Caprine Dairy Products
Goat and cow milk are interchangeable in recipes. Some adjustments for individual taste may need to be made, as goat milk is a little sweeter. Chemically speaking, goat and cow milk are much the same, but there are some differences:
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Goat milk is more sensitive to environment than cow milk, and it will pick up odors easier. The milk should be cooled quickly to a temperature of 35 to 40 degrees F, and held there in a glass or stainless steel container.
Goat milk is more sensitive to environment than cow milk, and it will pick up odors easier. The milk should be cooled quickly to a temperature of 35 to 40 degrees F, and held there in a glass or stainless steel container.•Goat milk is hypoallergenic (less likely to cause allergic reaction) and is more easily digested because of the small fat globules. It has a buffering quality that makes it an excellent choice for people with peptic ulcers. It also contains more vital mineral salts than cow milk, and is closest to human milk.
Goat milk is hypoallergenic (less likely to cause allergic reaction) and is more easily digested because of the small fat globules. It has a buffering quality that makes it an excellent choice for people with peptic ulcers. It also contains more vital mineral salts than cow milk, and is closest to human milk.•Goat milk is naturally homogenized (not to be confused with pasteurized!) to an extent. Some cream will rise to the top, but most of it remains suspended in the milk.
Goat milk is naturally homogenized (not to be confused with pasteurized!) to an extent. Some cream will rise to the top, but most of it remains suspended in the milk.Contrary to the popular myth, goat milk is not richer in fat than cow milk. Like cow milk, it varies with breeds, feeding habits and individual animals. Like cow milk, the flavor varies, depending on feeding habits and individual animals.
NOTE: If goat milk tastes bitter or strong, something may be wrong with the animal or the milk. In many cases, it is simply the improper care of the goat and milk. (More on this subject later.)
Some people prefer not to pasteurize goat milk because friendly bacteria and nutrients may be altered or destroyed. Unpasteurized milk should not be kept for more than 3 days. The milk may be frozen to preserve, or, if a pasteurizer is not available, processed on the top of your kitchen stove.
Use a double boiler, or some kind of buffer between the source of heat and the pan. Bring the milk to a temperature of 145 degrees F for 30 minutes (161 degrees for 15 seconds, or 191 degrees for 1 second). Stir frequently, otherwise the bottom may be over processed while the top is not pasteurized. This will result in re-contamination of the entire lot.
Goat milk should always be stored in glass or stainless steel containers to retain optimum flavor. When processing, never use iron or aluminum. Many plastic containers are not suitable, either.
For the following recipes, you will need:
•Stainless steel, stove top glass, or enamelware pans.
Stainless steel, stove top glass, or enamelware pans.•A food thermometer
A food thermometer•Cheesecloth
Cheesecloth•A colander (container with holes for draining food)
A colander (container with holes for draining food)
Caprine Culinary
