Name: Imeretian-Style Fresh Cheese (Imeruli Kveli)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 31 h 15 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 4 L pasteurized whole cow’s milk, labelled non-UHT/non-ultra-pasteurized; 2.5 mL normal-strength liquid rennet, diluted in 60 mL cool non-chlorinated water; About 9 g fine non-iodized cheesemaking salt; use 1.5% of the actual drained curd weight; 840 g cold water; 160 g non-iodized salt

9: A small round of fresh Georgian brined cheese with thick slices and mchadi on a rustic wooden table.

YieldAbout 600 g cheese; 8 portions of about 75 g

Serving basisOne 75 g piece of fresh cheese; bread and mchadi are not included

DifficultyAdvanced; accurate temperatures, rennet, sanitized equipment and a perforated mould are needed

DietVegetarian; contains milk (dairy)

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The dish

About Imeretian-Style Fresh Cheese (Imeruli Kveli)

This fresh, lightly brined cheese has a tender, elastic curd and a mild milky flavor; serve it with mchadi or use it in khachapuri.

Imeretian cheese is a fresh cow’s-milk cheese associated with Imereti. Traditional descriptions include hand-set curds, moderate draining, shaping, salt and brine; household methods vary. This measured home version uses pasteurized milk and a simple rennet-set process. It is inspired by Imerian practice, but it is not a certified Imeruli Kveli geographical-indication product and does not reproduce every regional farm method.

Use pasteurized whole milk labelled non-UHT or non-ultra-pasteurized, since highly heat-treated milk may not form a reliable curd. Keep the milk near 30°C as the rennet sets it, then cut and gently work the curd into small grains. Clean equipment matters throughout: pasteurized milk can still be contaminated by hands, cloth, tools or containers during home cheesemaking.

After draining, weigh the curd and salt it at 1.5% of its weight, then let it self-press in a perforated mould in the refrigerator. A cold 16% brine firms and seasons the small cheese over the next day. The long time in this recipe is mostly passive setting, draining, pressing and brining; keep the cheese cold during the final stages.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Georgian Brined Cow’s-Milk Cheese from Imereti (იმერული ყველი)

Cheese

4 Lpasteurized whole cow’s milk, labelled non-UHT/non-ultra-pasteurized
2.5 mLnormal-strength liquid rennet, diluted in 60 mL cool non-chlorinated water
About 9 g fine non-iodized cheesemaking salt; use 1.5% of the actual drained curd weight

16% brine by total weight

840 gcold water
160 gnon-iodized salt

Method

Clean the equipment and warm the milk. Wash your hands, then clean and sanitize all food-contact equipment, cloth, mould and container. Slowly warm the milk in a large pot to 30°C, stirring gently so the temperature is even.
Set the milk. Stir in the diluted rennet with an up-and-down motion for 1 minute. Cover and leave undisturbed for 45 minutes, until a clean break forms when the curd is lifted gently with a knife.
Cut and work the curd. Cut the curd into roughly 2.5 cm pieces. Stir very gently with a whisk until the pieces are about 3 mm across. Rest for 20 minutes.
Drain the curd. Transfer it to sanitized cheesecloth in a sieve over a clean bowl. Collect the whey in stages and let the curd drain for about 70 minutes total. Handle it gently; the curd should hold together while remaining moist.
Salt and press cold. Weigh the drained curd and calculate salt at 1.5% of its weight (about 9 g for 600 g curd). Distribute the salt evenly, pack the curd into a sanitized perforated round mould and let it self-press under refrigeration at or below 4°C for 4 hours.
Brine and serve. Dissolve 160 g salt in 840 g cold water to make 1,000 g of 16% brine by total weight. Fully submerge the cheese in a clean covered container and refrigerate at or below 4°C for at least 24 hours. Serve cool, with mchadi or bread.

Practical guidance

Tips for success

Choose pasteurized, non-UHT milk and a normal-strength liquid rennet. Follow the listed dose; different rennet strengths are not interchangeable.
Sanitize the sieve, cloth, mould, lid and brine container before they touch the milk or curd.
Use a thermometer to keep the milk near 30°C during setting. Once drained, press and brine the cheese at or below 4°C.

Practical notes

Milk choice. Do not use raw, UHT or ultra-pasteurized milk. The cheese will be fresh and soft; it is not aged for pathogen control. Pasteurized milk lowers risk, but careful sanitation is still essential because contamination can happen during processing.

Salt and yield. The expected drained yield is about 600 g, but milk solids and draining vary. Calculate salt from the actual curd weight instead of adding 9 g automatically; keep the brine at the specified 16% concentration.

Storage. Keep the cheese fully submerged in clean brine in a covered container at or below 4°C. Use within 3–4 days. Discard it if it has been left warm for more than 2 hours or if handling, refrigeration or container cleanliness was uncertain.

Nutrition per serving

Estimated nutrition per serving

Serving size: About 75 g; one-eighth of the expected yield
Energy: About 224 kcal
Carbohydrates: About 2 g
Protein: About 14 g
Fat: About 18 g
Fibre: 0 g
Sodium: About 470 mg

Actual nutrition varies with moisture, drained yield and salt retained during brining.

Allergens and food safety

Contains milk (dairy). Rennet may be animal-derived; check the product label if that matters for your diet. Use pasteurized milk only, sanitize equipment and keep the curd chilled during pressing and brining at or below 4°C. Soft fresh cheese can be contaminated after pasteurization, so clean handling remains important. Refrigerate promptly, keep submerged in clean brine, and use within 3–4 days.

The result

A small, fresh white cheese with a moist, tender curd and mild milky flavor, held together as a round by draining and self-pressing.
Cold brining adds measured salt and helps the cheese keep its shape; serve it with mchadi or crumble it into Georgian dishes.