How to Skim Heavy Cream from Fresh Milk with Video Tutorial

I have been receiving some questions about how to skim heavy cream off of fresh milk. I decided the easiest way to show you is with an instructional video. This video will show you the tools need to skim heavy cream from the milk and step by step instructions to separate the cream from the milk.

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Tools to Skim Heavy cream

• Farm-Fresh Milk (12-24 hours old)
• Milk Caddy
• Canning Funnel or stainless steel funnel
• Quart Jar (Wide mouth is best for easy clean-up)
• Pitcher (I have a cheap one, but this one is nice)
• Kitchen Ladle

Step by Step Tutorial to Skim Cream off of Milk

1. Allow the milk to stand for 12-24 hours in the refrigerator.
2. Gently place milk container on the counter
3. Dip ladle into the milk and scoop out the cream
4. Pour cream into a quart jar or other container
5. Repeat step 3 until you see milk under the cream
6. Stir remaining cream down into the milk
7. Pour milk into serving pitcher
8. Place both the jar of cream and pitcher of milk back into the refrigerator.
9. Enjoy!

Note: The milk needs to be strained after milking. We do this in the milk house, however, it can also be done in the house. If you do not have an actual strainer, you can use cheesecloth. This is an important step. It will strain the hay and dirt out of the milk. Do not skip it. Here is a picture of our milk going through the strainer.

Milk and Cream Expirations Dates

One thing that takes a little getting used to is no expiration dates on your dairy products. Farm-Fresh, skimmed milk will last in the refrigerator for about 7-10 days, maybe longer. Fresh Cream will not last as long as the milk, more like 5-7 days. I basically do a smell test. If it smells good, it is probably ok to drink. Fresh milk will start to smell sour when it is going bad.

Milking Cow and Making Dairy Products Articles

Here is a round-up of articles about owning a milk cow and the dairy products she will produce for you.

• Owning a Family Milk Cow, Is it Worth the Commitment?
  This article will help you decide if owning a family milk cow is right for you.
• 5 Questions to Ask before Owning a Family Milk Cow
  This article talks about different dairy breeds and the steps of milking a cow.
• Making the most of your Farm Fresh Milk
  This article explains how to use milk in the kitchen, in the garden, and on the farm.
• 5 Simple Ways to Use Farm-Fresh Milk
  This article has great instruction and recipes to use farm-fresh milk in your kitchen including yogurt, whipped cream, kefir, and butter.
• Simple Instant Pot Cottage Cheese Recipe
  Making Cottage Cheese in the Instant Pot is so easy, you will wonder why you haven’t tried it yet.

Check out my free subscriber-only resource library where you find many helpful resources for homeschooling on the homestead.

Having a family milk cow is a wonderful step toward self-sufficiency. Do you have a family milk cow? If not, would you like to get one? Let me know in the comments!