Bougon

Bougon (Traditional French Fresh Cheese)

Bougon is a small, soft fresh cheese from the Lyonnais region of France, traditionally made at home from cow's milk and served young with bread or potatoes. This recipe replicates the farmhouse method: milk is gently warmed, coagulated with rennet, drained in cloth, and lightly salted before being eaten within a day or two.

Prep

20 min

Cook

40 min

Total

60 min

Serves

Makes about 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) of fresh cheese

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •4 L (about 4¼ qt) whole cow's milk, raw if legally available and very fresh; otherwise pasteurized (not UHT) — UHT will give a noticeably different, looser curd
• •5 ml (1 tsp) liquid calf rennet, diluted in 30 ml (2 tbsp) cool non-chlorinated water; vegetarian rennet works but yields a slightly less traditional flavor
• •2 ml (½ tsp) fine sea salt, adjust to taste; traditional Bougon is only lightly salted
• •butter for greasing, or a neutral oil, for the moulds

Steps

1. 1 Pour the milk into a large stainless-steel pot. Heat very slowly over low heat, stirring gently with a long wooden spoon, until the milk reaches 32 °C (90 °F). Use a dairy or instant-read thermometer — do not exceed 35 °C (95 °F) or the curd will toughen. Remove from the heat.
2. 2 Sprinkle the diluted rennet evenly over the surface of the milk (do not pour it all in one spot). Stir gently for about 30 seconds in one direction, then stop. Cover the pot with a clean lid and leave undisturbed at room temperature (20–24 °C / 68–75 °F) for 35–45 minutes, until the milk has set into a clean, firm curd that breaks with a clear greenish whey when you lift the spoon.
3. 3 With a long knife, cut the curd into roughly 2 cm (¾ in) cubes. Let the cubes rest for 5 minutes, then very gently ladle or pour them into a colander lined with a large piece of fine butter muslin (or several layers of rinsed cheesecloth). Do not squeeze.
4. 4 Gather the corners of the cloth, tie them loosely, and suspend the bundle over a bowl in the refrigerator for 8–12 hours (overnight is ideal) so the whey drains slowly. Aim for a final curd weight of roughly 12–14% of the original milk volume.
5. 5 Untie the cloth and transfer the drained curd to a bowl. Add the salt and mix gently with a spoon or your clean hands just until evenly distributed — taste and adjust, remembering that Bougon is traditionally only mildly salted.
6. 6 Lightly butter small individual ceramic cheese moulds, ramekins, or a single larger mould. Pack the salted curd in, pressing it down gently with the back of a spoon so there are no air pockets. Cover and chill.
7. 7 Eat within 24–48 hours for the classic fresh, milky, slightly tangy character. Serve at cool room temperature (about 18 °C / 64 °F) with crusty bread, boiled potatoes, a drizzle of olive oil and cracked black pepper, or with a few walnuts and a pinch of herbes de Provence.