Savoie is renowned for its mountainous landscape and its alpine cheeses. While its cow milk counterpart Reblochon might be more famous, the little goat milk Chevrotin is just as spectacular. Read on to learn more about this pressed uncooked cheese and discover how best to pair it.

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What is Beaufort?

Beaufort cheese is a pressed cooked cheese that comes from Savoie in the Rhône-Alpes region of France. For generations, local cheesemakers have used the raw milk of local Tarentaise and Abondance cows to craft this incredible cheese. Unsurprisingly, those breeds of cattle that are known for their high-quality milk.

Thanks to the milk and cheesemakers’ craft, Beaufort cheese is one of France’s most sought-after cheeses. While Beaufort is spectacular all year-round, you will want to try to catch the batches made using summer milk, aptly named Beaufort d’Été.

How is Beaufort made?

Beaufort cheese is made using a process that is similar to that used to make other Alpine cheeses. As always, the process begins with the cheesemaker gently heating the freshly delivered raw milk.

Afterwards, they add rennet to bring about coagulation. Then, they transfer the newly formed curds into the signature large moulds with a concave edge.

Once the curds have formed into a solid cheese, they are placed into a saltwater brine, which helps to preserve the cheese and give it its characteristic salty flavour.

After a few days in the brine, they remove the cheese wheels and allow them to dry. Finally, an affineur will age the cheese for several months, during which time it is regularly turned and wiped to ensure that it develops a uniform texture and flavour.

Flavour profile

As for its taste, Beaufort cheese has a rich, nutty flavour that is slightly sweet and slightly savoury. Moreover, the cheese has a smooth and creamy texture, which makes it ideal for slicing, grating, and melting.

Some people describe the flavour of Beaufort cheese as being similar to that of Comté cheese. However, Beaufort is typically a bit more robust and complex.

Serving guide

When it comes to pairings, Beaufort cheese is best enjoyed with full-bodied white wines, such as a Chardonnay or a Viognier. The cheese is also great with beer, and can be enjoyed with a Wheat Beer or a fruity Lager.

Additionally, Beaufort cheese can be paired with nuts and fruit, such as walnuts, pears, and dried apricots.

Also, the cheese is delicious when used in cooking, and can be melted over vegetables, grilled meats, and potatoes. One traditional local dish that celebrates this pressed cheese is Fondue Savoyarde.

Alternatives to Beaufort

While Beaufort is definitely a unique cheese, it can be tricky to source outside of its native France. If you’re looking for a similar experience, Comté, Gruyère or Emmentaler are three great options that are a bit more accessible.

Thank you for reading

Thank you for reading this post about yet another amazing artisanal cheese. Have you tried this cheese before? Drop us a comment below with your thoughts.

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Finally, keep scrolling to find some more cheeses and recipes that have been recommended for you. Keep it cheesy!

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For the French, the region of Savoie is indelibly linked to cheese. And, out of their 5 AOP cheeses, the Savoyards certainly have a soft spot for Reblochon de Savoie. Read on to learn about this raw milk pressed cheese, the story behind its name and the local dish it inspired.

Dairy vs Farmhouse versions

As dictated by the AOP, cheesemakers in Savoie exclusively use unpasteurised milk from local cows (Abondance, Montbéliarde and Tarine) to make this cheese. Presently, Reblochon is made both by dairy cooperatives and farmers (farmhouse).

Undoubtedly, they all have to meet stringent standards to use the name. However, there is one point of difference between the two types. The cooperative dairy version can be made from a mixture of milk from the 3 approved breeds. On the other hand, the farmhouse Reblochon is made from the milk of a single herd.

Furthermore, each wheel of cheese is recognised by an edible casein coloured disc: red for dairy-produced, green for farm-produced Reblochon.

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Iconic cheese from Savoie

Raclette de Savoie is a semi-hard raw milk cheese that originates from the Savoie region of Eastern France.

Until now, local milk producers, farmers, cheese makers and affineurs are the guardians of this iconic cheese’s history and recipe. Actually, we can trace the origins of this cheese back to the Middle Ages.

The origin of the name

At that time, farmers would enjoy this cheese in summer on their way to grazing pastures with their cows. Indeed, they would melt half a wheel of cheese on a wood fire and then scrape the melted surface with bread or potatoes.

Actually, this scraping process is where the cheese gets its name from. “Racler” is a French word that means “to scrape”.

How Raclette is made

While Raclette is made both in France and Switzerland, the name Raclette de Savoie is actually protected by an IGP (Indication Géographique Protégée).

Moreover, the IGP dictates that only cheesemakers in Savoie are allowed to use this name. In addition to this, they have to exclusively use the raw, uncooked milk of local cows. 

Each wheel weighs around 5 kg and is around 30 cm in diameter. Furthermore, the cahiers de charge specify that the cheese has to be matured for a minimum of 12 weeks on wooden boards.

What Raclette tastes like

At 12 weeks, the cheese develops an orange to brownish-orange natural rind wrapped around a straw-coloured paste.

While the aroma can be moderate to strong, the cheese’s flavour is very delicate with savoury notes of hazelnuts and broth. When melted, the aroma and flavour are tantalisingly elevated.

Keep reading after the break for our tips on how to serve this incredible cheese.

How to serve Raclette de Savoie

You can’t go wrong with tradition here. Melt a half or quarter wheel of Raclette and scrape it onto boiled potatoes, cured meats and cornichons.

Enjoy a local pairing by serving with a glass of Vin Jaune de Savoie or a local Amber Ale.

Substitutes for Raclette de Savoie

There are a number of Raclette style cheeses made around the world. If you are chasing a truly authentic experience, try to find one from France or Switzerland.

A great example of Swiss Raclette is Raclette Berghof. And, if you’re in the UK, look out for Ogleshield, the Raclette from Somerset.

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The pride of Haute-Savoie

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