I MADE COTTAGE CHEESE WITH MY GOATS MILK AND IT TURNED INTO RUBBER. WHAT DID I DO WRONG. I USED VEGETABLE RENNET AND BUTTERMILK.

-- (cabinfever@sisna.com), September 03, 2001

Answers

Oh My! Sounds like too much rennet in the brew. When i make cottage cheese i use a simple vinegar recipie. Here is an excellent site with tons of cheese recipies.

http://members.nbci.com/hdgoats/

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), September 03, 2001.

I agree that vinegar (I use cider) sometimes is better than rennet. Is it possible that you overheated or overcooked the curds? This will cause rubbery cottage cheese, also.

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), September 03, 2001.

Maybe you don't really have a problem at all. If you let the rubbery curds rest they should "relax" and be quite tasty after a day or two. I now deliberatly make my cottage cheese (and my feta, jack, parmesan, and mozzerella curd) "rubbery" (also "squeaky") because the continued enzymatic and cultural activity will soften the curd anyway, and I find the formerly rubbery curd cheeses keeps better over time.

-- Ellen (gardenfarm@earthlink.net), October 31, 2001.