How to make Queso Blanco / Homemade cheese

milk

🥗Healthier: low-fat milk

💰Cheaper: powdered milk

Lower calorie option or more affordable alternative.

vinegar

💰Cheaper: lemon juice

Common substitute for acidity.

Welcome to my kitchen. Today we're going to be making queso blanco, also known as queso de compo or farmer's cheese in Cuba.

For the ingredients, I'm using eight cups of milk, one quarter cup of vinegar, and some salt.

Head over to the stove and use a large pot for this next step.

Set your flame to medium low and constantly stir the milk to prevent it from burning at the bottom.

Allow the milk to simmer, not boil. If using a thermometer, wait until it reaches 190°F.

Check the milk; it should start looking frothy. If you don't have a thermometer, look for foaminess on the edges and top of the milk.

When the milk is thick and foamy, add the vinegar gradually while mixing it in with the milk.

Turn off the stove and let the milk sit for about 30 minutes to clump up and separate, resulting in a yellow liquid called whey.

After 30 minutes, you should see more clumps and separation with more yellow liquid forming. Avoid stirring too much to allow large clumps to form.

Strain the mixture through a strainer to separate the curds from the whey.

After straining, you'll have whey left over, which is healthy and can be used in shakes or soups.

Press out the remaining liquid. If you have cheesecloth, use it; if not, press out the liquid with a spoon until it's mostly dry.

Once the liquid is mostly removed and the cheese feels dry, separate the clumps into smaller pieces and add salt to taste.

Mix the salt in and taste to see if it's to your liking.

Transfer the cheese to a bowl and press firmly to shape it.

Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours.

After 2 hours, unmold the cheese using a spatula or knife.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens