Iberico (queso Iberico) is a firm Spanish cheese made from a mix of cow’s, goat’s and sheep’s milk and typically aged six to twelve months. It’s smooth from the cow’s milk, tangy from the goat’s and savory from the sheep’s, and it melts well, so it works on a cheese board and in cooking. It’s a close cousin of Manchego.

Continuing my tour of Spanish cheeses: Iberico is not quite as popular in the United States, but it is one of the more well known Spanish cheeses throughout Europe.

Much like its cousin from the south, Manchego, Iberico is a traditional Spanish cheese. Unlike Manchego, though, Iberico does not have a D.O.P. (protected designation of origin). It is defined by a Spanish quality standard for mixed-milk cheese instead, which sets how much of each milk goes into it.

It tastes pretty amazing, and in my opinion, is far better than Manchego. It has a pretty complicated flavor profile, why is that?.

It’s all about the milk

Well, three of them actually. Iberico is a mixed-milk cheese, made with cow, goat and sheep’s milk. The recipe is pretty specific. Spanish rules let cow’s milk make up at most half of the mix and require at least 15% each of goat’s and sheep’s milk. Having so much cow’s milk gives this cheese its smoothness; goat, tang; and, sheep’s milk gives it a savory flavor.

Spanish mold culture

Hold your horses, not the fungus kind of culture—but, the kind of mold that is used to form food into shapes, e.g. bundt pans, and cookie cutters. Iberico is made with an esparto grass mold, similar to Manchego. The presentation of the outside of the cheese, and artistry involved in the process indicate that the taste and appearance are equally important.

Wrapping up

Love this cheese. It’s pretty famously paired with membrillo—a quince paste. Also, Iberico goes great with Chorizo, Jamon Serrano and crusty bread. In fact, this cheese is pretty versatile and is a great melting cheese; so, go forth and use it in cooking. Grilled cheese with a tomato and bacon sounds great right now. I haven’t tried it, but it also goes well with salad, pasta and omelets.

How do you eat queso Iberico? Let me know in the comments.