This a full fat cooked-curd cheese made from cow milk. It originated in the mountainous Carnia region in the northeastern province of Udine, Italy. The cheeses weigh between 14 and 16 pounds, measuring 12-16 inches in diameter by 3-4 inches high
Because of the high cooking temperature a thermophilic starter should be used. In the traditional making of Montasio, cheese is made every day from fresh raw milk and starter cuture is not used. Since the cheese is aged from 6 to 12 months, raw milk can be used to make this cheese in the US.

For 100 lb. (12 gallons) milk

Whole raw milk at 87-95° F. Use higher temperatures for cooler ambient temperatures and lower solids milk.
Use lower temperatures for warmer ambient temperatures and higher solids milk.

Add starter culture:
For DVS use 1-2 DCU (approx. 1/8 tsp) CHOOZIT TA050 + 0.25-0.5 DCU CHOOZIT LH100 per 100 lb. milk
Or
Use 0.5 lb. ABIASA Thermo C bulk culture per 100 lb. milk

For pasteurized milk use twice as much starter culture

Add lipase powder, up to 4 grams (1 tsp.) per 100 lb. milk if desired for picante flavor. 0.5-1 gram per 100 lb. milk should be enough.

After 30 minutes add 9 ml (for cow and goat milk) and 7 ml (for sheep milk) single strength rennet for 100 lb. milk.

Check for flocculation, which is the first sign of milk gelling into curd (should be 12-15 minutes), and let coagulation go for 3 times the flocculation from adding rennet to cutting, e.g. 3 x 12 min. = 36 min.

Cut the curd into corn kernel sized particles. Heal for 5 minutes.

Stir and cook curds slowly and steadily to 118-122° F in 45-60 min. Raise temperature
5 °F in the first 15 minutes (1 °F every 3 minutes) and increase cooking rate and stirring speed afterwards. Cook the curds until they are dry and spring apart when squeezed firmly in the hand.

Settle curds under whey. Gather curds under the whey by pressing the curds so that they knit together into a cake and drain off the whey. After draining, the curd is broken up with a “thornbush” (special tool, use your imagination) or by hand and then stirred for 15-35 min. to release the whey. At the end of this period the curd is wrinkled and shrunken looking. The curd is then put into the forms lined with cheesecloth and pressed overnight.

Dry salt or brine the cheeses. Dry salt with coarse flake salt once a day for every 2 lb. of cheese (10-12 days). Brine for 4 hours per pound.

Age at 59-63° F and 80% RH for 6-12 months. Scrub the rinds during aging with brine to keep them smooth. Turn the cheeses every time they are scrubbed.
During aging, the cheese changes from having a smooth supple rind and firm paste with a few scattered eyes to having a hard, dry brown rind and granular paste with tiny holes.