Jordy Blog

Homemade Cheeseballs

My brother Aaron posted on Facebook about us making homemade cheeseballs for our Christmas vacation. I thought it was well written and had good pictures, so I’m ripping it of here, slightly edited. This is basically a recipe for soft, fresh farmer’s cheese with flavors mixed in (thus making them cheeseballs).

You didn’t know it was possible, did you?! Well, its true: you can make homemade cheeseballs for any occasion!

My brother, Jordan, is a bonified cheeseball making fool (expert). During our stay at the family cabin this past weekend, he taught me the simple, yet time-consuming process of making the wonderful balls of cheesy delight!

[Jordy adds: It's really only time consuming if you make a whole bunch of flavors. One flavor is easy, and making them with a food processor would have been even easier.]

Step One: Heat whole milk to 175 degrees. Slowly stir in any acidic liquid to make the curd separate from the whey (we used 1/2 cup [white] vinegar [for each gallon of milk]. [Mix very lightly. Be careful not to over stir so you don't break up the curds. Once the vinegar is stirred in, remove the mixture from the heat.])

Step Two: Let mixture sit for about 15-20 mins, then remove the curd [with a slotted spoon] and place it in a cheesecloth [over a colander]. Allow the moisture to drain out of the cheese, [but leave some in or add it back in if you want a softer cheese]. Cool cheese in the refrigerator for 30 mins or longer.

Step Three: Make up whatever combination of spices/ingredients to mix in! We made five different flavors: sun-dried tomato and basil, jalapeño, hot mustard, shrimp cocktail, and dried red pepper. Simply grab a chunk of the cheese and roll it into a ball with the spices and mix-ins. Sample throughout, assuring that a sufficient amount of flavor has been added. You will need to add quite a bit of salt to bring out the cheese flavor. Enjoy!

This type of cheese can also be eaten by itself before the flavors are added. Just mix in a little salt to the strained cheese, mold in a small pudding dishes, and try it drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and freshly ground pepper.

I’ve also used it crumbled over lasagna, and tonight I melted it with a little milk to make a cheese sauce for fresh pasta. It can also be used for cheesecakes, stuffing for ravioli or stuffed shells –you name it. I’ve even tried it with reduced pineapple to make a delicious fruity cheese spread.

You can also make it with lower-fat milk as well but expect a different flavor and texture. Fat is a fairly good bonding agent, so if you cut it out you may way want to consider leaving in a little bit more of the whey or beating it a food processor to make it a little more sticky, depending on the texture you’re looking for.

This cheese lasts about 1 week if refrigerated properly.

(Expect more cheesemaking recipes as well as post about other homemade goods. Home cooking is a hobby of mine that will be nurtured further by a brand-new book I got myself for Christmas.) :)

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