Author Topic: Rind questions  (Read 2869 times)

Offline scasnerkay

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Rind questions
« on: July 31, 2014, 05:18:53 PM »
It is interesting what will grow on a caerphilly rind when the humidity is 95%....  Okay that is higher than I intended. I have a new "cave" and some new ripening boxes, and I need to get used to how it all works. I had a hard time in the old set up with keeping things humid enough....  I thought at first that the gauge must have been not working right. But I think it is accurate.
After cleaning with salt and vinegar, I adjusted the boxes and am aiming for about 80%. It is a shame that my camera is not working so I cannot load a picture of the "fur" and the pretty colors on the rind! they smelled almost yeasty...
At any rate, when one wants a cleanish rind, and such interesting things are growing, is salt (abrasive!) and vinegar the right answer?
Susan

JeffHamm

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Re: Rind questions
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2014, 06:28:09 PM »
Hi Susan,

I know people recommend salt and vinegar, but personally, I find a strong salting will thicken the rind (not the growth, but the hard cheese rind bit) and a weak salt solution will encourage b.linens!  When my hard cheeses get fuzzy I just brush the mould off with a nail brush.  It will grow back, and you just keep brushing it off.  Eventually, all the food that the moulds need gets used up and the surface just looks wonderfully rustic.  The inner paste will benefit from action the moulds cause, but as long as your rind is smooth with no cracks, the mould won't penetrate into the cheese.  When you cut into it, you'll find it is a very thin layer (which you cut off, wild rinds are not tasty in a good way despite providing nice flavour).

- Jeff

Offline scasnerkay

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Re: Rind questions
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2014, 07:03:08 PM »
Thanks Jeff. Do you sterilize the nail brush between cheeses? I have not yet done a natural rind cheese because they wanted to  crack in the former cave which was way too dry. So brush and then light brine rub, or just brush? Some of that stuff on there looked kind of scary!
Susan

JeffHamm

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Re: Rind questions
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2014, 08:39:51 PM »
I wash the nail brush off in the sink afterwards, but don't do anything to sterilize it, just make sure it doesn't have chunks in it!  And I just brush the mould off.  Very early after the make, as in the day out of the mould, I might give it a good salt rub to try and prevent wild blue mould from taking off, but here in Auckland that's sort of a futile exercise sometimes.  Brushing has worked really well for me.  Remember, this doesn't stop the growth, it will grow back, but you just keep brushing it down and it develops the rind very nicely without looking too scary.

- Jeff

Offline sprocket

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Re: Rind questions
« Reply #4 on: September 09, 2014, 09:24:51 PM »
Hi Susan,

I know people recommend salt and vinegar, but personally, I find a strong salting will thicken the rind (not the growth, but the hard cheese rind bit) and a weak salt solution will encourage b.linens!  When my hard cheeses get fuzzy I just brush the mould off with a nail brush.  It will grow back, and you just keep brushing it off.  Eventually, all the food that the moulds need gets used up and the surface just looks wonderfully rustic.  The inner paste will benefit from action the moulds cause, but as long as your rind is smooth with no cracks, the mould won't penetrate into the cheese.  When you cut into it, you'll find it is a very thin layer (which you cut off, wild rinds are not tasty in a good way despite providing nice flavour).

- Jeff

I'm actually glad to hear you comment on how wild rinds are not tasty - we've been experimenting with our first batch of natural rinds and I was worried that the dirt-like-flavour was something I'd done wrong!  :D  (The inner bits on the other hand, are very nice!)

Offline Boofer

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Re: Rind questions
« Reply #5 on: September 10, 2014, 12:43:57 PM »
I wash the nail brush off in the sink afterwards, but don't do anything to sterilize it, just make sure it doesn't have chunks in it!
I'm sure that Jeff also means that this is a dedicated cheese brush. It is only used in the cheese making endeavor, not for cleaning the fingers, toes, or grout in the bathroom. :o

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JeffHamm

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Re: Rind questions
« Reply #6 on: September 10, 2014, 07:10:06 PM »
Hey Good Idea Boofer for a dedicated one! ;)

But yes, while washed rind cheeses might smell of feet, this isn't the way that is achieved.  Use a dedicated brush for your cheese.


Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: Rind questions
« Reply #7 on: September 30, 2014, 02:29:41 AM »
Oh so when you say 'this cheese smells like Gym Socks' ... I thougth that what you rubbed them with ...  :o.  Just Kidding...Though my wife did ask whether I still use the tooth brush in the caheese cave..... Ooooo
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