Cabrales Cheese vs Mahón-Menorca Cheese
Cabrales Cheese
Mahón-Menorca Cheese
Cabrales Cheese is a crumbly, open paste cow-milk cheese from Spain, while Mahón-Menorca Cheese is firm and made from cow or sheep milk, originating in Spain.
What Is Cabrales Cheese?
Cabrales is a strong, pungent blue cheese from the Asturias region in northern Spain. It is traditionally made from a mixture of raw cow's, goat’s, and sheep's milk that is aged in natural limestone caves, facilitating the development of its intense flavor and blue veining. Cabrales is known for its deep, spicy earthiness and can be quite sharp, making it a favorite among blue cheese aficionados.
What Is Mahón-Menorca Cheese?
Mahón-Menorca is a cow's milk cheese from the island of Menorca in the Balearic Islands. It has a square shape with rounded edges and is known for its orange rind and soft to hard texture depending on age. The flavor is slightly salty and tangy, with buttery notes in younger cheeses and a sharper taste in older ones.
What's the Difference Between Cabrales Cheese and Mahón-Menorca Cheese?
- Milk type: Cabrales Cheese (cow's milk), Mahón-Menorca Cheese (Friesian, Menorcan, Brown Alpine cow’s milk, some ewe’s milk (max 5%))
- Milk treatment: Cabrales Cheese (unpasteurized), Mahón-Menorca Cheese (Raw or any authorized preservation technology)
- Texture: Cabrales Cheese (Crumbly, open paste), Mahón-Menorca Cheese (Firm)
- Rind: Cabrales Cheese (Natural), Mahón-Menorca Cheese (Characteristic orangish)
- Aging: Cabrales Cheese (2 to 3 months), Mahón-Menorca Cheese (Tender: 21-60 days, Semi-cured: 2-5 months, Vintage: >5 months)
- Taste: Cabrales Cheese (Intense, piquant), Mahón-Menorca Cheese (Salty and spicy)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Cabrales Cheese | Mahón-Menorca Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Spain | Spain |
| Specific Origin | Asturias | Menorca, Balearic Islands |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Friesian, Menorcan, Brown Alpine cow’s milk, some ewe’s milk (max 5%) |
| Milk Treatment | Unpasteurized | Raw or any authorized preservation technology |
| Texture | Crumbly, open paste | Firm |
| Rind | Natural | Characteristic orangish |
| Aging | 2 to 3 months | Tender: 21-60 days, Semi-cured: 2-5 months, Vintage: >5 months |
| Taste | Intense, piquant | Salty and spicy |
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Where to buy Cabrales Cheese and Mahón-Menorca Cheese
Cabrales Cheese
Mahón-Menorca Cheese
Taste Comparison: Does Cabrales Cheese Taste Like Mahón-Menorca Cheese?
Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant, while Mahón-Menorca Cheese brings salty and spicy character. On the nose, Cabrales Cheese offers strong, contrasted with Mahón-Menorca Cheese's lactic, buttery. More specifically, Cabrales Cheese shows hints of hazelnuts, dark cocoa, sharp, metallic finish; intensely acid curd, while Mahón-Menorca Cheese leans toward distinctive molding, treatment of the rind with cow’s butter or olive oil, variations based on ripening time. Aging plays into this as well. Cabrales Cheese at 2 to 3 months develops a different profile than Mahón-Menorca Cheese at tender: 21-60 days, semi-cured: 2-5 months, vintage: >5 months.
Can You Substitute Cabrales Cheese for Mahón-Menorca Cheese?
Cabrales Cheese can stand in for Mahón-Menorca Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect crumbly, open paste bite and body where the recipe calls for firm. Flavor-wise, Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant while Mahón-Menorca Cheese brings salty and spicy notes.
Which Is Better, Cabrales Cheese or Mahón-Menorca Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a crumbly, open paste cheese, go with Cabrales Cheese. For a firm profile, Mahón-Menorca Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Cabrales Cheese suits recipes that want intense, piquant notes, while Mahón-Menorca Cheese fits dishes calling for salty and spicy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cabrales Cheese the same as Mahón-Menorca Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Cabrales Cheese is made from cow milk; Mahón-Menorca Cheese uses cow or sheep. Aging also differs: Cabrales Cheese is typically aged 2 to 3 months, Mahón-Menorca Cheese tender: 21-60 days, semi-cured: 2-5 months, vintage: >5 months.
Is Cabrales Cheese similar to Mahón-Menorca Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Cabrales Cheese for Mahón-Menorca Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Cabrales Cheese taste like Mahón-Menorca Cheese?
Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant, while Mahón-Menorca Cheese is salty and spicy. Aromas also diverge. Cabrales Cheese leans strong, and Mahón-Menorca Cheese is closer to lactic, buttery.
What is Cabrales Cheese made of?
Cabrales Cheese is made from cow milk (unpasteurized), using kid rennet. It's typically aged 2 to 3 months. It originates in Spain.
What is Mahón-Menorca Cheese made of?
Mahón-Menorca Cheese is made from cow or sheep milk (raw or any authorized preservation technology), using vegetable (cynara cardunculus) rennet. It's typically aged tender: 21-60 days, semi-cured: 2-5 months, vintage: >5 months. It originates in Spain.
Which should I choose, Cabrales Cheese or Mahón-Menorca Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Cabrales Cheese is crumbly, open paste, while Mahón-Menorca Cheese is firm.
See full profiles: Cabrales Cheese and Mahón-Menorca Cheese.