Maiorchino
Maiorchino is a hard sheep's milk cheese from the province of Messina in Sicily, sold in wheels of about 10 to 12 kg (22 to 26 lb). It is a listed Italian traditional food, known for a delicate flavor that turns spicy as the wheel ages.
Biagio Mazzù, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Key Facts
| Country of Origin | Italy |
| Specific Origin | Peloritani Mountains, Sicily |
| Milk Type | Raw whole sheep's milk, goat's milk (max 25%) |
| Milk Treatment | Raw |
| Rind | Amber, tending to brown in older wheels |
| Texture | Hard |
| Flavor | Spicy with age |
| Aroma | Herbaceous, floral, and fruity |
| Colors | Straw-yellow paste, amber to brown rind |
| Forms | Cylindrical, flat or slightly concave face |
| Age | At least 6-8 months, normally over 12 months, up to 24 months |
| Rennet Type | Lamb or kid rennet paste |
| Alternative Spellings | Maiorchinu (Sicilian) |
What is Maiorchino Cheese?
Maiorchino comes from the province of Messina in Sicily, made from whole sheep's milk in wheels of roughly 10 to 12 kg (22 to 26 lb). The production area covers the northern slope of the Peloritani mountains, taking in Novara di Sicilia, Mazzarrà Sant'Andrea, Basicò, Tripi, Fondachelli-Fantina, Montalbano Elicona and Santa Lucia del Mela. The cheese is on the Italian list of traditional agri-food products, and the Novara di Sicilia version is listed separately under its own name.
The method follows old practice. Milk is set at 39°C (102°F) with lamb rennet, kid rennet or both. Once the curd is cut it gets reheated to around 60°C (140°F), then gathered into a wooden hoop, known locally as a garbua, and set on a bench called a mastrello. While it presses, the paste is pierced with a wooden rod, the minacino, so the whey can run out.
The next day the wheel leaves the hoop and goes onto walnut shelves. Salting starts two days after that and runs for close to a month with coarse sea salt. For the first two months the wheels are cleaned, rubbed and turned over and over. From the third month on they are treated with Sicilian olive oil. Aging is counted as finished at eight months, though it can carry on longer, traditionally inside the old stone buildings the locals call interrati.
A finished wheel measures about 35 cm (14 in) across and 12 cm (5 in) high. The rind is amber and darkens toward brown in the longest-aged wheels. Inside, the paste is straw yellow and compact. For a pecorino the taste is mild, and it picks up heat the longer the cheese sits.
How Does Maiorchino Cheese Compare?
The most relevant cheeses to compare Maiorchino against.
