Tips to Extend the Freshness of Your Raw Milk
Raw milk should be rich and creamy and sometimes have an almost sweet taste, depending on the cow and her diet. It should never taste strong or cowey (that might not be an actual word, but if you’ve ever experienced it, you know what I mean). And it certainly should not be sour. Raw milk from a healthy cow that is properly handled and kept cold should be good to drink for at least 2 weeks. We only give out milk to our herd share members that is a few days old, but we have no problem drinking milk that is 2-3 weeks old. If it’s been chilled quickly and kept consistently cold, it is as good as the day it went into the refrigerator.
Not breaking the "cold chain" is the single most important thing you, as the consumer, can do to keep your milk fresh!
If you do end up with raw milk that is a little bit “past its prime,” you can still use it for baking, to feed pets or livestock, as plant fertilizer, or a few other things you can probably find with a quick Internet search.
Here are some great tips and tricks you can follow to make sure your raw milk stays fresh as long as possible…
1
The ideal temperature for raw milk is just above freezing. Every time your milk warms then cools back down it reduces the shelf life.
2
Bring a cooler with loose ice and some cold water or at the least, ice packs when you pick up your milk. Then, when you get home the first thing you should do is move your milk into the refrigerator.
3
Store your milk in the coldest part of your refrigerator. We have found that this is on the bottom shelf all the way in the back. Never store your raw milk on the refrigerator door.
4
If you have a basement/garage refrigerator that is used for soda, overflow groceries, or something else and it’s not opened very often, this is a great place for jars of milk that you aren’t currently using. We only keep the jar we are using in the kitchen refrigerator. Everything else is stored in the basement/garage fridge and they are set at 34*F.
5
First in; first out. If you have several containers of milk, use the oldest first.
6
Quickly return the milk to the refrigerator after use; don’t let it sit out on the counter or table during your meal or while you drink your coffee.
7
Keep a tight-fitting lid on your milk when it’s in the refrigerator so it doesn’t absorb any other odors that are hanging around in there. We have found that the Ball brand plastic lids are the best. Next best is the two-piece metal lid that came with the jar.
8
Never dump a little bit of older milk into a full new jar.
9
Store the milk in its original container and don’t open it until you are ready to use it.
10
If you are going to skim/scoop some of the cream off the top of your milk, be very sure that the utensil you use is VERY clean. Sanitize it in boiling water to be sure.
11
The cream layer that rises to the top of non-homogenized milk actually acts as a seal to keep the milk fresh. Don't skim the cream off until you are ready to use the remaining milk.
Here is a really great resource I found. Not only does it discuss how to wash your empty milk jars, but it discusses transportation and handling of raw milk. Check it out!
https://www.realfoodky.com/p/want-clean-glass-milk-bottles-heres-how
If you end up with more milk than you think you can use in two weeks, it can be frozen for later. Frozen and thawed milk does have a little bit different consistency. To freeze milk, just pour it into a freezer-safe container but be sure to leave plenty of space in whatever container you use. Don’t fill it all the way full. The milk will expand as it freezes, and it will break the container. Even glass. Freezer bags work well. You can lay them flat to freeze, then stack them vertically or like books on a shelf in your freezer.