So, you’ve bought the raw milk and now you need to skim off the cream. They make fancy machines, but unless you drink a lot of milk that isn’t necessary. You can learn how to separate cream from milk without any special tools, using things you likely have on hand already.
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I Only Like Real Milk
Growing up, I was never a big fan of milk. My mom used to have to get creative in order to get enough calcium into my diet. I remember it making my stomach hurt, so I avoided it for the most part. Once in a while, I would enjoy a bit of chocolate milk, but never much. I found it weird when older kids or adults would drink milk. Milk was only good for dunking cookies in my world.
As I started to learn about homesteading and sourdough, I kept hearing about the Weston A. Price foundation. I bought Nourishing Traditions and started reading. After lots of time spent online reading about raw milk, I decided to give it a try. I found a local creamery and gave it a go. As it turns out, I like raw milk. A lot in fact. And it doesn’t make my stomach hurt at all. You will no longer hear me say, “I don’t like milk.” Instead I’m saying, “I only like real milk.” There are times people will ask me why I drink raw milk and I tell them what I know and encourage them to do the research for themselves. So I will encourage you to do the same. Don’t take my word for anything. Grab a book or do a Google search to find your own why.
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How to Separate Cream from Milk With a Ladle
If your raw milk is in a regular milk jug, then you will first need to pour it into a wide mouth jar or bowl. I find half gallon mason jars good for this. Allow the milk to sit undisturbed overnight. This allows the cream to separate from the milk. Carefully remove the milk from the fridge and use a ladle or spoon to dip out the cream.
As you separate cream from milk, you’ll start to notice a swirly pattern in the ladle. When that happens it means you are getting milk in the cream. You can either stop here and call it good enough or you can repeat the process again. Just let the milk sit for several hours so that the cream can separate again.
How to Separate Cream from Milk with a Drink Dispenser
Another option is to pour the raw milk into a drink dispenser. The milk will naturally sink to the bottom and be the first thing out of the spout. As you drink the milk, keep an eye on the level of the cream. You will have to tip the dispenser to get all of the milk, but eventually you’ll be left with nothing but cream.
I have used this method to separate cream from milk, but I do find that I prefer the ladle method. The milk seems to spoil faster with a thick layer of cream on top. The dispenser also drips in the fridge even when I dry the spout with a paper towel after each use.
Now What?
So you separated the cream from the milk, but now what? Go ahead and use the milk just as you would store bought milk. Mix up some chocolate milk, use it for cooking, or just drink a glass to help fill you up at breakfast.
The cream can be used just like you might use heavy whipping cream. It makes wonderful ice cream. Churn some butter and save that buttermilk for another recipe. Or make some homemade whipped cream. If you’re a coffee drinker then add a bit to your morning coffee.
The site may contain links to affiliate websites, and we receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. As a Revive EO Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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