Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Let raw milk settle
• Method 2 of 2: Boil raw milk to skim it
• Tips
• Necessities
• Allow raw milk to settle
• Boil raw milk to skim it

Skim milk is high in protein and carbohydrates and low in fat. Store skimmed milk can be diluted with additives or fillers. If you want to make your own low-fat milk at home, make sure you have raw cow's milk or non-homogenized whole milk, which is milk that still contains most of its fat. You can separate the fat by boiling the milk or by letting the milk sit in the fridge for 24 hours.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Let raw milk settle

1. Make sure the milk is not homogenized. Homogenized milk has already broken down its fat molecules before it is sent to the store. If the milk comes straight from the cow, you know it has not yet been homogenized. Check the label of the store-bought milk to see if it says "non-homogenized" milk.
   • You can buy non-homogenized milk at many health food stores or farmers' markets.

   Tip: you can also buy pasteurized milk. Pasteurized milk has been heated to kill bacteria, but the fat has not been removed.

   
   
2. Pour the milk into a transparent and airtight container, such as a jar with a lid. Choose a pot that you can make airtight. Jam jars, drums, or even cups with plastic wrap on them are also suitable. Pour the amount of milk you want to skim into the jar.
   • You can buy glass jars in bulk at most supermarkets for a low price.
   • Use a clear container to better see the dividing line between the milk and fat.
3. Leave the milk in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Store the milk in the appropriate container in the refrigerator. The fat will rise to the surface by itself if the milk is left untouched. Be careful not to shake or stir the milk while it is standing.
   • Cold milk takes longer to separate, but leaving milk at room temperature can spoil the milk.
4. Look at the "cream line" in the milk. When the milk has separated, you will see a layer of cream, or fat, floating at the top of the milk jar. The cream is slightly lighter in color and may contain small air bubbles.
   • Once you find the "cream line," you will know how much cream to skim.
5. Open the milk jar and scoop out the cream with a spoon. Using a spoon, gently scrape the layer of cream from the surface of the milk. You can save the cream to use in a recipe or rinse it down the sink. Be careful not to mix the cream back into the milk.
6. Keep the skimmed milk in the refrigerator and consume it within seven days. The skimmed milk can be stored in the jar you used or in another jar. Keep the skimmed milk cold in the refrigerator.
   • Use the skimmed milk in recipes as a healthier alternative to whole milk.

Method 2 of 2: Boil raw milk to skim it

1. Boil the raw, non-homogenized whole milk in a saucepan for six minutes. Pour the desired amount of milk into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Let the milk boil over medium heat for six minutes. Stir it slightly so that the bottom of the milk does not burn.
   • This approach works best for raw milk that is warm and comes straight from the cow.

   Warning: if you smell a burnt odor, remove the milk from the heat immediately.

   
   
2. Remove the pan from the heat and let the milk cool for two minutes. You will see the cream, or fat, begin to rise to the surface as the milk cools. Do not stir or shake the milk once it is off the heat or you will mix the fat back into the milk.
3. Remove the cream from the milk with a spoon. Gently scrape the milk off the top with a large spoon. You can use the cream for a recipe or flush it down the drain. Be careful not to mix or stir the cream back into the milk.
   • If you want to save the cream for a recipe, put it in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to five days.
4. Cover the saucepan with a lid and refrigerate the milk for eight hours. As the milk cools, it continues to separate and the fat comes up. Make sure the lid of the saucepan is nearly airtight. Place the pan where no one can slide or touch it.
5. Scoop the cream from the saucepan with a spoon. A thick layer of cream will float on the surface of the milk. Use a spoon to gently skim the rest of the cream off the milk, being careful not to mix it back in the saucepan.
   • This cream will be thicker than the cream you skimmed before letting the milk cool.
6. Store the skimmed milk in the refrigerator and consume it within seven days. Transfer the skim milk from the saucepan to another pot, such as a pot with a lid. Use the skim milk in recipes or simply drink it within a week of skimming it.

Tips

• When you have enough cream, you can shake or whisk it and make butter.
• In companies, a centrifugal separation device is often used for this process. However, this device is quite expensive and there are easier ways to skim milk at home!

Necessities

Allow raw milk to settle

• Airtight jar
• Spoon

Boil raw milk to skim it

• Saucepan
• Pan lid
• Spoon