CheeseXML 1.00
Spanish blue (Cabrales-style)
Ingredients
| Whole milk, not ultra-pasteurized | 3 gal |
| MA4002 | 0.125 item |
| Penicillium roqueforti | 0.06 tsp |
| Calcium chloride (for pasteurized milk) | 0.75 tsp |
| Liquid rennet | 2.5 ml |
| Non-iodized cheese salt | 2 oz |
Process
| # | Steps | Plan | Facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heat the milk to 27 °C Heat the vat to the culture temperature published for this make. | Heat · Milk preparation · Temperature: 27 °C | |
| 2 | Add culture Sprinkle the starter, rehydrate, then rest at temperature. | Step code · Ripening · Temperature: 27 °C · Time: 90 min · Addition: Amount: 0.125 item; Rest: 2 min | |
| 3 | Add CaCl₂ Dissolve calcium chloride in clean water and stir into pasteurized milk. | Step code · Calcium correction · Temperature: 27 °C · Addition: Amount: 0.75 tsp; Dilute in: 0.25 cup | |
| 4 | Add rennet, then wait floc × multiplier Dilute the coagulant, stir about 1 minute, remove the stirrer, then wait until a clean break (floc time × multiplier). | Step code · Coagulation · Temperature: 27 °C · Time: 36 min · Flocculation: 12 min × 3 · Stir: Duration: 1 min · Until: Clean break · Addition: Amount: 2.5 ml; Dilute in: 0.25 cup | |
| 5 | Cut the curd Cut vertical, rest, then horizontal to the published grain size. | Cut · Cutting · Size: 20 mm · Curd cuts: Cut: Size: 20 mm; Wait: 5 min; Cut: Size: 20 mm · Settle: Duration: 5 min | |
| 6 | Heal the grain Let the grains rest so the cuts seal. | Step code · Healing · Time: 5 min · Settle: Duration: 5 min | |
| 7 | First stir Stir gently so the grains separate and do not mat. | Stir · Stirring · Stir: Duration: 5 min | |
| 8 | Draw whey and hoop Draw whey to the grain and fill the hoop. | Drain · Draining · Flips: Turn: After: 5 min; Turn: After: 15 min | |
| 9 | Salt Salt the curd or the wheel. | Salt · Salting | |
| 10 | Pierce Pierce so the blue mold can vein. | Step code · Piercing | |
| 11 | Age Hand-drain so the curd stays porous. Pierce and age about 6 months cave-style. | Age · Aging |
Spanish blue (Cabrales-style)
Blue cheese · Difficulty: 5
Batch scale
Scale factor:
Description
Wallace Spanish blue: 3 gallons at 80 °F, ⅛ tsp MA4002 (1/16 on raw), 1/16 tsp P. roqueforti, ½ tsp (2.5 ml) rennet, ripen 90 minutes. High-moisture curd kept open by feel. Age about 6 months.
Recipe details
- Style
- Blue cheese
- Country
- Spain
- Region
- Asturias, Picos de Europa
- PDO
- No
- Schema version
- 1.00
- Type
- Home recipe
- Vegetarian
- Yes
- Created
- 2026-09-09
- License
- CC-BY-4.0
- Author
- CheeseXML 1.00 reference set
- Units
- US
- Milk
- Cow milk, Pasteurized, Not homogenized
- Milk volume
- 3 gal
- Expected yield
- 3 lb
- Yield ratio
- 0.119826 ratio
- Active time
- 180 min
- Total time
- 24 h
- Scale
- For milk volume: 3 gal
Ingredients
- Whole milk, not ultra-pasteurized — 3 gal
Role: Base milk · Kind: Whole milk
- MA4002 — 0.125 item
Role: Culture · Kind: Culture
Preparation: Time: 2 min; Instruction: Sprinkle on the milk surface and rehydrate 2 minutes before stirring in.
- Penicillium roqueforti — 0.06 tsp
Role: Mold · Kind: Mold Penicillium Roqueforti
- Calcium chloride (for pasteurized milk) — 0.75 tsp
Role: Mineral · Kind: Calcium chloride · Optional: Yes
Preparation: Dilute in: 0.25 cup; Instruction: Dilute in cool non-chlorinated water before adding.
- Liquid rennet — 2.5 ml
Role: Coagulant · Kind: Rennet
Preparation: Dilute in: 0.25 cup; Instruction: Dilute in cool non-chlorinated water.
- Non-iodized cheese salt — 2 oz (Details: Salt: Dry salting; Iodized: No)
Role: Salt · Kind: Salt
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pot
- Dairy thermometer
- Curd knife
- Slotted ladle
- Cheese hoop / mold
- Cheese press
- Follower
- Butter muslin / cheesecloth
- Piercing skewer
- Aging fridge or cave
- Ripening box
Process
Heat the milk to 27 °C
Heat · Milk preparation
Heat the vat to the culture temperature published for this make.
Temperature: 27 °C
Add culture
Step code · Ripening
Sprinkle the starter, rehydrate, then rest at temperature.
Temperature: 27 °C · Time: 90 min · Addition: Amount: 0.125 item; Rest: 2 min
Add CaCl₂
Step code · Calcium correction
Dissolve calcium chloride in clean water and stir into pasteurized milk.
Temperature: 27 °C · Addition: Amount: 0.75 tsp; Dilute in: 0.25 cup
Add rennet, then wait floc × multiplier
Step code · Coagulation
Dilute the coagulant, stir about 1 minute, remove the stirrer, then wait until a clean break (floc time × multiplier).
Temperature: 27 °C · Time: 36 min · Flocculation: 12 min × 3 · Stir: Duration: 1 min · Until: Clean break · Addition: Amount: 2.5 ml; Dilute in: 0.25 cup
Cut the curd
Cut · Cutting
Cut vertical, rest, then horizontal to the published grain size.
Size: 20 mm · Curd cuts: Cut: Size: 20 mm; Wait: 5 min; Cut: Size: 20 mm · Settle: Duration: 5 min
Heal the grain
Step code · Healing
Let the grains rest so the cuts seal.
Time: 5 min · Settle: Duration: 5 min
First stir
Stir · Stirring
Stir gently so the grains separate and do not mat.
Stir: Duration: 5 min
Draw whey and hoop
Drain · Draining
Draw whey to the grain and fill the hoop.
Flips: Turn: After: 5 min; Turn: After: 15 min
Salt
Salt · Salting
Salt the curd or the wheel.
Pierce
Step code · Piercing
Pierce so the blue mold can vein.
Age
Age · Aging
Hand-drain so the curd stays porous. Pierce and age about 6 months cave-style.
Aging
Duration: 180 d; Stage: Name: Picos-style cave; Duration: 180 d; Temperature: 8 °C; Humidity: 95 %
Storage
Temperature: 4 °C; Shelf life: 60 d
Allergens
Allergen: Milk
Safety
Use milk that is not ultra-pasteurized. Pasteurize unknown raw milk. Sanitize equipment.
Source
Title: Blue Cheese Recipe (A Spanish Blue); Creator: Jim Wallace / New England Cheesemaking Supply; Year: 2018; URL: https://cheesemaking.com/products/blue-cheese-recipe-a-spanish-blue