Farmer's Cheese

• Into a pot pour full fat milk, add salt. Attach a candy thermometer on the inside of the pot. Don't have a candy thermometer? Check my notes for solutions on how to make farmer's cheese without it.
• Heat the milk on medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent burning on the bottom of the pot. If you are using a pot that is notoriously difficult to cook in and it burns food constantly be sure to stir frequently or use a different pot.
• When the milk reaches 180F (around 82 C), pour vinegar in it, turn off the heat and gently stir the milk with a wooden spoon. You should see curds form almost immediately. Once you see curds forming, remove the pot from the heat and let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes.
• Place a large fine mesh sieve over a large bowl or a pot. Then pour hot curdled milk through the fine mesh sieve. Let the liquid drain and sieve collect the curds. If your sieve is small you may need to wait a few moments for the liquid to drain before pouring in more curdled milk.
• Discard the drained liquid. Cover the sieve with cheese with a plate and let it drain for 5-6 hours. This can be either done on the counter or in the fridge. After draining, scrape out the cheese into a container and refrigerate until ready to use. Cheese should be refrigerated and will last for up to 2 weeks.
• Farmer's Cheese is a popular ingredient in sweet and savory dishes.