We have just begun milking our dairy goats (Nubian and Saanan cross). We have been raising Boer (meat) goats, but have decided to slowly work our way away from the meat goat and into the dairy line of goats. We love the raw mild, whether for drinking or cooking. I haven't made the cheese yet, but was given a very simple and basic recipe to try.
Vinegar Cheese: 2 qts milk (several days old works best), 1/4 cup vinegar, lemon juice or lime juice. Heat the milk to 185 F, or close to boiling. Add the vinegar very slowly, while stirring. The milk will start to coagulate as soon as you add the vinegar, separating into curds and whey. When curds appear, skim themoff into a cheesecloth-lined colander. Or pour the curds and whey into the colander. (This is easier, but skimming results in a better flavor and texture). Tie the corners of the cheesecloth together,and hang the cheese where it can drain for several hours, or until it stops dripping. Slice or cube, and eat it as is, although it's rather flavorless., Or make it into queso blano.
I was told this was very easy to make and a good cheese. The lady that told me about it will actually freeze her milk when she has excess and use the frozen milk for the cheese if she isn't able to make it while it is still fresh.
We do not pasturize our milk. We use raw for everything. Pasturizing will kill naturally occuring enzymes. It is important to use clean utensils (pail, strainer, etc), wash the goats udder and teats, your hands...you get the idea. Once you have finished milking, the milk needs to be strained, stored in a container (we use glass) and refrigerated immediately.
I hope this helps. There is a great book, Storey's Guide to Raising Dairy Goats, that has a lot of information. Good Luck!
