Chubut
Chubut, also called Chubutense, is a semi-hard cheese made in Gaiman, in Argentina's lower Chubut river valley. Its recipe comes from the Welsh colony there, and the Chubut brand is the first cheese brand registered in Argentina.
Key Facts
| Country of Origin | Argentina |
| Specific Origin | Gaiman, Chubut, Argentina |
| Rind | Natural rind, paraffin coated |
| Texture | Semi-hard, closed with few eyes, buttery paste |
| Flavor | Pleasant |
| Colors | Pale yellow paste |
| Forms | Flat cylinders sold under a coat of paraffin |
| Also Known As | Chubutense |
What is Chubut Cheese?
The recipe for Chubut goes back to the Welsh colony in the lower valley of the Chubut river in the early 1900s, when the Compañía Mercantil del Chubut ran about fifteen dairy farms across the area. The Chubut brand is the first cheese brand registered in Argentina, with more than 100 years behind it.
It is made today in Gaiman by the Cooperativa Lechera de Gaiman, known as Colega. The work is still largely artisanal.
Lactic starter goes into the prepared milk, which is warmed before rennet is added. The curd is stirred and heated again to 40 °C, left to rest, then drawn off, molded and pressed. The cheeses sit in brine for 24 hours and ripen for 30 to 50 days.
The result is a semi-hard cheese with a rind, a closed paste holding few eyes, and a buttery body. The color is pale yellow, the flavor pleasant. Wheels are flat cylinders, sold with a layer of paraffin over them.
It is eaten in sandwiches, on picadas and in desserts.
How Does Chubut Cheese Compare?
The most relevant cheeses to compare Chubut against.
