Queso de Murcia 
Queso de Murcia is a fatty goat's milk cheese from south-east Spain with Protected Designation of Origin status, made only from Murcian goats in registered herds. It is sold fresh and very white, or cured for at least sixty days until firm.
Key Facts
| Country of Origin | Spain |
| Specific Origin | Murcia region |
| Protection | PDO (2001) |
| Milk Type | Goat’s milk |
| Fat Content | Minimum 45% of dry matter |
| Rind | None (fresh) / Hard, smooth (cured) |
| Texture | Soft and elastic (fresh) / Firm and compact (cured) |
| Flavor | Mild, slightly sweet (fresh) / Persistent, lactic, with vegetal and roasted notes (cured) |
| Aroma | Low intensity (fresh) / Medium to high intensity with lactic and animal notes (cured) |
| Colors | White (fresh) / White to ochre (cured) |
| Forms | Cylindrical |
| Age | Not aged (fresh) / Minimum 60-120 days (cured) |
| Rennet Type | Animal |
| Also Known As | Murcian cheese |
What is Queso de Murcia?
Murcian cheese, or queso de Murcia, comes from the Murcia region of south-east Spain and holds a Protected Designation of Origin. It is made only from the milk of goats of the Murcian breed, kept in registered herds that graze freely on the scrub and coarse pasture of that dry zone.
The goats are milked daily. The milk is filtered, warmed, and curdled with an animal enzyme or another authorised agent. For the fresh cheese the milk sets at 32 to 35 °C (90 to 95 °F) over 30 to 45 minutes, the curd is cut to a 10 mm (0.39 in) grain, warmed a further 3 to 5 °C, worked lightly, and moulded. It gets a short, light pressing, ten hours in brine, and is then held at no more than 4 °C (39 °F) until sale.
The cured cheese sets at 30 to 34 °C (86 to 93 °F) over 40 to 60 minutes. Its curd is cut finer, to 5 mm (0.20 in), and worked hard to build a firmer body. After 2 to 4 hours under the press the pH is right, the cheeses take up to twenty hours in brine, and they mature for at least sixty days, sometimes far longer.
Both versions are cylinders. Small fresh cheeses run 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in) high and 7 to 9 cm (3 to 4 in) across at about 300 g (11 oz); larger ones are 8 to 12 cm (3 to 5 in) high and 12 to 18 cm (5 to 7 in) across, at 1 or 2 kg (2.2 or 4.4 lb). Cured wheels measure 7 to 9 cm (3 to 4 in) high and 12 to 18 cm (5 to 7 in) across, also 1 or 2 kg. The fresh cheese is soft yet firm to cut, very white, usually without cavities, and has almost no rind beyond the printed rush marks. The cured cheese cuts firm, shows white to light cream paste with a few small holes, and wears a thin, smooth rind from straw colour to light brown.
Flavour stays simple in both. Expect a light goat taste with a little salt and a little acidity rather than anything complex. Fresh Murcian cheese is grilled, folded into salads, or used in desserts. The cured cheese is sliced as a snack with beer or wine, or served as part of a meal.
How Does Queso de Murcia Compare?
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