Raw-milk cheese is made with milk that is
unpasteurized. Since 1949, the US government has forbidden the sale of cheeses made from unpasteurized milk unless the cheese is aged at least 60 days. The 60-day ban is meant to protect consumers from potentially harmful pathogens. After 60 days, the acids and salts in raw-milk cheese naturally prevent listeria, salmonella, and E. coli from growing.
Some cheesemakers believe that using raw milk creates more flavorful and more healthful cheeses. Many cheesemakers believe there is no reason to be fearful of raw-milk and no reason to wait 60 days to eat cheese made from it.
Below are some, but by no means all, raw-milk cheeses found frequently in cheese stores. Many domestic cheesemakers in the United States are making raw-milk cheeses that are not listed here, simply because they do not have wide distribution and are difficult to find outside the local area where they are made.
There are also many imported soft cheeses that are not on the list below, although they are traditionally made with raw milk. This is because these cheeses are aged less than 60 days and therefore, the unpasteurized versions are not sold in the US. (Brie, Camembert, Reblochon, Epoisses, and Chèvre are a few).
When shopping for raw-milk cheese, check the label or talk to the cheese monger - some of the imported cheeses listed below (like Manchego, Gruyere and Fontina) are sold in both raw and pasteurized versions.
Raw Milk Blue cheeses
Great Hill Blue ,
Bartlett Blue, Bayley Hazen Blue, Maytag Blue, Rogue Creamery Blues, Pt. Reyes Blue,
Beenleigh Blue, Harbourne Blue, Blue de Gex, Fourme d'ambert, Blue de Causses, Blue de Auvergne, Roquefort, Cabrales
Raw Milk Washed Rind Cheeses
Big Bang, Grayson, Winnimere, Morbier, Raclette, Tete de Moine,
Gabietou
Raw Milk Bloomy Rind and Soft Cheeses
Juniper Grove Bouche, Constant Bliss, St. Nectaire, Torta del Casar,Serra da Estrella
Raw Milk Semi-hard and Hard Cheeses
Silver Mountain, Sally Jackson cheeses,
Beecher's Flagship Reserve, Trade Lake Cedar, Vermont Shepherd, Grafton Cloth-bound Cheddar, Bravo Cheddar,
Pepato, San Andreas, Vella Dry Jack, Ouray, Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Tarentais, Berkswell,most English Cheddars, Cheshire, Spenwood,Caerphilly, Beaufort, Comte, Tomme de Savoie, Abbaye de Belloc,Fontina,
Gruyere, Appenzeller, Asiago, Bra, Parmigiano-Reggiano, many Pecorinos, Azeitao,
Manchego, Idiazabal,Evora, Zamarano, Ibores, Val Bagner, Prattigauer, Hoch Ybrig, Appenzeller
