Yüksekova Çirek Cheese

Yüksekova Çirek Cheese is a traditional elastic cheese produced in the Yüksekova district of Hakkâri province in Türkiye, using only sheep’s milk. The product was registered with a geographical indication on 18 April 2022 following an application submitted on 11 February 2020 and is now protected under geographical indication status. The registration process was carried out by the Yüksekova Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Yüksekova Çirek Cheese is produced using sheep’s milk collected during spring and summer. After the teleme is curdled, it is manually stretched into thin sheets and then rolled into a cylindrical shape after being coated with a lor cheese paste made from the whey of a previous production batch. This production technique determines the cheese’s elastic texture and distinctive flavor. Locally, it is also known as “penire çırık” or “penire çırkırı”.

Chemically, the cheese has a dry matter content of 46.92 ± 1.32%, a fat content of 21.69 ± 2.30%, and a protein content of 20.06 ± 2.36%. Biochemically, total nitrogen measures 3.14 ± 0.37% and lipolysis value is 0.801 ± 0.293 meq/100 g fat. These values reflect the cheese’s nutritional composition and ripening process.

The production process uses milk exclusively from sheep raised within the Yüksekova district and its immediate surroundings. The milk is coagulated at milking temperature (32–34 °C) using commercial liquid cheese rennet. The teleme is then drained in cloth bags and left to ferment. When a sour taste develops, the pH ranges between 4.90 and 5.20, indicating completion of fermentation.

The teleme is sliced and boiled in water at 70–80 °C containing 5% salt. The boiled cheese is then stretched into thin sheets. The whey from the previous production is boiled to obtain lor cheese, which is mixed with water and salt to form a paste. This paste is applied to the surface of the stretched cheese, which is then rolled into a cylindrical shape. After cooling, the cheeses are packaged in 1000 gram portions. They are consumed either fresh or after a 10-day aging period. When stored at +4 °C in dark conditions, the cheese can be preserved for 7 to 15 days.

Yüksekova Çirek Cheese can only be produced within the boundaries of the Yüksekova district. The requirement that the lor cheese used in production must be derived from the whey of a previous batch reinforces the product’s link to its geographical origin. This traditional method is a fundamental element defining the cheese’s reputation and character.

Monitoring of the product is conducted at least once annually under the coordination of the Yüksekova Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The monitoring body consists of experts from the Yüksekova Municipality, the Yüksekova District Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Department of Food Engineering at Hakkâri University. Monitoring is based on criteria including compliance of ingredients, adherence to production methods, packaging conditions, and chemical-biochemical analyses. The correct use of the geographical indication emblem is also included in the monitoring scope.