Homemade Farmer’s Cheese Recipe

This recipe for homemade Polish farmer’s cheese is so easy, that you’ll make it every week! Also known as twaróg or ser bialy, it’s used in many popular Polish dishes. 

What Is Polish Curd Cheese?

Polish curd cheese is a homemade cottage cheese from raw milk that can be ready in no time. It’s called twaróg or ser bialy (the white cheese) in Poland. 

What’s The Best Farmer’s Cheese Recipe?

Raw or unpasteurized milk is left out for a day or two till it turns sour. People in Poland love this and drink it plain or with dinner. It’s very healthy!

If it’s not consumed as a healthy drink, the milk is used to make twarog. 

One traditional method of making homemade farmer’s cheese is to cook the soured milk on a low flame till small jelly-like pieces start to separate and float to the surface.

 

 

Take these pieces out with a spoon and place on a clean kitchen cloth until you have all of them. Squeeze the kitchen cloth till all the liquid is removed and you will be left with the farmer’s cheese or ser bialy.

The liquid that is left is a whey called serwatka. You can use this in the preparation of soup like jarzynowa or krupnik or drink it plain. It’s really healthy!

Why Is Whey And Farmer’s Cheese From Raw Milk Healthy?

There are so many health benefits to be gained from drinking whey and eating farmer’s cheese. Here are a few of them. 

Farmer’s cheese has a higher concentration of proteins but is lower in calories than other types of cheese. This keeps you feeling satiated for longer periods of time and may hopefully lead to weight loss. 

Cheese is a great source of calcium, protein, and Vitamin B12. So it’s perfect for overall health and building muscle. 

Whey mostly consists of amino acids and micronutrients that are easily absorbed into the body. Whey has also been known to also reduce cholesterol, promote muscle growth, and lowers blood pressure. 

In fact, whey has become so popular with sports and fitness-focused individuals that whey powders and whey drinks are popular in the marketplace.

Yet, you can easily get this liquid as a by-product of the farmer’s cheese that you make at home using raw milk. 

What If I Don’t Have Raw Milk? [The Lemon Juice Method]

If you don’t have raw milk, you can use pasteurized milk to make ser bialy.

You need to bring 4 cups of whole milk to an almost-boil and turn off the heat. Then add a juice of 1 lemon and a pinch of salt (optionally) to the milk and stir well.

Follow the same procedure of straining the cheese with a clean cloth. Then refrigerate the cheese for at least 2 hours before it’s ready to eat.

Here’s a video where I am showing how easy this method is:

How Is Homemade Farmer’s Cheese Consumed?

Many Polish people add some sour cream or Greek yogurt to the farmer’s cheese and season it with salt and pepper. We prefer to eat it with bread or solo.

You can also season ser bialy with paprika and lemon juice and serve with crackers or nachos!

What Is This Homemade Farmers Cheese Used For?

Homemade cottage cheese from raw milk is one of the most popular food items in Poland. You use it to make so many dishes.

• Pierogi ruskie
• Mackerel spread
• Egg spread
• Pierogi leniwe
• Sweet cheese
• Sweet cheese buns
• Polish cheesecake
• Gzik
• Baked apples with farmer’s cheese
• and many more!

Important Tips For Making Polish Curd Cheese

• The lemon juice or vinegar helps the cheese to curdle faster.
• You can use the serwatka or whey in soups such as jarzynowa or krupnik or simply drink it.
• You can buy a cheese cloth (follow the link) if you plan on making farmer’s cheese regularly. 
• Serve with spring onion sticks or crackers. Or serve plain with toasted bread!
• Or use it to make the Gzik dip and serve with toasted bread, crackers, or fried vegetables. 
• This Polish cheese recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Making Cottage Cheese From Raw Milk

How Long Does The Milk Need To Ferment Before Making Cheese?

The milk is fermented after about 24-48 hours at room temperature. How to check whether it’s ready to make the farmer’s cheese or not? It should have a jelly-like consistency.

What Can I Use Instead Of Raw Milk?

If you cannot get raw milk, use unpasteurized or whole milk to make twaróg. You can use UHT milk with a lemon juice method (see above)!

How To Store Polish Farmer’s Cheese?

Put the twarog cheese in an airtight container or a ziplock freezer bag and store it in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.

You can also store it in the freezer for up to 3 months, but the consistency will change to more crumbly. So this is only recommended if you plan on using it as an ingredient in dishes. 

Homemade Farmer’s Cheese Recipe

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