Cooking with Goat Milk

[Shel_B]

My GF is lactose intolerant and drinks Lactaid brand milk and enjoys goat cheese. I don't care much for the Lactaid and was thinking about using goat milk to replace cow milk in some dishes. Coming up is a fish chowder dinner and I'd like to try goat milk in the chowder.

How might goat milk work in such a dish? Any suggestions on cooking with, or substituting, goat milk?

Thanks!

[Nayan Gowda]

Don't do it! Goat milk contains only slightly less lactose than cow milk.

You can thank me for saving your relationship later

[xxchef]

Goats milk does have about the same lactose as cow milk so if she has diagnosed lactose intolerance then it won;t be much help.

That said, there are a lot of people who believe they have lactose intolerance who don't (not that they don't have serious "issues" with milk). Commonly, it is actually a problem digesting the large protein molecules in cows milk that gives people trouble. Goats milk has much smaller molecules (fat molecules too which is why it is nearly naturally homogenized as well) and it is generally more digestible all around.

Fresh goats milk can be substituted directly for cows milk in most recipes. If you are fortunate enough to have a local source you will be MUCH happier with the milk than with the most common ultra-pasteurized national brands found in grocery stores.

Good luck.

[rebecca]

I am not sure about the science of it all, but all of my lactose intolerant friends have a much easier time digesting goats milk products than cows milk products. I thought it had something to do with the enzymes present in the milk, but am not sure.

As for cooking, I have never had an issue with replacing goats for cows milk (textures, cooking times, major taste changes). However, if you are concerned, most chowders I have made are pretty darn tasty stews without the milk added. You could set some aside before you add the goats milk as a back-up.

[JadeShing]

I believe goats milk is a little bit thicker than cow's milk too, so the lactose intolerance aside, you may have to experiment with different amounts of milk inside your chowder mixture beforehand..

[xxchef]

I believe goats milk is a little bit thicker than cow's milk too, ...

If by "thicker" you mean higher in solids (butterfat and proteins) then it will depend on the goat. More specifically, the breed of goat.

Although there are certainly significant differences in the qualities of the milk given by different individuals even within the same breed, there are certain general observations one can make about the differences between the milk of different breeds. For example, the Swiss breeds of goats (including Sanaans, Oberhauslis Toggenbergs and Alpines) are all high-producing dairy breeds but all produce milk generally in line with normalized, store-bought cows milk (3.5% butterfat and around 3% protein).

Nubian goats (which originated in Africa) on the other hand do not produce as much milk as their Swiss cousins but make up for it in "richness". We milk a small herd of Nubians. Our herd average butterfat, depending on time of year is from 5-6%. We have individual Nubian goats who have, in late lactation, milked 10% butterfat and 5.1% protein. FYI, half-and-half cream from the store starts at about 10% butterfat.

Nigerian Dwarf goats produce even less milk but it can be even richer - comparable to sheeps milk.

So, yes, goats milk can be "thicker" but it isn't always. Large and national brand goats milk is often normalized to be comparable to store-bought cow milk.

[JadeShing]

Wow! Very informative...great to know about these details Thank you. I only knew from trying goats milk once somewhere in Mongolia..

[Shel_B]

Thanks for the info about cooking with goat milk. I'll grab some this weekend and play around with it. Sheesh! The stuff is quite spendy though ... <sigh>

[Shel_B]

Goats milk does have about the same lactose as cow milk so if she has diagnosed lactose intolerance then it won;t be much help.

Goat milk products do help her. She has none of the discomfort eating cheese and yogurt made from goat milk as she does with similar cow milk products. If she eats a cow milk product she must take medication to prevent her discomfort.

[Shel_B]

[...] However, if you are concerned, most chowders I have made are pretty darn tasty stews without the milk added. You could set some aside before you add the goats milk as a back-up.

I made a clam chowder last night, for myself, and didn't add any milk. It was pretty good with just chicken stock, clam juice, and a splash of wine. The potatoes seemed to help thicken it ... I may play around and develop a recipe for it, getting a better grip on proportions and specific ingredients, i.e., choice of potatoes, onions or leeks, etc.

Thanks!

[xxchef]

Goats milk does have about the same lactose as cow milk so if she has diagnosed lactose intolerance then it won;t be much help.

Goat milk products do help her. She has none of the discomfort eating cheese and yogurt made from goat milk as she does with similar cow milk products. If she eats a cow milk product she must take medication to prevent her discomfort.

That's interesting. Most of the lactose is consumed by the cheese making process as it is converted to lactic acid. This is especially true with hard/firm/aged cheeses, so regardless of milk type there should be a negligible amount left when eaten. Might be another clue that it's something other than lactose causing her discomfort.

[Shel_B]

That's interesting. Most of the lactose is consumed by the cheese making process as it is converted to lactic acid. This is especially true with hard/firm/aged cheeses, so regardless of milk type there should be a negligible amount left when eaten. Might be another clue that it's something other than lactose causing her discomfort.

When she drinks Lactaid milk, she has no problems, but when she drinks regular milk, she has some discomfort and needs to take her meds. I've not checked her medication to see just what she's taking, so maybe with that information I can find out what her problem is. Unfortunately, she's not very good about knowing or remembering what meds she takes for what problem. She just takes what the doc prescribes ...

Thanks!