goat cheese that has earned super-gold accolades at the World Cheese Awards. Vermont Creamery, a certified B Corp, makes a variety of products from goat and cow's milk.
Central America
Añejo cheese is a firm, aged Mexican cheese traditionally made from skimmed goat's milk, but it is most often made with skimmed cow's milk.
South America
Queijo de Cabra Transmontano is a goat cheese produced in South America.
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How to make goat cheese at home
Making goat cheese at home is a simple and cost-effective process. It requires just a few ingredients and some basic equipment. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make delicious homemade goat cheese:
Ingredients and Equipment:
- Fresh goat's milk (preferably full-fat and pasteurized)
- Citric acid (or lemon juice, vinegar, or rennet)
- Water
- Cheese salt (kosher salt) or sea salt
- A 3-6 quart pot made from a non-reactive metal (stainless steel or cast iron enamel)
- Thermometer (a clip-on candy thermometer or an instant-read thermometer)
- Beeswax wrap, plastic wrap, or wax paper
Instructions:
- Prepare the Milk: Start with a half-gallon of fresh goat's milk. It is best to use full-fat, pasteurized goat milk, as ultra-pasteurized milk may not curdle properly. If you can source raw goat milk, that is an option too.
- Add the Curdling Agent: For every half-gallon of milk, you will need about 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid dissolved in water. This combination of heat and acid is called the 'coagulation' method. You can also use lemon juice, vinegar, or rennet as curdling agents.
- Heat the Milk: Place the pot on the stove and heat the milk to 86°F (do not exceed this temperature). Add the dissolved citric acid to the milk and stir gently.
- Curdle and Separate: The milk will start to curdle and separate into curds (solid cheese) and whey (liquid). Remove the pot from the heat and continue stirring gently for a few minutes as the curds form.
- Drain and Mold: Line a colander or strainer with cheesecloth or butter muslin and pour the curds into it to drain the whey. You can save the whey for other purposes if desired. Gather the corners of the cloth and twist to form a ball, gently pressing out more whey.
- Add Salt and Flavorings: Untie the cloth and mix in a small amount of cheese salt (or sea salt) to taste. You can also add dried herbs such as chives, thyme, or rosemary at this stage for flavored cheese.
- Mold and Chill: Place the cheese in a mold or shape it into a log using beeswax wrap, plastic wrap, or wax paper. Move it to the refrigerator to chill and set for at least 6 hours or until firm.
- Serve and Store: Your homemade goat cheese is now ready to serve! It will keep in the fridge for about 1-2 weeks. For longer storage, it is best to freeze the cheese, tightly wrapped, to maintain its texture and moisture. Consume within 6 months, and allow it to thaw slowly in the fridge before using.
Serving Suggestions:
- Spread on toast, bagels, or croissants
- Serve on a cheese platter with crackers and jam
- Crumble over salads
- Mix into pasta sauces or lasagne
- Top a pizza with goat cheese
- Use in baked potatoes or sweet potatoes
- Marinate in olive oil and herbs
- Make a goat cheese and caramelized onion tart
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Frequently asked questions
Goat cheese is made from goat's milk, which is combined with heat and acid to form a coagulation.
First, the milk is filtered to remove any unwanted impurities or deposits. Then, a curdling agent is added, such as rennet or a starter bacteria. The cheese is then molded and separated from the whey (the uncurdled liquid part of the milk). The curds are molded, dried, flavored, and cured.
Goat cheese has a strong and earthy flavor with accents of citrus and milk. It tends to have a tangier flavor than cow's cheese due to caproic and capric acids. The flavor can range from floral, grass, and hay to lemon, milk, cream, and caramel.
Goat cheese can be used in a variety of ways. It can be spread on toast, bagels, or croissants, served as part of a cheese platter, crumbled over salads, mixed into pasta sauces, or used as a topping for pizza or baked potatoes.
