Pecorino Romano makes an important contribution to Italy's reputation for excellence in the art of cheese-making. It is a cooked, hard cheese made from the fresh whole milk of sheep that are exclusively reared on farms located within the production area. The milk used for this cheese may be inoculated with natural cultures of indigenous milk enzymes taken from the same geographical area and coagulated with lamb rennet paste, also obtained from locally-reared animals.
The cheese wheel is cylindrical with flat sides; the surface diameter ranges from 25cm to 35cm and its sides are from 25cm to 40cm high. It normally weighs between 20kg and 35kg.

The rind is thin and it has a light ivory or natural straw colour; it is sometimes covered with a special black or neutral-shade protective coating or, alternatively, its natural rind.

It is compact in texture with a scattering of small holes and its colour variable, from white to straw-yellow shades with varying degrees of intensity depending on the production techniques.

As a table cheese, Pecorino Romano is aromatic, slightly spicy and savoury, while the grating cheese variety is spicy, intense and fragrant.
The minimum maturation period for Pecorino Romano table cheese is five months and is eight months for the grating cheese variety.

The product is sold bearing the specific "Denomination of Origin" label: a logo consisting of a diamond-shape with rounded corners and a stylised sheep head above the name "Pecorino Romano".
The P.D.O. mark is imprinted along the sides of the cheese wheel, together with the words "Pecorino Romano". Consumers will also find a rectangular stamp confirming the province of origin, the dairy code, the month and year of production as well as details concerning the relevant Denomination of Origin regulation.