Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS.Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H. Most commercial queso fresco recipes are made using an enzyme called “rennet” to curdle the milk, but it’s very easy to make at home using an acid like vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice. It’s unaged and very mild with a slightly tangy flavor. Despite being made from milk, it is not rich but rather quite light, with salty-sour notes. Queso Fresco is meant to be used right away in its crumbly form, perfect for spicy dishes, or it can be pressed with weights to form a cheese that can be fried. Also, yes, fried cheese is absolutely worth drooling over! Add an acid. Turn off the heat and stir in your acid (vinegar, lemon juice or lime juice) a spoonful at a time. It doesn’t matter which acid you use as the coagulating agent, but lemon or lime juice will impart a bit of citrus flavor in the finished product, so plan accordingly. I prefer lime juice for most applications. Stir and allow to separate. Stir continuously as you add your acid and watch for curdling to occur. It will be obvious as milk clumps, or “curds”, form and separate from the watery substance, or “whey”. It’s difficult to know exactly how much acid you will need, so keep extra on hand and keep adding it a bit at a time in until curdling starts. Let it sit. Once the curds form, stop and let the pot sit for about 20 to 30 minutes to complete the process. Strain the curds from the whey. Next, set a lined colander with cheesecloth over a large bowl and strain the curds from the whey. It is also similar to feta cheese, which (like queso fresco) is made with rennet, but also brined and aged. Paneer, a staple cheese in Indian cuisine for thousands of years, is essentially the same thing as queso fresco. It is also known as “Farmers Cheese”. Original farmers cheese was made with raw cow milk, sheep or goat milk, with cow and goat milk being very popular, but today you’ll most likely need to grab milk from the store.
