Category Archives: raw milk

equipment, putting by, raw milk, recipes

Raw Milk Yogurt

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My biggest barrier to making my own raw milk yogurt was in finding a reliable low-heat source. My electric oven does not have a pilot and the light bulb lights intermittently. With the arrival of my Excalibur Dehydrator, I am ready to go!

I do like the organic local Hawthorne Valley yogurt as well as the organic regional brands from Seven Stars Farm (Phoenixville, PA) and Stonyfield Farm (Londonderry, NH). The problem for me is that these are all made from pasteurized milk because that is the law. Apparently, the few states that allow raw milk sales do not allow for the production and sale of raw milk yogurt. It seems to me that the food laws that are designed to protect us are the strangest of all.

So, I researched several recipes and it comes down to
– how much to heat the milk
– how much starter yogurt to add (for the live cultures)
– the incubation temperature
– the incubation time

The most popular milk-heating temperature is 110°. I did see one recipe that called for heating the milk to 180° and then letting it cool to 110°, but it seems it would defeat the purpose of using raw milk. I thought that the enzymes and beneficial bacteria are killed at 130°.

The recommended amount of starter yogurt to add varies from 1/8 of a cup to 1/4 (if you’re using commercial, which by default means pasteurized, yogurt). Most say to use about twice as much if you’re using your own previous batch of raw milk yogurt.

The suggested incubation temperature ranges from 90° to 110° and an often-suggested period is eight hours.

I got another recipe that called for heating the milk to 90°, adding 1/2 of a cup of (commercial) starter and incubating it at 90° to 100° for 18-36 hours. I have had this yogurt and it is exceptional, but this being my first time, I wanted something that would be ready sooner!

I went for heating the milk to 110°, and incubating it in the dehydrator at 105° for 8 hours. I did make two jars using 1/2 cup each of starter and two other jars using 1/4 cup each of starter.

My yogurt came out similar in consistency to the Hawthorne Valley, perhaps slightly “looser.” There was no noticeable difference between the ones with 1/4 cup of starter vs. those with 1/2. It tastes amazingly like yogurt!

UPDATE: I found a better way to make the yogurt to get the consistency I want in July 2008.

farms, raw milk

Raw Milk Experiment

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As I mentioned in a previous post, I found a new raw milk supplier, Rich Farm in Oxford, CT. My usual supplier won’t be supplying over the winter, and having had raw milk for all of these months, I am not willing to go back to cooked milk.

Rich Farm is a locally famous Ice Cream venue run by David Rich. The raw milk side of the business is run by his brother Don Rich. The ice cream stand is closed for the season, but the raw milk is available throughout the winter. The milk bears the Ajello label, named for their grandfather, Thomas Ajello, who began the dairy farm.

To get raw milk, call in your order a day in advance (203-888-3171) and pick up your milk at the farm.

Since I’m purchasing a small quantity (I only go through about a half a gallon a week), I looked into freezing raw milk. I read in an online forum that the only negative side effect is that the fat does not defrost well, so you could end up with globules of fat on top of your cereal, which would not be visually appealing. Someone on the forum suggested using a stick blender (aka a boat motor) to recombine the milk and said it would be fine.

I told Don of my plan and he gave me a quart to test. I did two experiments. I put the quart directly in the freezer and I poured about a pint from the half gallon into a mason freezer jar and put that in the freezer as well.

A few days later, I defrosted the pint in the mason jar and blended it with the boat motor. Due to the blending, it was rather foamy, like latte. The foam went down in about an hour. The milk tasted and behaved the same as never-been-frozen milk.

A few more days later, I defrosted the quart. I did not blend it; I merely shook the bottle (because it’s creamline milk), and poured it right on top of my cereal. It too looked, behaved, and tasted like never-been-frozen milk.

So, the experiements were a success and I can keep a backup in my freezer in case weather prevents me from getting out.

Much thanks to Don for participating in this great experiment!

nutrition, raw milk

Raw Milk

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I finally tried raw milk. I read a few articles, like How Raw Milk Got a Bad Rap, The Raw Deal (Washington Post) and What is Real Milk? According to this last reference:

Pasteurization destroys enzymes, diminishes vitamin content, denatures fragile milk proteins, destroys vitamins C, B12 and B6, kills beneficial bacteria, promotes pathogens and is associated with allergies, increased tooth decay, colic in infants, growth problems in children, osteoporosis, arthritis, heart disease and cancer.

In my 100 mile radius, raw milk is legal in Connecticut, New York, Massachussets, and Vermont. It is not legal in New Jersey or Rhode Island.

I decided that the health benefits were significant enough if I mitigated the risks. All articles agree: know where your raw milk is comes from. I got mine at Holbrook Farms, a reseller I trust. They get raw milk from Deerfield Farm in Durham, CT.

I understand that Caraluzzi Market in Bethel, CT will begin carrying Deerfield’s raw milk in addition to raw milk from Grassy Hill Dairy in Woodbury, CT.

I’m not much of a milk drinker–you generally won’t find me pouring a tall glass of ice cold milk. I do however take milk in my coffee and on my cereal. Pasteurization occurs at 161 degrees F for 15-20 seconds. My coffee is 160 from the machine and drops instantly to 105 when I add the milk (from the refrigerator). I don’t know if I’m killing my raw milk in my coffee, but I am fairly certain that I’m not doing any worse than I would be with the pasteurized kind.