EL NOOR GARDENS · HOME CHEESEMAKING

MANCHEGO CHEESE

A home-style Manchego-inspired cheese for 10 litres of milk. Traditional Manchego is made with Manchega sheep’s milk; this method also works well with good-quality cow’s milk for a Manchego-style cheese.

Ingredients

• 10 L sheep’s milk, or full-cream non-UHT cow’s milk
• Mesophilic culture, according to packet dose for 10 L
• Calcium chloride, about 2.5 mL diluted (for pasteurised milk)
• Single-strength liquid rennet, about 2.5 mL diluted
• 18–20% brine for salting
• Optional: food-safe olive oil for rind care after drying

Method

1. Warm the milk to 30–32°C. Add the starter, stir gently and ripen for 30–45 minutes.
2. Add diluted calcium chloride and then rennet. Stir gently for 1 minute and leave undisturbed until a clean break forms.
3. Cut the curd quite small, around rice to pea size, over several minutes.
4. Gradually heat to 38–40°C over about 30 minutes while stirring. Continue stirring until the curds are firm and release whey readily.
5. Allow the curds to settle briefly, drain the whey, and pack firmly into a Manchego basket or cheese mould.
6. Press for about 30 minutes, turn, then press with increasing weight for 4–8 hours or until the rind is well knit.
7. Brine the cheese in chilled 18–20% brine. A practical guide is about 3–4 hours per 500 g of cheese, turning halfway through.
8. Air-dry for 2–4 days until the surface is dry. Mature at 10–13°C and around 80–85% humidity, turning regularly.
9. For a young cheese, age around 1–3 months. For a firmer, stronger cheese, mature for 6 months or longer.