How to Make Goat Cheese (Chèvre) at Home | Easy Step-by-Step Recipe

Making your own artisan goat cheese is a journey into one of the oldest culinary traditions in human history. There is something deeply satisfying about taking a gallon of fresh milk and, with just a bit of heat and a gentle touch, transforming it into a creamy, tangy masterpiece that rivals anything you would find at a high-end creamery.

Video on How to Make Goat Cheese (Chèvre) at Home. Easy Step-by-Step Recipe

How to Make Goat Cheese (Chèvre) at Home | Easy Step-by-Step Recipe

In this guide, we will walk through the entire process of making fresh, soft goat cheese—often called Chèvre—at home. We will cover the essential equipment, the chemistry of curdling, and the crucial legal landscape you need to navigate if you ever decide to share your creations beyond your own kitchen.

The Heart of the Craft: Why Goats?

Artisan cheesemaking starts with the milk. Goat milk is unique because its fat globules are smaller than those in cow milk, making it naturally "homogenized." This gives goat cheese that signature melt-in-your-mouth texture. From a nutritional standpoint, it is often easier to digest due to different protein structures, but for the artisan, the real draw is the flavor profile: bright, citrusy, and slightly earthy.
When you make your own, you are in control of that flavor. You can decide how long to drain the curds for a fluffy spread or a firm log. You can choose to use lemon juice for a sharp, quick curdling or traditional cultures for a deeper, more complex tang.

What Makes it "Artisan"?

What makes a cheese artisan? It isn't just a fancy word on a label. Artisan cheesemaking implies a hand-crafted process. It means you are paying close attention to the temperature of the milk, the "clean break" of the curd, and the delicate way you ladle the cheese into the cloth. It is a slow-food practice that values quality over quantity.

Understanding the Legal Landscape: Check Your Laws

Before we get our hands milky, we have to talk about the "strictly" part of your request: the law. Dairy is one of the most heavily regulated food groups in the world because, while it is delicious, it is also a "potentially hazardous" food if handled incorrectly.

Personal vs. Commercial Use

If you are making cheese for yourself, your family, or as a gift for friends, you generally fall under the radar of most food safety authorities. However, the moment you exchange that cheese for money—whether at a farmer’s market or to a local restaurant—you enter a different world of regulation.

US Laws and "Cottage Food"

In the United States, many states have "Cottage Food Laws" that allow people to sell home-baked goods or jams. However, dairy is almost universally excluded from these exceptions. To sell goat cheese legally, you typically need:
* A Licensed Creamery: This often means a separate kitchen or facility that is not your home kitchen.
* Inspection: Your facility and your water source must be inspected by the Department of Agriculture or a similar state agency.
* Pasteurization Requirements: In many jurisdictions, fresh (unaged) soft cheeses must be made from pasteurized milk. Selling "raw" goat cheese is often illegal unless it has been aged for at least 60 days at temperatures not less than 35°F.

International Perspectives

In Canada, the regulations are even stricter, with federal oversight by the CFIA. In the UK, while there is a strong tradition of small-scale farmhouse cheesemakers, you still must register as a food business with your local authority and follow strict hygiene regulations (HACCP).
The Bottom Line: Always check your specific state or provincial dairy laws. Many small-scale producers start by joining a local "Dairy Guild" to navigate the paperwork.
Essential Equipment for the Home Creamery
You don’t need an industrial lab to make great cheese, but you do need tools that are non-reactive. Goat milk is acidic, and it will pick up a metallic taste if you use aluminum or cast iron.
* Stainless Steel Pot: A heavy-bottomed pot is best. It distributes heat evenly and prevents the milk from scorching.
* Digital Thermometer: Accuracy is everything. A few degrees can be the difference between a creamy curd and a rubbery one.
* Butter Muslin or Fine Cheesecloth: Standard grocery store cheesecloth is often too loose. Look for "90 grade" muslin to ensure you don't lose your curds down the drain.
* Long-Bladed Knife: For cutting the curds.
* Stainless Steel Slotted Spoon: For gentle stirring and ladling.
* Colander and Large Bowl: To catch the whey (don't throw the whey away—it’s great for baking or garden compost!).
The Ingredients: Simplicity at its Best
The ingredient list for a fresh Chèvre is surprisingly short.
* Fresh Goat Milk: If you can get it fresh from a local farm, that’s ideal. If buying from a store, avoid "Ultra-Pasteurized" (UP) or "Ultra-High Temperature" (UHT) milk. The high heat used in those processes changes the protein structure so much that the milk won't form a solid curd.
* The Coagulant: This is what turns the milk into cheese. You have two main paths:
   * The Quick Method: Using an acid like lemon juice or white vinegar. This results in a "Ricotta-style" goat cheese that is ready in a couple of hours.
   * The Traditional Method: Using a mesophilic starter culture and a tiny bit of rennet. This takes 12 to 24 hours but produces the classic, creamy Chèvre texture.
* Salt: Use "Cheese Salt" or a non-iodized sea salt. Iodine can interfere with the beneficial bacteria and give the cheese an off-flavor.
Step-by-Step: The Traditional Artisan Method
If you want that authentic, silky "log" of goat cheese, this is the method to use. It requires a bit more patience but very little active work.

1. Warming the Milk

Heat your goat milk to a much lower temperature: 86°F (30°C). This is the "happy place" for mesophilic bacteria.

2. Inoculating

Sprinkle a packet of mesophilic starter culture (like MM100 or a specific Chèvre starter) over the surface. Let it sit for 2 minutes to rehydrate, then stir it in with an up-and-down motion.

3. Adding Rennet

Rennet is a powerful enzyme. You only need a tiny amount—usually 1 or 2 drops diluted in 1/4 cup of cool, unchlorinated water. Stir the diluted rennet into the milk for 30 seconds, then "still" the milk with your spoon so it isn't swirling.

4. The Long Wait

Cover the pot and leave it at room temperature (around 70°F–75°F) for 12 to 18 hours. During this time, the bacteria are eating the lactose and producing lactic acid, while the rennet is knitting the proteins together. You are looking for a "clean break"—if you stick a knife in, the curd should split sharply around it.

5. Ladling and Draining

Don't pour this curd! It is delicate. Use a ladle to gently move large slices of curd into your cheesecloth. Tie the corners of the cloth and hang it over a bowl to drain for 6 to 12 hours.
Troubleshooting and Flavoring
* Goaty Flavor: If the cheese is too "funky," it usually means the milk wasn't cooled quickly enough after milking. Fresh milk results in a cleaner, milder flavor.
* Dry Cheese: If it's too crumbly, you drained it too long. Stir in a little bit of the reserved whey or a splash of cream to bring back the silkiness.
* Creative Flavors: Once drained, mix in fresh dill, honey, or cracked pepper. You can also roll the finished logs in edible flower petals or vegetable ash for a professional look.