The tradition of preparing bonny clabber—a wild-fermented dairy product eaten like yogurt—was nearly lost in the last century although it was once enormously popular in the hills of Appalachia and in Scotland. As the
pasteurization of milk took hold and lawmakers limited the sale of raw milk, bonny clabber fell from favor.
Bonny clabber can only be made from raw milk. Just as yogurt relies on the beneficial bacteria of its starter to culture milk, bonny clabber relies on the beneficial bacteria naturally occurring in raw milk for its transformation from liquid milk to curds and whey. After pasteurization, milk no longer contains its natural complement of beneficial bacteria; it is sterile and will not clabber.
Traditionally served for breakfast, bonny clabber is often sweetened with unrefined cane sugar or molasses and seasoned with nutmeg.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS
INGREDIENTS
- 4 cups raw milk
- Unrefined cane sugar or blackstrap molasses, to serve
- Freshly grated nutmeg, to serve
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pour the milk into a quart-sized jar and set it in a warm spot in your kitchen. Cover loosely with the lid.
- Allow the milk to rest, undisturbed, for 3 to 5 days, or until the curds separate from the whey.
- Line a fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth or butter muslin and place it over a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the curds and whey into the lined sieve and allow to drain for about 8 hours, or until the curds are thick and smooth, resembling Greek yogurt in texture.
- Spoon the curds into a serving bowl, sweeten them with unrefined cane sugar or molasses, and sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg as it suits you. Or spoon the curds into a container, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- Pour the whey into a glass bottle and refrigerate it for up to 6 months. One way to use the whey is in the brine for Pickled Tongue with Mustard Sauce.
