Cheese Thermometer
Double Boiler (Or a small pot sitting in a larger pot to create a water bath)
Strainer
1/4 Rennet Tablet, Dissolved in 1/4 cup Non-Chlorinated Water (Bottled or tap water left out overnight)
1-2 Tablespoons Cheese Salt
1/2 Gallon (2 L) Goat Milk (Not Ultra-Pasturized)
1/8 Cup Kefir (or yogurt whey)
Prepare a water bath in a double boiler or two different sized pots so that a smaller pot fits into a larger pot. Heat water bath until it reaches 100° F (38° C). Turn off burner, add milk to top pot and heat to 90° F (32° C), about 20 minutes. Remove from water bath if milk gets too hot, turn burner on low if milk isn't at temperature after 20 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, add kefir (or yogurt whey) to milk then stir in an up and down motion to evenly distribute. Cover and let sit in water bath (with burner off) for 1 hour.
Using a slotted spoon, add rennet to milk then stir in an up and down motion to evenly distribute. Cover and let sit in water bath (with burner off) for 1 hour.
After an hour, milk will have formed into a solid mass with whey at the edges. Test the curd formation by running a knife through the milk. If you observe a clean break (meaning the you notice a defined line while cutting through the curds), it’s ready. If milk is not firm let sit for a few more minutes. Cut your curds into 1" (2.5 cm) cubes, first vertically (starting from your body going away from you) and then horizontally (from left to right). Then cut again horizontally, holding your knife at a 45° angle. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Gently stir the curds, every 5 minutes for 20 minutes, to release more whey. Let sit for 5 minutes, curds will fall to the bottom of the pot.
Line a strainer with cheesecloth and place over a large bowl or pot. Using a slotted spoon transfer curds to cheese cloth to strain. When all curds are transferred tie the edges of the cheese cloth together into a sack and hang over the pot for 30 minutes to continue straining.
Transfer curds wrapped in cheesecloth to square cheese mold. Press down gently to evenly fill mold. Let drain over a strainer. Flip every 30 minutes for an hour and a half.
Unwrap cheese. At the end of straining it should be a firm uniform block resembling tofu. Cut block into 1" cubes. Liberally rub salt over all surfaces of the cubed cheese. Feta is a salty cheese so we recommend starting at the bottom end of the salt range and salting to taste.
Move cheese to a bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for five days to salt cure, Drain off any whey and flip the cubes daily.
Your feta is ready to eat, or can be stored refrigerated submerged in a salt water brine (3.25 oz non-iodized salt dissolved in 1 quart cold water) for 3 months.
