Sirene
Sirene is a Bulgarian brined cheese made from goat, sheep, cow or buffalo milk. Slightly crumbly and a little grainy, it is sold in blocks and used as a table cheese, in salads such as shopska, and in baking.
Key Facts
| Country of Origin | Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Israel, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia |
| Specific Origin | Bulgaria |
| Milk Type | Cow's, goat's and sheep's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized or unpasteurized |
| Fat Content | 44 to 48% fat in dry matter |
| Rind | Natural |
| Texture | Fresh soft, brined |
| Flavor | Lemony, salty, sharp, tangy |
| Aroma | Strong |
| Colors | White |
| Forms | Blocks |
| Also Known As | Sirenje |
What is Sirene Cheese?
Sirene comes from Bulgaria, where it is also called white brine sirene. In 2023 the European Union registered the name Bulgarsko byalo salamureno sirene as a protected designation of origin.
It is made from the milk of goats, sheep, cows, buffalo, or a mixture of them, and it is a brined cheese. Producers commonly shape it into blocks.
The paste is slightly crumbly with a slightly grainy texture. At least 46 to 48 percent of the cheese is dry matter, and 44 to 48 percent of that dry matter is fat.
Bulgarian cooks reach for it constantly. It goes into shopska salad with tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers and onions, into ovcharska salad with ham, boiled eggs and olives, and into a simple summer plate of tomatoes with sirene.
Beyond salads it turns up in potato and vegetable soup, fried eggs and omelettes, Panagyurishte-style eggs, macaroni or yufka with sugar at breakfast, kachamak, banitsa and other pastries, and stuffed peppers. It is also served on its own as a table cheese or an appetizer.
How Does Sirene Cheese Compare?
The most relevant cheeses to compare Sirene against.
