Author Topic: Cut Gouda Early - Will It Age Further?  (Read 1233 times)

sadhvikaagrawal

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Cut Gouda Early - Will It Age Further?
« on: May 24, 2010, 05:10:40 PM »
Hi..

I tried a gouda at a cheese making workshop here. I made the gouda on 15th April 2010. I didnt let it air dry at all (no time - had to get back home) and I travelled overnight with the fresh cheese vaccum packed.

I brought it back home, salted it and turned it everyday (stored it in a double plastic box - one inside the other) in my regular refrigerator

I cut it open today (just 5 weeks) from then. It looked ok (comparing with other pictures) - it was light yellow, had some air holes and a rind that looks like the other pictures (my wheel shape got completely distorted because of the vacuum pack)

The cheese developed some soft light white mold that i cleaned with vinegar and salt 2 times through the aging. I did not wax it because we do not get cheese wax here where I live.

my cheese looked softer than in the pictures (in fact as soft as butter and creamy as well) it has a nice flavor but very mild. It was in fact runny (like molten cheese) right under the rind. the middle looked solid enough.

I have put it back in the refrigerator (Chennai in India is right now at 38 degrees celsius). Now that I have cut open the gouda, can I let it age some more?

Do you think its a goner? Has anybody ever used a 1 month old Gouda or should it have aged longer?