Learn how to craft this legendary blue cheese in your own kitchen with our step-by-step Roquefort cheese recipe. Using the premium Booneve Cheese Press and traditional techniques, you’ll create a cheese that rivals the famous French original.
What Makes Roquefort So Special?
Roquefort stands as one of the world’s most celebrated blue cheeses, protected by French law and European designation of origin status. True Roquefort must age in the natural limestone caves of Mont Combalou in southern France, where the specific Penicillium roqueforti mold creates its distinctive blue-green veins and complex flavor profile.
While home-crafted versions technically cannot be called “Roquefort,” you can create a remarkably similar blue cheese using traditional methods and your Booneve Cheese Press. The result? A creamy, crumbly cheese with pronounced blue veining and that characteristic sharp, tangy flavor that makes Roquefort so beloved.
Essential Equipment for Making Roquefort-Style Cheese
To create your homemade Roquefort-style blue cheese, gather these specialized tools:
- Booneve Cheese Press – Essential for proper drainage and form
- Accurate digital thermometer
- 5-gallon stainless steel pot
- Long knife or cheese harp for cutting curds
- Butter muslin (finer than standard cheesecloth)
- Cheese mats for aging
- Sterilized skewers for creating air channels
- Hygrometer for monitoring aging environment
- Food-grade containers for aging
Ingredients for 2 Pounds of Roquefort-Style Cheese
- 2 gallons (7.5 liters) raw sheep’s milk (traditional) or cow’s milk (alternative)
- 1/4 teaspoon mesophilic culture
- 1/8 teaspoon Penicillium roqueforti culture
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid rennet diluted in 1/4 cup non-chlorinated water
- 3 tablespoons non-iodized salt
- Additional salt for dry salting
Step-by-Step Roquefort Cheese Making Process
Day 1: Creating the Foundation
Step 1: Milk Preparation (30 minutes)
- Warm sheep’s or cow’s milk to 90°F (32°C) in your stainless steel pot
- Hold at this temperature throughout the initial process
- If using pasteurized milk, add 1/8 teaspoon calcium chloride diluted in water
Step 2: Culture Addition (60 minutes)
- Sprinkle mesophilic culture over the milk surface
- Let rehydrate for 2 minutes
- Stir thoroughly using up-and-down motions
- Add Penicillium roqueforti culture and stir gently
- Cover and maintain temperature for 1 hour to ripen
Step 3: Rennet and Coagulation (60 minutes)
- Add diluted rennet while stirring gently
- Stir for only 1 minute
- Cover and maintain 90°F (32°C) for 60 minutes or until firm coagulation
- Test for clean break – insert knife at angle and lift; curd should split cleanly
Step 4: Cutting the Curd (20 minutes)
- Cut the curds into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- Make vertical cuts in both directions
- Make horizontal cuts at angles
- Let stand for 5 minutes after cutting
- Cut further into smaller pieces (approximately 1/2 inch)
- Let stand for another 10 minutes
Step 5: Gentle Stirring (15 minutes)
- Stir curds gently for 15 minutes
- Maintain temperature at 90°F (32°C)
- Do not increase temperature – this is critical for Roquefort-style cheese
Step 6: Draining (30 minutes)
- Line colander with butter muslin
- Gently pour curds into lined colander
- Allow to drain for 30 minutes
- Periodically move curds gently to promote drainage
Pressing with Your Booneve Cheese Press
Step 7: First Pressing (2 hours)
- Set up your Booneve Cheese Press with drainage tray centered on base
- Transfer drained curds in muslin to the press
- Fold muslin neatly over curds
- Place wooden follower on top
- Assemble upper frame and secure threaded rods
- Apply very light pressure (minimal spring compression)
- Press for 2 hours at room temperature
- Note: Light pressure is critical for Roquefort – the Booneve press’s calibrated spring system is perfect for this
Step 8: Salting Process (24 hours)
- Remove cheese from Booneve press
- Unwrap from muslin
- Rub entire surface with non-iodized salt
- Place on a cheese mat in a container
- Keep at room temperature for 24 hours
- Turn and resalt after 12 hours
Step 9: Creating Air Channels (30 minutes)
- After 24 hours of salting, use sterilized skewers
- Pierce cheese from top to bottom at 1-inch intervals
- Create approximately 20-30 channels throughout cheese
- These channels allow oxygen to reach interior, promoting mold growth
- The firm shape achieved with your Booneve press makes this process much easier
Aging Your Roquefort-Style Cheese
Step 10: Initial Aging (2 weeks)
- Place cheese on mat in container
- Store at 50-55°F (10-13°C) with 85-95% humidity
- Turn every other day
- Blue-green mold will begin developing in air channels
Step 11: Wrapping Phase (4-8 weeks)
- After 2 weeks, loosely wrap cheese in aluminum foil
- Poke several small holes in foil for limited air exchange
- Return to aging environment
- Turn weekly
- Age for minimum 4 weeks, optimally 8+ weeks
- The longer the aging, the stronger the flavor
Why the Booneve Cheese Press Makes the Difference
The Booneve Cheese Press offers significant advantages when making blue cheeses like Roquefort:
- Perfect Consistency: The calibrated spring system allows the very light, precise pressure required for blue cheese without compacting the curd too much
- Proper Drainage: The stainless steel drainage tray facilitates ideal moisture levels
- Stable Base: The solid Siberian pine construction provides stability during the delicate pressing phase
- Proper Shape Formation: Creates the ideal form for salt penetration and mold development
Other cheese presses often apply too much pressure for blue cheeses, but the Booneve press’s adjustable system gives you perfect control over this critical factor.
Expert Tips for Perfect Homemade Roquefort
- Temperature Control: Keep aging environment between 50-55°F (10-13°C)
- Humidity Matters: Maintain 85-95% humidity during aging
- Salt Quality: Use only non-iodized salt, as iodine inhibits mold development
- Patience Pays: The longer you age, the more complex the flavor becomes
- Sterilization: Keep all equipment meticulously clean to prevent unwanted contamination
- Air Circulation: Turn cheese regularly during aging for even mold development
Common Issues and Troubleshooting
Problem: Insufficient Blue Veining
- Cause: Inadequate aeration or mold culture issues
- Solution: Ensure proper piercing with sterile skewers; check culture freshness
Problem: Bitter Taste
- Cause: Excessive enzymatic activity
- Solution: Age at slightly lower temperature; use less culture in future batches
Problem: Too Dry or Crumbly
- Cause: Excessive moisture loss
- Solution: Reduce initial pressing time with your Booneve press; increase aging humidity
Problem: Off Flavors
- Cause: Contamination from unwanted bacteria
- Solution: Improve sterilization practices; use fresh cultures
Serving and Pairing Your Homemade Roquefort
Homemade Roquefort-style cheese reaches its prime flavor after 2-3 months of aging. Serve at room temperature to fully appreciate its complex character. Traditional pairings include:
- Sweet wines like Sauternes or Port
- Fresh walnuts or walnut bread
- Ripe pears or crisp apples
- Honey drizzle for contrast with the sharp flavor
- Crusty baguette or artisanal crackers
For an elegant appetizer, stuff dried dates with small portions of your Roquefort-style cheese and top with a walnut half.
Conclusion: Crafting Artisanal Tradition
While creating true Roquefort cheese requires specific caves in France, your homemade version using the Booneve Cheese Press will deliver an impressive artisanal blue cheese with remarkable similarity to the original. The process connects you to centuries of French cheesemaking tradition while providing the satisfaction of creating something extraordinary in your own kitchen.
The key to success lies in respecting the traditional methods, maintaining proper aging conditions, and using quality equipment like the Booneve Cheese Press. With practice and patience, you’ll soon be enjoying your own remarkable blue cheese that will impress even the most discerning cheese connoisseurs.
Have questions about making blue cheese with your Booneve press? Leave a comment below and we’ll help troubleshoot your cheesemaking journey!
FAQs About Making Roquefort-Style Cheese at Home
Can I use cow’s milk instead of sheep’s milk? Yes, although traditional Roquefort uses sheep’s milk, you can create a delicious Roquefort cheese with cow’s milk. The flavor will be slightly different but still excellent.
Is it safe to eat homemade blue cheese? Absolutely, when proper food safety protocols are followed. The Penicillium roqueforti in blue cheese is a safe, beneficial mold completely different from harmful molds.
How long will my homemade Roquefort-style cheese last? When properly aged and stored in refrigeration, your cheese can last 2-3 months. Wrap in wax paper and then loosely in plastic wrap to allow some air circulation.
Can I use the Booneve press for other blue cheeses? Definitely! The Booneve Cheese Press works excellently for other blue varieties like Stilton, Gorgonzola, and Danish Blue, all requiring similar pressing techniques.
Where can I find Penicillium roqueforti culture? Specialized cheesemaking suppliers sell this culture online. Look for reputable suppliers who provide fresh cultures with good reviews.