Imeretian Cheese

Imeretian·Medium·1 hour

A semi-soft, mildly sour cow's-milk brined cheese from Imereti, chewy and mild when fresh, grainier and tangier as it ages. The defining filling of Imeruli khachapuri and a regional dairy hallmark.

Cow Milk

Salt

Water Rennet

Imeretian cheese (imeruli qveli) is the defining cheese of Imereti, named for the region and made from cow's milk. Wikipedia's Georgian cuisine entry lists it as the cheese made in Imereti from cow's milk, and it is the standard filling of imeruli khachapuri. It is a semi-soft brined cheese, chewy and mild when fresh, becoming grainier and tangier as it ages. It is the gateway cheese of Georgia and the workhorse of the Imeretian kitchen.

Mild, milky and slightly tangy, with a chewy, supple texture when fresh that firms as it ages. Eaten with bread or melted into khachapuri, it is gently sour, never sharp, the everyday cheese of western Georgia.

Cow's milk is warmed and set with rennet, then the curd is cut, gently cooked, and drained. The curds are salted in a light brine, which both seasons the cheese and gives it its semi-soft, pliable texture. The cheese is eaten young (within days) for a mild chewy result, or aged longer for a grainier, tangier paste. The brining, not pressing, is what keeps it soft.

Variations

A longer-aged version is drier and used for grating. Some makers add a little sheep's milk for richness.

On the Palate

Where Imeretian Cheese sits in the Georgian flavor cloud

Ingredients

Serves 10

How it's made

6 steps · 1 hour

1
8 min
Warm 5 litres whole cow's milk to 32C in a pot; stir in rennet according to its instructions.
2
12 min
Rest undisturbed 45 minutes until the curd sets firm; cut it into 1cm cubes with a long knife.
Watch out
Wait until the curd sets clean and firm before cutting — cut too soon into a loose set and you lose the solids into the whey.
3
20 min
Gently reheat the curds to 38C over 20 minutes, stirring slowly to expel whey.
4
12 min
Ladle the curds into a cheesecloth-lined mould, drain 2 hours, then turn out.
5
10 min
Brine the cheese in a 5 percent salt solution for 6-12 hours, then drain.
Watch out
The brining, not pressing, keeps it soft — give it the full salt soak or the cheese turns bland and dry.
6
4 min
Eat fresh within a few days, or age refrigerated 1-2 weeks for a tangier cheese.