Charolais Cheese vs Picodon Cheese

Q: Is Charolais Cheese the same as Picodon Cheese?

No. Charolais Cheese and Picodon Cheese are distinct cheeses. See the side-by-side table for the specific differences in milk type, texture, and aging.

Q: Can I substitute Charolais Cheese for Picodon Cheese?

In most recipes you can swap Charolais Cheese for Picodon Cheese, though the result will shift in bite and mouthfeel.

Q: Which should I choose, Charolais Cheese or Picodon Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture and flavor rows in the table above are the best guide. Pick the one whose profile fits your recipe or board.

Charolais Cheese is a semi-soft goat-milk cheese from France, while Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer and made from goat milk.

What Is Charolais Cheese?

Charolais is a raw goat's milk cheese from the Charolais and Brionnais hills of Burgundy, France. It is one of the largest goat cheeses, sold as a tall barrel-shaped round of 250 to 310 grams, and has carried PDO status since 2014.

What Is Picodon Cheese?

Picodon is a small goat's milk cheese from the Rhône area of southern France, made mainly in the Ardèche and Drôme. Its name means spicy in Occitan, and it is known for a dry, fine paste that hardens and sharpens with age.

What's the Difference Between Charolais Cheese and Picodon Cheese?

Milk treatment: Charolais Cheese (unpasteurized), Picodon Cheese (Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized)
Texture: Charolais Cheese (semi-soft), Picodon Cheese (Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer)
Rind: Charolais Cheese (Bloomy, slightly wrinkled), Picodon Cheese (Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds)
Aging: Charolais Cheese (Minimum of 16 days), Picodon Cheese (Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method")
Taste: Charolais Cheese (acidic, salty, sweet), Picodon Cheese (Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency)

Side-by-Side Comparison

	Charolais Cheese	Picodon Cheese
Country of Origin	France	—
Specific Origin	Region Around Charolles, Burgundy	Ardèche And Drôme Regions, Including Parts Of Gard And Vaucluse
Milk Type	Goat's milk	Goat's milk
Milk Treatment	Unpasteurized	Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized
Texture	Semi-soft	Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer
Rind	Bloomy, slightly wrinkled	Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds
Aging	Minimum of 16 days	Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method"
Taste	Acidic, salty, sweet	Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency

Taste Comparison: Does Charolais Cheese Taste Like Picodon Cheese?

Charolais Cheese reads as acidic, salty, sweet, while Picodon Cheese brings frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency character. Aging plays into this as well. Charolais Cheese at minimum of 16 days develops a different profile than Picodon Cheese at marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method".

Can You Substitute Charolais Cheese for Picodon Cheese?

In most recipes, Charolais Cheese and Picodon Cheese can be swapped with reasonable results. Both are goat-milk cheeses, so the base character carries over. Expect semi-soft bite and body where the recipe calls for homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer. Flavor-wise, Charolais Cheese reads as acidic, salty, sweet while Picodon Cheese brings frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency notes.

Which Is Better, Charolais Cheese or Picodon Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a semi-soft cheese, go with Charolais Cheese. For a homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer profile, Picodon Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Charolais Cheese suits recipes that want acidic, salty, sweet notes, while Picodon Cheese fits dishes calling for frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency.

Which is your favorite?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Charolais Cheese the same as Picodon Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Aging also differs: Charolais Cheese is typically aged minimum of 16 days, Picodon Cheese marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method".

Is Charolais Cheese similar to Picodon Cheese?

Somewhat. They share a goat-milk base but diverge in texture and flavor.

Can I substitute Charolais Cheese for Picodon Cheese?

You can, but expect a shift in bite and mouthfeel.

Does Charolais Cheese taste like Picodon Cheese?

Charolais Cheese reads as acidic, salty, sweet, while Picodon Cheese is frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency.

What is Charolais Cheese made of?

Charolais Cheese is made from goat milk (unpasteurized). It's typically aged minimum of 16 days. It originates in France.

What is Picodon Cheese made of?

Picodon Cheese is made from goat milk (raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized), using small amount used, lactic coagulation rennet. It's typically aged marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method".

Which should I choose, Charolais Cheese or Picodon Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Charolais Cheese is semi-soft, while Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer.