There is an opinion that goat milk is the most useful of all available to humans. And this statement is not so far from the truth. Nutritionists claim that goat milk contains a huge amount of nutrients: trace elements, vitamins, fats, protein. Its components are well absorbed, bringing great benefits to the body. But heat treatment can adversely affect the composition of milk.
That is why many people have a completely logical question of whether or not to boil goat milk before use. It is not easy to answer it unequivocally, therefore, we will understand everything in sequence.
Composition of the product
Goat milk contains B vitamins, which are responsible for the health of the nervous system. In addition, it is a source of vitamin A and vitamin D. But perhaps the most important role is played by the milk protein casein, which is not so common in foods.
When wondering whether goat milk should be boiled, it should be remembered that high temperatures can be harmful to many organic compounds. A large part of the nutrients when boiled will be lost.
New milk
The most useful is fresh milk. Of course, not everyone has dairy goats that allow you to regularly regale themselves with this delicacy. Indeed, in a short time after milking, milk will no longer be paired.
It is most rich in valuable trace elements, protein, easily digestible fats. If you are 100% sure that the domestic goats from which it is obtained are healthy, it is better to drink fresh milk raw. But if you are not familiar with the owners and do not know the conditions in which animals are kept, it’s not worth the risk.
Goat diseases dangerous to humans
Unlike other domestic animals, goats rarely get sick. Many diseases that can be infected by a cow are not dangerous for goats.
Brucellosis is the most dangerous for humans. They may get a goat who is poorly looked after by the owner. Brucellosis is transmitted to humans. The danger is represented by the meat of a sick animal, and milk. The only way to protect against it is sufficient heat treatment.
Domestic goats get sick with other diseases. For example, foot and mouth disease and necrobacillosis are not dangerous for humans. But milk goats do not get encephalitis, but they can infect a person. The fact is that during grazing, a goat can accidentally eat an infectious tick. The infection enters milk, which will be dangerous for humans. This is the main argument in the dispute between supporters and opponents of boiling. Always remember the invisible threat that may lurk in this product. Boil or not goat milk? In areas where an encephalitis tick is found, especially during an exacerbation of the problem, the answer to this question is obvious.
Boiling rules
If you are considering whether to boil goat milk, weigh all the pros and cons.
If the arguments in favor of pre-heat treatment seem convincing to you, take care to do everything right. Proper organization of the process guarantees not only sufficient disinfection, but also the preservation of all useful components of milk.
Pour milk into an enamel or glassware, put on a fire and heat to 75 degrees. This is enough to protect against all potential dangers. But for useful components, this temperature is not dangerous. After the milk reaches 75 0 , remove the saucepan from the heat, place it in a bowl of cold water so that it quickly cools. Such pre-treatment will protect the product. How much boil goat milk? There is no definite answer. A few minutes are enough, but some prefer to play it safe by reducing gas and sweat milk on the fire a little longer. To some, one heating does not seem sufficient.
Alternatives to boiling
The only alternative to classic boiling is languishing in the oven. If you are doing this for the first time, a culinary thermometer will greatly facilitate the task. Periodically measure the temperature of the milk with it. The process will last longer than ordinary boiling on the stove.
Nutritionists advise against trying to heat milk in the microwave. This method does not work, it does not protect against diseases, but all the benefits of the product are lost. Freezing will also not give the desired effect.
How to store goat milk?
Pour the warmed milk into a glass jar, cover it with a lid and just put it in the refrigerator. Do not store it in aluminum, and even more so in galvanized dishes. Storage in open containers will also not bring any benefits - milk is nourished by extraneous odors.
Plastic containers are not suitable for storing goat and any other milk. If you bought the product in a PET bottle, be sure to warm it up as soon as possible and pour it into a suitable dish.
Goat milk in the children's menu
Every mother knows that even a child can goat milk. This is undoubtedly true. Pediatricians are advised not to abuse this product so as not to cause an intestinal upset. This can be due to complex fats that are difficult to digest. For a child’s body, the task can be overwhelming if the child drinks too much milk. A few glasses a week are enough for him.
Does goat milk boil a child? Of course, in any case, it must be preheated.
Can breast milk be replaced with goat milk?
It was once believed that the benefits of human milk are exaggerated. But fat goat milk supposedly helps the baby gain weight faster and grow stronger. Today, pediatricians say that this opinion is fundamentally wrong!
But some parents are still convinced that this product is simply necessary in the diet of infants. It is especially valuable for lightweight children. Unfortunately, this misconception leads to the fact that even mothers who do not have problems with lactation often feed babies with goat's milk, gradually reducing the number of attachments to their breasts. This in turn leads to a decrease in the amount of breast milk. It turns out a vicious circle: the imaginary benefit becomes the reason for the transition to an unjustified alternative.
The protein molecule in goat milk is about four times more than in breast milk. It is difficult for a baby to digest such a product, even the valuable components contained in it do not determine its introduction into the children's diet.
The only situation in which it makes sense to feed the baby goat milk is the personal intolerance of some of the components contained in mother's milk. However, this is not so common. And the main component that babies react to is casein. And in goat milk it is not less than in breast milk.
Pediatricians say that if it is impossible to breastfeed the children of the first months of life, a mixture is better suited to his age and health characteristics. Even inexpensive, it is better and healthier than goat or cow milk.
The time to get acquainted with this product will come to the end of the first year of life. The kid can be introduced not only to milk, but also to products prepared from it.
Dairy products from goat milk
Healthy goat milk is great for preparing a wide variety of tasty and healthy products. From it you can make yogurt, fermented baked milk, homemade yogurt and much more.
Fresh naturally goat milk will sour for quite some time. Even if you try to ferment fresh milk, the process can take a couple of days. Pre-warmed milk may turn sour for 3-4 days. If you want to speed up the process, just drop a small piece of fresh bread into the product jar.
You can cook delicious goat milk from goat's milk. Boil or not goat milk before the process? The answer is the same as in other cases: it is not necessary to bring to a boil, but it is necessary to heat to 70-80 degrees. Once the desired temperature has been reached, transfer the milk into a refractory form and place in the oven. There it will languish for about 4 hours, until doubled. At this time, the house will be filled with a wonderful aroma of baked milk. By the way, it turns out very tasty. To prepare fermented baked milk, it is necessary to introduce a sour-milk component into milk. It can be sour cream, kefir, sourdough or yogurt. For 3 liters of milk, 2/3 cups will be enough. Wrap the dishes with milk and put it in a warm place. Perhaps ryazhenka will be ready the next morning, but sometimes a little more time is needed. It depends on the individual characteristics of the products.
Goat milk is also suitable for making homemade yoghurts. In the process, strictly follow all the recommendations of the starter manufacturer that you will use. Before their introduction, milk warmed up to 70 degrees must be cooled to 36-40 0 . By the way, if you do not have a special yogurt maker, pour the drink into a regular thermos. After 10-12 hours, you can please your home with delicious and healthy yogurt.
Homemade Cheeses
If you have the opportunity to buy good goat milk, be sure to learn how to cook cottage cheese from it. It is made according to the same principle as from cow. Warm the yogurt in a water bath until the protein separates from the whey, fold it onto a gauze lined sieve and let the liquid drain.
Goat’s feta cheese - the product of which there are legends! You can cook it yourself from cottage cheese by adding a couple of eggs, a piece of butter, salt and spices. There are many recipes for homemade cheeses, here is one of them:
- cottage cheese - 500 g;
- milk - 0.5 l .;
- oil - 100 g;
- egg - 2 pcs.
Rub the cottage cheese through a sieve, fill with milk, set to boil. When the whey separates, drain it and add eggs, oil, salt and your favorite spices to the mass. Wrap in gauze and place under a press.
The use of milk in cooking
Goat recipes are very common. It is added to pastries, creams, ice cream and various desserts are prepared from it. It stews fish, chicken and meat. Boil or not goat milk before this? If heat treatment is expected, this is not necessary at all. And if you cook, for example, cheesecake or milk jelly, then it is better not to risk it.
Goat milk outside the kitchen
You can make face and hair masks from goat's milk, prepare ice for skin care, hand baths and much more. It is added to home cosmetics: creams, soaps, shampoos. In this case, its boiling is optional, no infection will penetrate the skin.