Cheese Making Equipment: What Equipment do You Need?
If you are planning on making cheese in the comfort of your own home, you are going to need some cheese making equipment. What you will need is going to depend on the kind of cheese you would like to make – some need more equipment than others!
While we will cover the equipment you are going to need for every type of cheese, this article is going to focus on the general equipment you will need.
So, without further ado, let’s jump into it.
Cheese Making Equipment: What Equipment do You Need?
Butter Muslin being used -credit: Flickr
Below is a list of all the basic materials and equipment you will need to make various cheeses at home. Cheese making equipment is typically affordable, but this could always depend on where you are, so keep that in mind.
A Large Pot
Lots of people have big pots lying around their houses, but the one you have probably isn’t big enough. When we say big. We mean BIG. A 10–20-litre pot will do the trick, since you will be putting a lot of milk in there at a time.
There are great options on sites like Amazon (take a look at this one, it comes in 17, 36, and 50 litres options). You could also get a smaller 10-litre one from IKEA, so you can get whatever suits you and your needs.
Skimmer or Slotted Spoon
A skimmer (like this one) is crucial for making cheese at home, as it will allow you to gather the cheese from the pot. You could also just use a slotted spoon (like this one), but they aren’t usually large enough to be considered effective.
This simple piece of cheese making equipment will make your life so much easier, especially when making certain kinds of cheeses. The best part is – they tend to be affordable, so you could get different sizes and have them on hand.
A Large Metal Bowl(s)
Of course, you are going to need some large bowls for cheesemaking. It’s important to make sure that you do not use any kind of reactive metals, or other potentially toxic materials. Stainless steel works well, as do any other food-safe metals that can withstand some heat.
There are plenty of options out there, like these stainless steel bowls, so you shouldn’t be in for a tough time. Just make sure they are large enough for what you’re using them for!
Strainers
You can use a regular old (large) strainer like you would for most of your cooking, or use a spider strainer. These will be handy for, well, straining your cheese and separating the curds and whey. You might even want to go for a sink strainer if you want the job done quickly – just be careful not to waste or damage your product!
You shouldn’t run into problems finding these, even if you go into your local supermarket or store.
Cheesecloth or Butter Muslin
A butter muslin or cheesecloth is used to separate the curds and whey. You simply wrap the cheese mixture into the cloth and strain it by squeezing the liquid out. Essentially, this stuff is the food-grade equivalent of the specific cotton that gets used for book binding, bandages, and many other things.
There are plenty of options available on sites like Amazon for butter muslins or cheesecloths. However, you may choose to get yours from a local shop, too.
Milk Thermometer
Since measuring the temperature of your milk throughout the cheese making process is so crucial, you need to know that you are doing it right. While you could use a traditional glass thermometer, we wouldn’t recommend it for this use. Rather, it’s better to use a laser gun thermometer, as these are the most accurate.
Make sure you get a high quality product that isn’t going to let you down. There is a science to cheese making, and the equipment makes all the difference! Go for accuracy, because even if you find one with a hefty price, it’s an investment that’s with it.
Draining Mats
This is not a piece of cheese making equipment that you are always going to need, but it’s still worth mentioning. Essentially, a cheese draining or ripening mat is used to dry out cheese and age it. The pattern on these mats leave the cheese with a pattern or marking on the side.
You will need a draining mat for cheeses like Camembert, Brie and Chèvre.
Cheese Moulds
Fairly self-explanatory, cheese moulds are used to mould the cheese into a variety of shapes.
What? You thought cheese magically turned into circles or triangles? There are all kinds of shapes, sizes, and materials to choose from, so follow your hearts! Many options are best suited to particular kinds of cheeses, so be sure to do your research before purchasing any. From soft cheese moulds to the classic triangles, you can have a lot of sun with this.
Cheese Culture
Now, onto the products you are usually going to need for cheese making – cheese culture! This is used to “ripen” the milk so that the rennet can do its job to turn milk into cheese.
We will go into the science of cheese cultures in another article, but just know that this is probably going to be an important thing! While you won’t always need a cheese culture for every cheese you make, many will require it.
Just be sure to do your research before jumping into the deep end!
There are different cheese cultures, too. Check out stores like Cheese and Yogurt Making UK for an extensive list of cheese cultures and also rennet!
Rennet
Rennet is another ingredient in cheese making that will frequently be used. Again, this will not be necessary for every single cheese making venture you go on, but most of them will need it.
We will go through a list of all the cheeses that require rennet in another article, but you can find plenty of great options for rennet at Cheese and Yogurt Making UK.
Milk!
We’re not going to lie – it can be a bit difficult to make cheese without some kind of milk to work with. At least, this kind of cheese, anyway.
You can use cow’s milk, goat’s milk, horse’s milk, sheep’s milk – just about any kind of milk you can get your hands on. Full fat, fresh milk is always the best.
If you can, try and source your milk directly from a local farm – or from your own livestock animals if you have any! If this isn’t possible, don’t worry. Purchasing whole milk from the supermarket will work just fine, too.
Final Thoughts
Cheese making is a fun and rewarding process – because it results in cheese. However, you need the correct cheese making equipment if you want to get anywhere.
Luckily, there aren’t a million things you need, and it’s overall very affordable. You might be able to find the aforementioned items at better prices in your local shops, so be sure to look around before you buy anything if you want to save money.
Hopefully this has been helpful, and you can now start gathering the equipment you need. Good luck!