Find the most important etiquette rules on how to serve and eat Grana Padano and tips to be the ideal host or the perfect guest at the dining table.

how to serve and eat grana padano

What Grana Padano etiquette is

Grana Padano etiquette is the set of rules to properly serve and eat Grana Padano. Such rules help avoid behaviors that can disrespect hosts or guests, or make you look unpolite.

If you are hosting, follow Grana Padano etiquette to serve it to your guests appropriately.

If you are a guest, respect the etiquette rules to properly eat and enjoy it.

What you should know about Grana Padano

Grana Padano is an Italian hard cheese. Only a limited area in North Italy can produce it. Mostly the provinces in the river Po valley. The regions allowed to produce it are:

  • Piedmont.
  • Lombardy.
  • Emilia Romagna.
  • Veneto.
  • Trentino Alto-Adige, only the province of Trento.

Grana Padano is made from unpasteurized cow’s milk. It goes through an aging process that lasts for at least 8 months. It has a granular texture and it is dark or golden yellow in color. 

Etiquette tips to serve and eat Grana Padano

1) How to store Grana Padano

Only a full wheel of Grana Padano can last long out of the fridge. 

You can keep an unopened chunk of Grana Padano out of the fridge. Store it in a cool place. Away from direct light and sources of heat. However, do not keep it out longer than 3 to 5 days. Avoid storing it outside if the temperature is above 24°C (75°F).

After opening it, you should keep Grana Padano in the fridge. Store it in a clean hemp or cotton cloth. Alternatively, wrap it in plastic. Or store it in a sealed container. An unopened chunk can last up to 7 to 9 months in the fridge. After opening it, you should store it for up to 1 or 2 months.

Store grated Grana Padano in the fridge. Do not keep it longer than 1 or 2 weeks. If its color starts to darken, consume it immediately. 

You can store Grana Padano in the freezer. If unopened, it can last up to 9 months to a year. If grated, it can last up to 2 to 4 months. 

Store dishes with cooked Grana Padano in the fridge. They can last between 3 and 5 days. 

2) How to clean Grana Padano

You do not need to wash Grana Padano. 

Its crust is edible. However, it is too hard to eat. You can remove the crust before serving Grana Padano. 

If you use the crust for cooking, wash it quickly under running water. 

3) How to cook Grana Padano

It is common to grate Grana Padano over dishes. Pasta. Rice and risotto. Soups. Salads. Flans and baked dishes. Add grated Grana Padano to dishes immediately before serving. Alternatively, allow guests to add it to their liking directly at the table. 

If you bake dishes with Grana Padano, there is no minimum recommended temperature. However, the cheese melts best above 120°C (248°F).

You can use the crust to cook. It is common to use crusts to add flavor to soups, broths, or sauces. After cooking, remove the crusts before serving.

4) How to serve & present Grana Padano

Serve Grana Padano at room temperature. Take it out of the fridge at least 1 or 2 hours before serving. 

Grana Padano is perfect as an appetizer. It is common as a snack during pre-meal drinks. 

Perhaps the most elegant way to present it is in a large, intact section of a wheel. Such as a quarter or half a wheel. Serve it with a parmesan knife. Then, guests can help themselves and cut chunks off the main block. Another option is to serve Grana Padan cut into chunks. 

If you serve it grated, present it in a small cup or dedicated container. Present it with a teaspoon, so guests can add it to dishes to their liking.

You can include Grana Padano in a cheese platter, served before dessert. It is best to arrange cheese in order, from the mildest to the strongest. Grana Padano is usually one of the strongest, due to its aging, strong flavor, and texture. However, it is usually milder in flavor compared to Parmigiano Reggiano.

Before serving Grana Padano, make sure it has not turned bad. Grana which is turning bad displays a darker color. It may look moldy or have a foul smell.

5) Food and wine to pair Grana Padano with

Grana Padano goes well with many dishes. Pasta. Rice and risotto. Pizza. Soup. Broth. 

You can add it to baked vegetables, flans, savory pies, and salads.

It goes well with eggs or meat. Grana is great with roast beef or in burgers. It is common to add Grana Padano to raw or cured meat. Such as carpaccio or Bresaola. Adding it to fish recipes is not common, but not inappropriate.   

Grana Padano pairs well with jams and honey. It tastes great with a few drops of Balsamic vinegar. You can pair it with fruit too. Apples. Pears. Grapes. Strawberries. Pomegranate. It goes well with nuts, such as walnuts and hazelnuts.

The ideal wine pairing depends on aging. Older Grana Padano requires bolder wine.

Grana Padano aged 9 to 16 months pairs well with Lambrusco, Prosecco, or Cerasuolo. Pair Grana over 16 months with Dolcetto d’Alba, Franciacorta, or Greco di Tufo. Grana over 20 months pairs well with Nero d’Avola, Primitivo, or Verdicchio.

6) How to eat Grana Padano

The rind is edible but too hard to eat. Discard it or leave it on the serving dish.

Place a few chunks of Grana on your plate. Break them into smaller bite-sized chunks. Eat it by bringing one bite-size chunk to your mouth at a time. 

Eat Grana with your fingers. You should not eat it with a fork and knife due to its granular texture.

When Grana is served grated, you can add it to your dish. Use a serving teaspoon or fork to add it. It is not polite to add a large quantity. Do not add more than 2 or 3 spoons.

Grana Padano etiquette: the worst mistakes

Avoid the worst Grana Padano etiquette mistakes. 

  • 9/10. Serving spoiled Grana Padano.
  • 7/10. Eating Grana Padano with a fork and a knife.
  • 5/10. Adding a large quantity of grated cheese to a dish.

Additional information for properly serving Grana Padano

How many calories per serving?

Counting calories is important to stay healthy and to correctly plan a menu.

Grana Padano contains about 398 calories per 100 grams. One teaspoon is usually 5 grams and contains 20 calories. An average chunk is around 20 grams and contains 80 calories.

How to buy the best Grana Padano

A crucial factor in Grana Padano etiquette is to serve the best product possible to your guests.

Season and availability 

Grana Padano is available all year round.

Choose the best

Grana Padano must display a DOP (denominazione di origine protetta) seal. DOP is the Italian certification that guarantees the quality and the production method of the cheese.

Alternatives to Grana Padano

The best substitutes for Grana Padano are Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino.

FAQs

What is the difference between Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano?

Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano are similar cheeses. However, there are a few key differences: production area, aging, animal’s diet, texture, and flavor.

  • Production area. Both Parmigiano and Grana come from the Po River valley. However, the area that can produce Parmigiano is smaller. Limited to a few provinces in Emilia Romagna and Mantua.
  • Aging. Grana must age for at least 8 months. Parmigiano has a minimum aging of 12 months.
  • Animal’s diet. The consortium of Parmigiano Reggiano has stricter regulations about the cows’ diet.
  • Texture. Grana Padano is less crumbly.
  • Flavor. Grana tends to be milder in flavor, mostly due to its shorter aging.

What is the difference between Grana Padano and Parmesan?

Grana Padano is a parmesan cheese. Parmesan cheese can be called Grana only if it complies with all the regulations from the Grana Padano consortium.

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