Wiki: Oiling Rinds

Two 4 pound Gouda's at 30 days age with oiled rinds, one cleaned of mold, second with blue surface mold due to improper aging humidity.

This Wiki Article discusses oiling formed cheese rinds, normally during aging. Fresh fresh formed and unformed cheeses are not oiled. Formed cheeses during aging are commonly either natural rinds, vacuum bag sealed rinds, or waxed rinds. Historically waxing was empoyed after aging to reduce damage during shipping (ie Dutch Gouda & Edam). Vacuum bag sealing is a modern invention.

The primary advantage to natural rinds is that the rind enables the cheese to breath during aging, which is good. However there are two disadvantages depending on the cheese type, dehydration which if high results in a very dry hard cheese, and if rapid can result in surface stress cracks from uneven shrinking, and unwanted surface molds.

Oiling surfaces of cheeses during aging can aid as barrier to excessive dehydration. To manage unwanted surface molds during aging, three methods are used, i) developing a low moisture content rind (normally done during pressing, and augmented by dry salting or brining rinds and air drying), ii) having a high salinity rind (normally from initial and in some cheese types repeated dry salting rinds, and by brining cheeses (ie Gouda & Edam)), and iii) by oiling rinds. Different oil types and their pros and cons for rinds are discussed in the Wiki: Oil Types article.

Oiling Goals

Two 4 pound Gouda's at 30 days age with oiled rinds, one cleaned of mold, second with blue surface mold due to improper aging humidity.
Two 4 pound Gouda's at 30 days age with oiled rinds, one cleaned of mold, second with blue surface mold due to improper aging humidity.

Oiling rinds is a very popular rind development method due to its simplicity and minimal equipment. The goal of oiling is over several coatings to create a firm sturdy protective layer or seal through the long cheese aging phase such that i) unwanted surface microorganisms are kept at bay and ii) it is easier to control the moisture content of the cheese from dehydration.

Note:

  • Using this method on small cheeses this will result in less pate to rind ratio. Once you build a hard rind it’s like a bowling ball, nothing bothers it, and it can be aged for years, albeit with periodic oilings.
  • In general, moist lightly pressed washed curd type cheeses such as Gouda and Edam should not be oiled but instead waxed or vacuum sealed. This is because these types of cheeses have a high pH early in the aging process and a lot of food on their surface and thus have a high potential for yeast to grow.

Application Method

Common application methods are:

  • Dip a wad of cloth or disposable paper towel in the oil, dab it on the rind, then wipe the excess off.
  • Pour a little oil on cheese and then use hands to spread thoroughly all over cheese, wipe off any excess.

Application Amount

Oil should be applied very lightly to the rind so that it quickly soaks into and conditions the outer layer of the rind. Excess oil should be polished off as over applying oil will create a slick on the cheese and with time can produce a rancid flavor.

Application Frequency

Several oils used on rinds to protect against moisture loss and against unwanted surface micro-organisms.
Several oils used on rinds to protect against moisture loss and against unwanted surface micro-organisms.

After pressing and air drying, cheeses should initially be aged for 7-10 days with a natural rind to enable the cheese to dry and mature and for the rind to toughen before oiling to seal the rind. Oiling too early with cheese still moist can result in yeast injections.

Oil should be applied repeatedly, initially about every week until it forms a skin and then monthly for long-term aging.

In between oilings, the cheese should be rubbed with dry salt to aid in obtaining an impervious barrier.

Wiki: Dry Salting Curds

Four 10 cm diameter Camemberts after dry salting.

This article discusses the five main factors that control the dry salting of curds method of salting cheese, curd size and temperature, and salt type, amount, and application method. Many cheese making recipes or procedures call for dry salting cut curds after cooking or washing and draining whey and before forming the cheese by placing the cut curds in molds to drain or in hoops for pressing.

US Made Morton Brand Non-Iodized Canning & Pickling Salt
US Made Morton Brand Non-Iodized Canning & Pickling Salt

As reviewed in the Wiki: Salt’s Function article the salt % content in the type of cheese being made is critical, thus it is important to understand the factors that control dry salting curds.

For salt to be absorbed by the curd it must first dissolve and form a brine at the cut curd surface after which it then diffuses into the curd.

Curd Size

Ideally you want all the curd pieces, whether cut or milled, to have the same size so that the same amount of salt is absorbed and the same amount of whey expelled, resulting in a uniform cheese.

Large curd pieces are of special concern as they will result in high moisture and low salt content which can result in sour and fermented defects.

Curd Temperature

Curd temperature during direct dry salting should be between 87-92°F/31-33°C.

Higher temperatures result in a higher flush of whey which will:

  1. Carry away salt before it can be absorbed resulting in the cheese having sub-optimal salt % content.
  2. Carry away excess fat resulting in a greasy/seamy texture.

Temperatures below this range can result in a limited flush of whey and thus a limited brine forming around the curd pieces resulting in lower, sub-optimal uptake of salt.

Salt Type

US made Morton brand 25 pound bag of non-iodized Table Salt with anticaking sodium silicoaluminate
US made Morton brand 25 pound bag of non-iodized Table Salt with anticaking sodium silicoaluminate

Salt types are discussed in the article Salt Type’s, A To Z. For dry salting curds, standard dry crystalline non-iodized no anticaking additive sodium chloride salt is used.

It should be coarse granular sized (not rock or kosher grain size salt) rather than very fine to slow down the speed of dissolving into brine and absorption into the curds. As with high temperatures, fine gained salt can result in a rapid flush of whey and fat which can wash away other salt before being absorbed resulting in incorrect salt % content of the cheese type being made.

Salt Amount

As reviewed in the Salt’s Function, A to Z article, final salt content of the cheese type being made is critical. Thus follow the cheese making procedure accurately on amount/weight of salt being applied versus weight of final cheese(s).

Salt Application Method

Generally, rather than in one large application, dry salt should be sprinkled onto cut or milled curds in several equal increments with gentle stirring or mixing in between. This is for the same reason as correct temperatures and coarse grained salt are optimal, to slow down the rate of salt absorption into the curds.

The gentle stirring or mixing helps to distribute the salty whey fully around the curd pieces rather than just where the salt is applied. Note, excessive or rough stirring is not recommended as it will result in smaller pieces of curds and a larger unwanted size distribution of the curds.

Two to three such increments spaced ~10 minutes apart are common. After the last salting, the curds should be allowed to rest for ~10 minutes to stabilize before proceeding to the next step in the cheese making procedure, normally forming the cheese.