This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy. Homemade farmers cheese (tvorog) is easy to make. Farmer cheese is truly lovely and once you try it, you’ll want to keep a constant supply in your refrigerator. We had always made this cheese with buttermilk but my Mom-in-law came discovered it works really well with Greek yogurt. The cheese takes a few days to form but it happens in the background while you go on with your life. The timeline is also pretty forgiving and you can bend it to what works with your schedule. For example, the recipe says 24 hours but if you let it sit for 18 hours or 30 hours, everything will still work out. I’ve seen speed setting cheese methods online but I have found this (my Mom’s method) to have the best flavor and texture. It is difficult to come by tvorog cheese in American supermarkets and when you do find it, it can be fairly spendy. Fresh, homemade is always better and I know the quality of ingredients that went into this. With organic milk and the Greek yogurt, I spent about $11 to make around 8 to 9 cups of farmer’s cheese. What do we use this for? Check out the yummy recipes at the bottom of this post and I have 2 new ones coming soon so stay tuned!
Ingredients for Farmers Cheese:
1 gallon whole milk (preferably organic), room temp* 35 oz (large tub) full fat Greek yogurt, room temp* 2 Tbsp sour cream
How to Make Farmers Cheese Day 1:
In a large stainless steel pot, whisk together 1 gallon milk, 35 oz Greek yogurt and 2 Tbsp sour cream. Cover and place in a warm 100˚F oven for 1 hour until luke-warm. (For many ovens, the lowest temp setting is 170˚F, so if that is the case for you, keep an eye on the mixture and take it out of the oven as soon as it’s just warm).
Place the covered pot in a warm room for 24 hours (I put it next to a heating vent on the floor). When it’s done, it should become the consistency of sweetened condensed milk and pulls when you lift it up with a spoon. DO NOT STIR.
Farmers Cheese Day 2:
1. Place on the stove and heat again over low heat for 40 minutes or until warm. DO NOT STIR. Heat it slowly, since high temperatures destroy the nutritious protein and good bacteria. Remove from stove and place in a warm room for another 24 hours. It should be consistency of regular yogurt.
Farmers Cheese Day 3:
- Place on the stove over medium/low heat 40 minutes or until hot. The cheese will separate from the whey. Turn off the heat and let it sit covered for an hour (this helps for the curds to separate as well).
2. Place 2 layers of very fine mesh cheesecloth over a large colander set inside a large bowl. Pour cheese mixture over cheesecloth. Keep the leftover liquid – this is called whey – refrigerate it and use instead of water for making the best bread you’ve ever had!
- Tie a knot with your cheesecloth and now it’s important to squeeze out excess liquid. Place a cutting board either in a baking dish or in the sink. Place tied bag of cheese on top. Set another cutting board on the cheese and place a heavy weight over the top (i.e. a heavy cast iron pot or a large jug of water) and let stand 8-10 hours.
Farmers Cheese Day 4:
Unwrap your cheese and it’s ready to enjoy! Refrigerate if not using right away. Here are some of our favorite farmers cheese recipes and I have 2 more really really good ones coming soon!
Our favorite Farmer’s Cheese Recipes:
Farmers Cheese and Chocolate Cake
Ukrainian Cheese Pancakes (Syrniki)
Donut Holes (Ponchiki with Cheese) – scrumptious!
And finally, here’s the recipe for making farmers cheese with buttermilk (it’s a little less expensive to make and also tastes great!) Q: Are you a farmer’s cheese super-fan? I’d love to know what you make with Farmers cheese. I’m always on the look out for creative ways to use it!
