Goat’s milk has a specific taste and smell, and not everyone has the stomach for it. However, this milk is really healthy, and if you have the chance to dink it, you should not hesitate. With these tips, you will be able to taste goat’s milk and enjoy it.
Buy Registered Animals
There are several factors which affect the flavor of any milk, and one of the most important is genetics. One true way of determining a dairy animal’s milk quality is with a pedigree, and that can be obtained by buying a registered animal. In the US, for example, you can find a bunch of dairy goat associations, and you can find their criteria and rules online.
Handle Milk Safely
Now that you have found the registered animal, you should focus on cultivating clean dairy-handling habits. Establishing a good routine is going to help you with the process every time you milk the goat. Here are several tips that you will find helpful.
Use proper equipment – By using seamless and stainless milking buckets, you prevent the bacteria and dirt from building up in the seams. Your milk is going to be protected when you carry it from the barn to the house thanks to a lid.
Make sure to wash your hands before you start milking in order to prevent any spread of infection or disease. Speaking of clean, make sure to clean the teats of the goat with a quality solution.
Before you start with milking, you can either you a napkin or paper cup to dispose of the strippings, or those few squirts of milk that are released before you start with it. A lot of people prefer the napkin, but if you want to check out the quality of milk and see if there is an infection, you should use a cup.
In order to protect your goats, make sure to use disinfecting solution after the milking. You can also apply a mild herbal antiseptic to protect the teats from pathogens and moisturize their skin as well. This is something which is highly recommended.
Last but not least, don’t forget to sterilize the equipment after each use.
Cool Milk Quickly
If you cannot stand the smell and taste of goat’s milk, you can neutralize it a bit if you act quickly. There are several acids in the milk that give it a characteristic flavor, and if the milk is left warm, the “goaty” flavor is going to be more prominent. To avoid it, many people put the milk into the freezer. However, here is an even better solution:
Materials you will need
• A glass canning jar or any other stainless steel container
• A bucket with a lid
• Salt
• Water
Step 1
When choosing a bucket, make sure that it fits the jar and your freezer. One of the things you can use is a food-grade bucket with a Gamma Seal lid. What you need to do is mix a gallon of water and 1/3 cup of salt in the bucket and wait for the salt to dissolve. A brine which will be formed will have the role of anti-freeze.
Step 2
Put the bucket in your freezer for the salt to lower the freezing temperature of the water and produce a semi-frozen mixture. This is going to cool down your milk quicker than the fridge.
Step 3
Take the milk and put it into your glass canning jar which you will submerge about halfway in the semi-frozen brine, but make sure that the content of your bucket doesn’t get in touch with the milk. To prevent this from happening, you can cap the jar. The chilling process shouldn’t take long.
Step 4
While cooling down the milk in the fridge would take about 45 minutes, in the brine, you will be done in 10 minutes only. Wait for it to cool down.
Step 5
Put the milk back in the fridge and the brine as well if you plan to use several times more. To keep the brine strong, change it every now and then. And this is the best method.
