Steps to safely handle and store raw milk.
And just when your fingers are about to fall off after a 20 minute milking session, back to the grindstone ya go! Having a dairy animal is -yes- a lot of work to milk but rewarding if you can put the milk to full use (cheese, butter, yogurt). You can check out how we prep and hand milk our family milk cow here.
Now, lets get this milk to the house!
Place a milk filter into your strainer.
Place the strainer on your jar and pour the milk into the basin of the strainer. The filter will catch any hair, dirt, or debris that could fall into your milk bucket.
Donation milk
We are milking a live animal that lays in bedding and gets messy, when I’m scrubbing her udder clean from mud or manure, this milk is in the qualification for donation to our pigs & chickens. Floaties: A few pieces of hay or a hair can usually pass in my book as a-ok to still use for human consumption (that will be removed by the filter) but if there is a chunk of manure on the bucket or floating, um no. As much as we love farm fresh, I try to make sure we are practicing as much safe handling as possible.
After straining, seal your jar with an air tight lid. Air will cause your milk to sour so it’s important to keep your milk in a sealed container for maximum freshness.
Milk straight from the cow is 101 degrees- we want to cool that milk ASAP down to 40°F to prevent the bacteria count from multiplying. Fresh milk that has been properly chilled will taste better longer, however, raw milk unlike processed dairy doesn’t go bad, it goes different. The souring process is good for making other dairy products (baking, sour cream).
DON’T FORGET!!! To take your milk out of the freezer or you’ll find broken jars. Ideally I leave mine in for 2 hours and then move to the fridge.
Expiration Date
Store your milk at optimal temperature of 36-40° F. (it’s best to avoid putting in the door of the fridge since that is the warmest portion of the fridge). Higher temperatures allow the lactobacilli to start making lactic acid that gives soured milk its tang and shorter shelf life. Fresh raw milk will last -10 days.
Washing your equipment
I rinse my jars, strainer, and milking bucket with cold water first- this removes the milk residue without “baking” it onto the surface which can collect bacteria. I scrubbed everything by hand with steaming hot water and soap until visibly clean then rinse with hot bleach water. Place your equipment upside down to air dry on a towel- DO NOT towel dry, this could transfer bacteria from the towel onto your equipment.
I hope this fed you some good info on how we safely clean and store our milk to use in our favorite homemade dairy recipes on the farm!
HANDLING RAW MILK
A step by step tutorial showing how to clean the milk and properly store for maximum freshness.
Materials
CLEANING - STORING MILK
Instructions
1. Place a milk filter into your strainer.
2. Place the strainer on your jar and pour the milk into the basin of the strainer. The filter will catch any hair, dirt, or debris that could fall into your milk bucket.
3. After straining, seal your jar with an air tight lid. Air will cause your milk to sour so it’s important to keep your milk in a sealed container for maximum freshness.
4. Cool that milk ASAP down to 40°F by placing in the freezer (to prevent the bacteria count from multiplying).
5. Once chilled, move milk to the refridgerator. Store at optimal temperature of 36-40° F. Raw milk will remain sweet and fresh for 7-10 days.
6. Rinse jars, strainer, and milking bucket with cold water first (to remove the milk residue without “baking” it onto the surface which can collect bacteria).
7. Scrub everything by hand with steaming hot water and soap until visibly clean then rinse with hot bleach water.
8. Place your equipment upside down to air dry on a towel- DO NOT towel dry, this could transfer bacteria from the towel onto your equipment
Notes
- If milk is "too" dirty, scrap it and feed your pigs & chickens with it.
- Store your milk at optimal temperature of 36-40° F. (it’s best to avoid putting in the door of the fridge since that is the warmest portion of the fridge). Higher temperatures allow the lactobacilli to start making lactic acid that gives soured milk its tang and shorter shelf life.
- Raw milk doesn't go bad, it goes different. Use that sour milk in baking and for sour cream!
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