You Don't Have to Drink Raw Milk

Don’t bother going back to read that again; it says what you thought it said. 

So, why is someone who raises cows for the production of raw milk, drinks raw milk herself, and even has a blog that talks about the benefits of raw milk saying, “You don’t have to drink raw milk?” Well, because you don’t. 

I don't think I'll ever go back to store-bought milk. I’ve said numerous times that I will own at least one milk cow for the rest of my life, or until I physically can’t. But just because I am in favor of something, doesn’t mean everyone else has to be. That seems to be a (wrongly) unwritten rule in society these days. You’re either right or wrong based on what the person you are talking to believes in. But nothing could be further from the truth.

You can still enjoy fresh-from-the-farm milk and support your local farmer, even if you aren’t ready to jump on the raw milk bandwagon. And, by the way, if you are sitting on the fence and just aren’t sure, one of the first blog posts I wrote about the benefits of raw milk here.

Introducing… home pasteurization. Did you know you can pasteurize raw milk at home with just a few simple tools you probably already have in your kitchen? You can enjoy the freshness of raw milk while ensuring it's safe to drink, without buying an expensive machine like this. Using heat, pasteurization gets rid of any harmful bacteria that might be present in raw milk. I recommend low temperature pasteurization. Now, you have to be careful, because not only will heat kill any bad bacteria, but it can also kill all of the good bacteria and destroy raw milk’s beneficial nutrients. The process is simple, but you need to follow some very important steps.

What You’ll Need:

• Raw milk

• A large pot

• A kitchen thermometer (we have this one and it’s got little magnets on the back, so it clings to the pot)

• A spoon or spatula for stirring

• A container of ice water (large enough to fit your pot)

• Clean glass bottles or jars for storage (we like half gallon mason jars, but these are really fun)

Step-by-Step Pasteurization Process:

1. Pour the Milk into the Pot

   Begin by pouring your raw milk into a clean, large pot. The thickness of the pot helps distribute heat evenly, preventing the milk from scorching, so one with a thicker bottom is best, but these are sometimes hard to find. If you don’t have one, just be very diligent about stirring.

   
   

2. Heat the Milk

   Place the pot on the stove over medium heat. Clip your thermometer to the side of the pot, ensuring that the probe is submerged in the milk but not touching the bottom of the pot. Slowly heat the milk to 145°F. Stir frequently to prevent a skin from forming on the surface and to evenly distribute the heat.

   
   

3. Hold the Temperature

   Once the milk reaches 145°F, keep it at this temperature for 30 minutes. This is known as the "low-temperature, long-time" (LTLT) pasteurization method. It’s crucial to maintain the temperature without letting it rise or fall significantly.

   
   

   Tip: If the temperature starts to rise above 145°F, reduce the heat slightly and remove the pot from the stove for a moment to stabilize it.

   
   

4. Cool the Milk

   After 30 minutes, remove the pot from the heat. To cool the milk quickly, place the pot in a bowl of ice water. Stir the milk as it cools to help it cool evenly and prevent a skin from forming. If a skin does form, just skim it off. You want to get the milk down to 40°F as quickly as possible for flavor.

   
   

5. Store the Milk

   Once the milk has cooled to about 40°F, transfer it to clean glass bottles or jars and refrigerate. Pasteurized milk can be stored in the refrigerator. I also wrote a blog post on how to keep your raw milk fresh. These steps can be helpful for pasteurized milk, too.

Pasteurizing raw milk at home is a straightforward process that gives you the best of both worlds - fresh, natural milk with added peace of mind. And your home pasteurized milk will still allow the cream to separate to the top, so you can use it to make butter, half & half, coffee creamer, whipped cream, and all the things people use raw milk for.

By pasteurizing milk at home, you have complete control over the process. You can make sure that the milk is handled safely while preserving some of its natural enzymes and nutrients.

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