Cold Smoked Pecorino with Walnut Wood and Herbs

Name: Kalt geräucherter Pecorino mit Walnussholz und Kräutern
Total time: 6 h
Ingredients: 10 g Grobes Meersalz; 4 g Getrockneter Oregano; 3 g Getrocknetes Basilikum; 3 g Frisch gemahlener schwarzer Pfeffer; 2 g Chilliflocken; 80 g Walnussholzspäne; 3 g Getrocknete Orangenschale

Cold Smoked Pecorino with Walnut Wood and Herbs

OtherOtherCold SmokingHard6-8 hrsN/A18-22 °CWalnut

The piquant Pecorino Romano is cold smoked with the intense aroma of walnut wood and refined with Mediterranean herbs. The hard paste of Pecorino is ideal for several hours of smoking, during which the smoke penetrates deeply into the cheese. The result is a boldly smoky cheese with nutty notes that excels grated over pasta or as part of a cheese board.

Ingredients(for 1 kg)

Coarse Sea Salt10 g

Dried Oregano4 g

Dried Basil3 g

Freshly Ground Black Pepper3 g

Chili Flakes2 g

Walnut Wood Chips80 g

Dried Orange Peel3 g

Instructions

Dry Marinating

4 hours

Mix sea salt, oregano, basil, pepper, chili flakes, and orange peel. Cut the Pecorino into blocks and rub the dry marinade on all sides. Let it dry uncovered in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

Acclimatizing

1 hour

Remove the cheese from the refrigerator and let it acclimatize on a wire rack at room temperature for 1 hour. The surface should be completely dry before smoking begins.

Cold Smoking

6-8 hours

Light walnut wood chips in the cold smoke generator. Smoke the Pecorino at 18-22 °C, turning every 2 hours and replenishing the wood chips after 4 hours. Constantly monitor the smoking chamber temperature.

Maturing and Storing

3-5 days

Wrap the smoked Pecorino in cheese paper and let it mature in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Change the paper daily to avoid condensation and ensure even maturing.

Serving

30 minutes

Remove the cheese from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving to allow full flavor development. Serve grated over pasta or as part of a cheese board.

Pro Tip

Walnut wood produces a very robust, slightly bitter smoke ideal for hard cheeses. For even smoking, turn the Pecorino every 2 hours and replenish the wood chips after 4 hours. After smoking, store in the refrigerator for at least 3 days before cutting the cheese.

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