🧀 Queso de Murcia

Queso de Murcia is a Spanish cheese with a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) from the Region of Murcia in south-eastern Spain. It is made in two types, fresh (fresco) and cured (curado). The milk is produced, and the cheese made and matured, in the province of Murcia.

Milk. Full natural milk from Murcian goats kept on farms in the production area. According to the single document the goats are fed on seasonal grazing of scrubland, local by-products such as cereal straw, vine and olive branches, almond shells and citrus pulp, and a supplement of seeds and alfalfa hay.

Fresh cheese. Lightly pressed, not cooked and not matured, weighing 250 g to 3 kg, cylindrical with straight or slightly curved sides. It has no rind; the sides carry the imprint of the esparto matting used to mould the curd. The paste is white and glossy, soft to firm, elastic and moist, with a low-intensity aroma of fresh goat's milk. Fat at least 45 % of dry matter.

Cured cheese. Pressed for 1–4 hours, not cooked, weighing 250 g to 2.6 kg and matured for at least 120 days, or at least 60 days for pieces of 500 g or less. The rind is hard, smooth and dry, waxen yellow to ochre, and may show spots of mildew. The paste is firm and compact and grows more crumbly with age; the taste is persistent, with low acidity, and the oldest cheeses show a mild spiciness and roasted notes.

Labelling. Labels read PDO 'Queso de Murcia', and every cheese carries a secondary label with the PDO logo that cannot be reused. Portions may be sold sliced or grated if the origin can be traced.

The cheese belongs to Semi-hard cheeses, Fresh cheeses, Cheeses of Spain and Protected cheese names; its raw material is goat's milk.