🧀 Queso Castellano

Queso Castellano is a Spanish hard cheese with a protected geographical indication (PGI): a full-fat to extra full-fat pressed cheese made from raw or pasteurised sheep's milk produced on farms in Castile and León. It belongs to the hard cheeses and to the Spanish cheeses.

The sheep are kept on extensive, semi-extensive or intensive farms, most of them intensive, and at least 50 % of their feed must come from Castile and León. At the start of production the milk must contain at least 5.2 % fat, 4.6 % protein and 15.9 % dry matter. The cheese is made by enzymatic coagulation with rennet and intense pressing. Milk production, cheesemaking and maturing all take place in the region. The minimum maturing is 30 days for cheeses up to 1.5 kg and 60 days for other formats.

A cheese is a cylinder up to 25 cm across and 15 cm high, weighing at most 3.8 kg. The rind is well defined, without mould but possibly marked by rope, mould or cloth, from pale yellow to brown; it may be natural or coated with authorised products. The paste is firm and compact, from off-white or yellowish to beige, with few small round holes. Fat is at least 45 % of dry matter. The taste is intense, both acidic and salty, slightly spicy and persistent, and grows stronger with maturing.

Queso Castellano or Manchego? Both are Spanish hard sheep's cheeses, but they are separate protected names from different regions. Queso Castellano is a PGI made in Castile and León from raw or pasteurised sheep's milk, set with rennet and pressed hard. It matures at least 30 days for cheeses up to 1.5 kg and at least 60 days for larger ones, so the taste ranges from fairly mild to intense, acidic, salty and slightly spicy. The rind may be natural or coated with authorised products.

Look for the words “Queso Castellano Protected Geographical Indication” with the EU PGI symbol (protected geographical indication). The cheese is sold whole, in portions, sliced or grated, and secondary labels identify the PGI. A cheese is a cylinder with a pale yellow to brown rind free of mould and a firm, compact paste. Look for it at a supermarket cheese counter, a delicatessen or a cheese shop.

The cheese may be sold whole, in portions, sliced or grated, with secondary labels identifying the PGI and commercial labels bearing the words Queso Castellano Protected Geographical Indication and the EU symbol. The production area is the autonomous community of Castile and León, which according to the specification leads Spain in both dairy sheep numbers and sheep's cheese production.