Bandage Wrapping Formed Cheese - Vs Waxing

[girlsrockmovie]

Anyone experimented with aging in wax vs a lard/shortening bandage? I read a comment somewhere else that waxing was a debilitating way to age cheese because it cut off so much of the gas exchange or something like that. Said bandaging would bring a bunch more flavor. Was curious as I'm getting to the end of my air dry period and was trying to decide which way to go. Also wondering if it matters what kind of cheese when making this choice. I think the commenter was talking about cheddar being bandaged, but not sure. I have a manchego and gouda that I'd be aging (farmhouse cheddar already in wax).

[wharris]

I have similar questions and am watching this thread.

[blackthorn]

All I can say is that when I wax the cheese is white, moist and crumbly and tastes okay-when I bandage I get a firm, supple, yellow cheese that tastes outstanding. From the same batch. I use ghee to glue the bandage and I press it into the rind. Mind you I once had a cloth bound one dry completely out-so no expert!
Nessa

[girlsrockmovie]

Well, that sounds pretty definitive Blackthorn! What kind of cheese were you bandaging? I like the twist of using ghee...

[blackthorn]

It was (surprise, surprise!) a cheddar. I made one before that dried out which was a stirred cheddar, I think it was too small (500g) and dried out, the other was 1 1/2 kgs and aged beautifully-I just peeled the mouldy bandage away at the end of ageing and had a beautiful tasty cheese with less than a 1mm of rind! Then life intervened and I didn't make cheese again for 6 months (when I cracked open the cheddar and wished I hadn‘t stopped!)........I hope I can replicate my success! Have you checked out Ricki Carrols website? It has a cloth binding demo in the cheddar recipe. The ghee worked fabulously
Nessa

[girlsrockmovie]

Great, thanks...

I have looked at her site and I have her book too. Sometimes, however, I find her instructions frustratingly vague and even a little inconsistent between website/book/kit. I got her cheesemaking kit for a wedding present, and the recipes in there are actually quite different than her book. I wasn't sure which way to go, but decided the book was probably more authoritative.

The book is very helpful, it just leaves some big gaps...maybe because of the way it's organized, with equipment and ingredients listed separately, and then recipes that give vague outlines that seem somewhat different than what's said in the preceding chapters. It seems like cheese is pretty precision based, and I would love to just have a clearer step by step with options at each step. The bandaging is a perfect example. At the beginning she says to try bandaging cheddar cheese, and describes how. But none of the cheddar recipes mention bandaging, they all say wax. Are there some that are better waxed?

Anyway, not meant to be a Rikki Carroll rant, after all she got me launched into this. I'm just glad this forum exists!

I wonder if manchego/gouda can be waxed, or if it's just cheddar...I might try it.

[wharris]

My Gouda gets waxed.  and I know Carter has a book that says you can wax Parmesan...

[chilipepper]

My Gouda's are waxed as well and I think traditionally are waxed.  I think that Carter's 'book' is maybe referring to the fact that if you are having difficulties controlling the environments during aging hard cheeses, you can wax them.  It may deter from the style a bit but better to have a good cheese that has wax on it versus a cheese that is destroyed by either too low of humidity or improper aging conditions. 

As for the "Rikki book" I've found it to be very inconsistent as well.  They are good starting point in there and starting recipes - however they beg to ask a lot of questions.  Which like you said is why most of us probably are here... 

Ryan

[girlsrockmovie]

Are you guys that are waxing your goudas (why does that sound obscene?) making aged goudas? Like the delicious Rembrandt mentioned in another thread? It's so much harder and flakier than a regular gouda, I wondered if it gets that way while waxed...I guess maybe it's just the amount of time left in there. Anyone have a set amount of months before your gouda is considered "aged" in that manner? I think with the manchego I'll stick with olive oil...

[wharris]

Those gouda's like Beemster and Rembrant are older goudas that go natural.
My gouda is freshly waxed, but I'm I've been told it tastes great.


(btw. I'm not sure why you thought your previous was obscene)

[Rich]

Hey, I'm brand new here but I thought I'd pipe in with a wee bit of info based on my limited bandaging experience.  The one thing that was not addressed much above was the drying effect of a bandaged cheese.  Over time, bandaged cheese will dry out; so its necessary to apply fresh coats of whatever you used, lard, shortening or whatever your imagination has conjured up.  Probably about monthly would be good.  In this way, you can age for quite extended periods without suffering loss of quality.

[wharris]

do you lard over any growing mold?

[Rich]

You'd have to since you don't want to rewrap the cheese.  I'd think that if it was getting really fuzzy you might want to do some gentle scraping first.

[wharris]

what a mess.  How much do you put on?

[davedoris]

This is a good discussion. I am working on batch #6 of Gouda now-moved from one pound horn to 4 lb wheel. My question is-where does the vacuum wrap fit in? I tried wax and seemed to have problems covering, the wax was not sticking and weeping. Was this due to not dry enough? Maybe not enough rind?

I may be nuts, but thought I would try a batch of Manchego tonight. Never had any, but sounds good.

Dave