Author Topic: Green Blue Cheese Question  (Read 1473 times)

CheeWilly

  • Guest
Green Blue Cheese Question
« on: May 18, 2013, 01:43:16 PM »
My gorgonzola dolce went from a nice blue to a slight green in a few hours.  Is this normal?  The recipe that I used stopped at "Age cheese for 3 months" but I am almost certain that something will need to be done to the rind to get it back to a white color like all gorgonzola dolces that I am accustomed to seeing.  Any thoughts?  Here is some comparison photos.
Bluish

Greeneth

Bluish

Greeneth

bbracken677

  • Guest
Re: Green Blue Cheese Question
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2013, 02:07:19 PM »
I am pretty sure that is just the particular strain of blue. Some blues are more greenish than blue.

As far as rind treatment...cant help you there. I would just let it roll as is though. If you want a "rindless" blue according to Caldwell you should rub salt on the outside everyday for a few days.  Perhaps a saturated brine would also do the trick. Blues like salt, but not at extremes.  I take it from the Caldwell recipe that this type of rind treatment allows the interior to progress normally but prevents blue on the outside.  She also recommends piercing around day 10

jwalker

  • Guest
Re: Green Blue Cheese Question
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2013, 02:13:12 PM »
That is an incredible change in a short period !

Being an amateur myself , I'm not sure if that is normal , I have made four blue type cheeses now , and none have been quite that green.

They do tend to go from blue , to a little green , and eventually a mixture of blue/green/orange when ready to eat , at least mine all have.

It will be interesting to hear from some more experienced members.

Cheers , Jim.

CheeWilly

  • Guest
Re: Green Blue Cheese Question
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2013, 04:28:23 PM »
This thing will be a Stilton before long.  I will let it ride until further notice.  Maybe the cows had a little too much alfalfa in the diet  :-\

linuxboy

  • Guest
Re: Green Blue Cheese Question
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2013, 05:37:43 PM »
This is normal. Has to do with the blue strain. If you want a rindless blue, you have to salt the exterior

CheeWilly

  • Guest
Re: Green Blue Cheese Question
« Reply #5 on: May 19, 2013, 01:03:20 PM »
I did a little research on gorgonzola dolce and ran across this article that states that the cheese is washed 2-3 times during the aging process of 55 days. 
http://www.recipegirl.com/2010/05/26/visit-to-an-italian-gorgonzola-factory-recipes/
Does anyone have an idea of what type of wash to use keeping in mind that the cheese has holes pierced thru it.  Don't want to kill off the mold growing inside, just knock down some of the growth on the outside.

bbracken677

  • Guest
Re: Green Blue Cheese Question
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2013, 12:51:00 AM »
According to Caldwell, for a rindless cheese, dry salt the outside daily for a few days...you can use the salt as an abrasive to rub off the existing flora, and the application of salt daily over a few days consecutively will keep it from coming back.