Ingredients
Cheese
- 5 litreswhole milk
- ¼ tspcalcium chloride in 2 tbsp water, if using shop milk
- ½ tspliquid rennet in 50 ml cool water
- 25 gfine salt
To serve
- warm corn tortillas
- gallo pinto
Directions
- Warm the milk to 32°C (90°F) and stir in the calcium chloride if the milk is pasteurised.
- Stir in the diluted rennet with a few slow strokes, then stop the milk moving and leave it undisturbed for 45 minutes to an hour, until it gives a clean break.
- Cut the curd into 2 cm cubes, rest 10 minutes, then stir gently for 15 minutes while holding the temperature. Turrialba is a fresh, springy cheese, so the curd is handled lightly and never scalded.
- Drain off the whey and work the salt evenly through the curd with your hands.
- Pack into a muslin-lined mould and press under a light weight, about 2 kg, for four hours at room temperature. Heavy pressing squeezes out the moisture that gives it its bounce.
- Turn out, wrap and chill. It is at its best on the first and second day.
- Eat with warm tortillas and gallo pinto, or fried briefly in a dry pan until it colours.
Technique
- Light pressing, short draining. Turrialba is meant to be springy and slightly moist, and a hard press turns it into a different, drier cheese.
- It keeps about a week in the fridge and does not improve with age. This is not a cheese to wait on.
- The denomination of origin covers milk from the volcano’s slopes; what you make at home is the same method, not the protected cheese.
Substitutions
- Vegetarian microbial rennet, which works well.
- A little live yoghurt stirred in before the rennet for a slightly tangier cheese.
Variations
- Grilled in slabs until it blisters, which it does without melting.
- Crumbled into chorreadas, the Costa Rican corn pancakes.
History
Made on the slopes of the Turrialba volcano; in 2013 it became Costa Rica’s first product to receive a denomination of origin.
Frequently asked questions
What is Queso Turrialba?
Queso Turrialba is a cheese & dairy from Costa Rica: fresh white cow’s cheese, mild and springy, eaten with tortillas. Made on the slopes of the Turrialba volcano; in 2013 it became Costa Rica’s first product to receive a denomination of origin.
How long does Queso Turrialba take to make?
Queso Turrialba takes 30 min plus 4 hours draining of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes makes about 600 g. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Queso Turrialba?
Yes, within limits. Vegetarian microbial rennet, which works well. A little live yoghurt stirred in before the rennet for a slightly tangier cheese.
What is the most important thing to get right in Queso Turrialba?
Cut the curd into 2 cm cubes, rest 10 minutes, then stir gently for 15 minutes while holding the temperature. Turrialba is a fresh, springy cheese, so the curd is handled lightly and never scalded.
