Author Topic: Parmesan - Rind Oil Or Dry Salt Rub?  (Read 6057 times)

Offline Tiarella

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Parmesan - Rind Oil Or Dry Salt Rub?
« on: September 19, 2012, 01:12:18 AM »
It's about a month old and wasn't in it's own box in the wine fridge.  It has a bit of orange B. Linens and some smaller splotches of blue.  I scrubbed it down with salt and cheesecloth and I'm not sure what else to do.  Should I oil this Parm?  Or get some wax and wax it?  or keep scrubbing it Dow with salt?  I'll try to get a box it'll fit in soon.  I also did make up a solution of vodka, water and essential oils that normally are used to get rid of fungus/ molds but it was not a strong solution so I'm not sure what it'll do.....   Advice?

Offline Tiarella

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Re: Parmesan - Rind Oil Or Dry Salt Rub?
« Reply #1 on: September 19, 2012, 02:23:50 AM »
Got our power back so I can post a photo of the parm in question.

Offline dbudge55

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Re: Parmesan - Rind Oil Or Dry Salt Rub?
« Reply #2 on: September 19, 2012, 02:27:20 AM »
I had a similar problem with a Manchego I made. I scrubbed it with vinegar and salt as an abrasive and it cleaned up just fine. Then I made sure that the cave was clean by scrubbing it with a light bleach solution. Cheese turned out fine. 
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Shazah

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Re: Parmesan - Rind Oil Or Dry Salt Rub?
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2012, 05:06:34 AM »
Hi Tiarella

I have a six month old Parmesan in my cave and I've given it two very light olive oil rubs.  My recipe says " Rub with olive oil after two months to stop it drying out"  which I did, but I also read here that someone had olive oil go rancid on their cheese.  I decided my best bet was to smear only a few drops onto my hands and lightly rub onto the cheese.  It seems to be working well as it's developed a lovely looking rind, no stray molds and it smells delicious.

Good luck with yours. :P

I've got a luscious smell on my hands just from holding it for this pic.

Tomer1

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Re: Parmesan - Rind Oil Or Dry Salt Rub?
« Reply #4 on: September 19, 2012, 10:45:02 AM »
You can use vegetable oil than rather then olive oil.

bbracken677

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Re: Parmesan - Rind Oil Or Dry Salt Rub?
« Reply #5 on: September 19, 2012, 11:24:54 AM »
I wouldn't think olive oil would go rancid at cooler than room temps. By room temps I mean like 70F (21C) and up.

BobE102330

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Re: Parmesan - Rind Oil Or Dry Salt Rub?
« Reply #6 on: September 19, 2012, 01:21:28 PM »
I think it is a matter of how much oil you use.  As Shazah said, lightly oiling is the key.  I did a heavy oil on a manchengo that ended up growing more weird molds than it did before the oil.  A light oiling (including wiping off any visible surface oil when done) of my montasios and they are in great shape.   Since the montasios share a space with Stilton, I still have to brush back the blue mold pretty regularly.  I don't have loads of experience, so take what I say with some salt.

Actually, some salt and a brush would probably do your cheese wonders.  Brush the molds off (maybe using coarse salt as an abrasive), lightly wash with brine, dry and oil lightly would be my way of handling that.

mnmaxg

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Re: Parmesan - Rind Oil Or Dry Salt Rub?
« Reply #7 on: September 19, 2012, 06:34:24 PM »
Somewhat related; would different oils play any factor in the cheese's development or prevention of unwanted molds? Or is it just a matter of using whatever's affordable/on hand?

FRANCOIS

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Re: Parmesan - Rind Oil Or Dry Salt Rub?
« Reply #8 on: September 24, 2012, 03:36:04 AM »
Parm should be rubbed done periodically with coarse dry salt.  If you use oil on the rind it inhibits moisture loss and gas exchange.  I have oiled parms in the past and I always though the texture and flavour suffered for it.  Any traditional parm, or alpine hard grana, operation I've seen have all been salt rub only.

Offline Tiarella

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Re: Parmesan - Rind Oil Or Dry Salt Rub?
« Reply #9 on: September 26, 2012, 11:52:53 AM »
Parm should be rubbed done periodically with coarse dry salt.  If you use oil on the rind it inhibits moisture loss and gas exchange.  I have oiled parms in the past and I always though the texture and flavour suffered for it.  Any traditional parm, or alpine hard grana, operation I've seen have all been salt rub only.

Thank you so much for posting!  I read your posts on the forum and am amazed at the breadth and depth of knowledge that you and a few other amazing cheesemakers possess.  I feel blessed to be able to learn from you all.  So I'll go back to salt rubs.  I need to find some coarse salt and I'm not sure how roughly to rub it.  Do I need to be concerned about the coarse salt gouging the rind?  Or is it a more circular friendly/light rub?

Thanks!

FRANCOIS

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Re: Parmesan - Rind Oil Or Dry Salt Rub?
« Reply #10 on: September 28, 2012, 02:52:54 AM »
After a few light rubs the rind is almost impermiable.  You can scrub as hard as you want and it won't damage the cheese.

Offline Tiarella

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Re: Parmesan - Rind Oil Or Dry Salt Rub?
« Reply #11 on: September 28, 2012, 04:16:59 AM »
Is it okay that my parm feels very solid?  It's not a very tall cheese.....don't know if I have a photo....going to check now.......oh, found one.  This will give you a sense of it's proportions.  It feels very dense.  Will likely be a hard grating cheese perhaps?  I'm hoping it does well.  I did make it with whole goat milk........