Author Topic: Cheese drying problem  (Read 2080 times)

bobbymac29649

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Cheese drying problem
« on: July 29, 2013, 01:28:17 PM »
I started my first Caerphilly last Sunday (7/21/13).  After getting it out of the press it was a little lopsided (Yes, the old balancing barbell weights on top of the follower!).  I trimmed a small bit off so it would be level.  I'm sure it would have tasted just fine had I left it alone but I'm too OCD to leave it like that. 
On Monday I put it in the brine for 24 hours.
Took it out on Tuesday afternoon.  It's been sitting on a cheese mat since and it's nice and dry except for where I trimmed it.

I've been flipping during the day but there's been no change to this one area.
You can see on the right side where it is a bit darker.  This area was not trimmed.  The entire cheese has darkened a bit since drying except the one trimmed spot.
Do I just let it sit or is there something I should do?
UPDATE (7/28/13):  It's now been six days of drying and the one area is still not dry.  (See picture #2).
Do I just continue to let it sit out at room temp (72), wax it, rub it with coconut oil, rub some salt on it,put it in the cave, what?
Thanks!

MrsKK

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Re: Cheese drying problem
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2013, 07:38:13 PM »
If this were my cheese, I'd put it in a ripening box in the cheese cave, after rubbing some butter or lard into the cut surface.  This is one of those cases where OCD steers us wrong - cutting the surface has left you with holes that will attract a big mold problem right down into the cheese.

Maybe someone else will have a better idea on what to do with this one.

Offline Tiarella

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Re: Cheese drying problem
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2013, 11:51:17 PM »
I don't know if it wou,d be the right thing to do but I think I'd put a shallow amount of brine in a pot and with something in there to hold the cheese up off the bottom of the pot I'd let that area have contact with the brine for a while to see if it would harden it up.  Then I'd probably do some layers of coconut oil after it dried. 

good luck and DO report back on this so we know if something worked.

bobbymac29649

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Re: Cheese drying problem
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2013, 12:00:14 AM »
Thanks for the replies.  I had unsalted butter and Crisco shortening in the pantry so I rubbed with the Crisco.  I was worried the unsalted butter might go rancid.  I guess I could have salted it....didn't think about that...duhhhh
Will keep you posted...

WovenMeadows

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Re: Cheese drying problem
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2013, 04:37:54 PM »
Where you didn't cut, the harder, drier hard formed through the salting action of the brine, drying moisture out of the cheese. I think the thing to do would have been to brine or salt the newly-exposed surface. Then proceed with some way of sealing the crevices and holes, like larding.

bobbymac29649

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Re: Cheese drying problem
« Reply #5 on: August 02, 2013, 07:53:09 PM »
It seems to be doing just fine.  I did rub it with salt and let it sit for another day.  Then per MrsKK I greased er up and put it in the cave i.e. 80 quart cooler with a gallon jug of frozen water.  Will keep you posted...
thanks again everyone..