Surface Stress Cracks - From Mishandling

[Jessica_H]

At 3:00am I grabbed the top of my new 3lb Romano too tightly and created 2 cracks in the side when I was moving it from the press to the brine. 

They are just from the weight of the cheese...one is about an inch and the other is an inch and a half.

I continued to brine it (and it's brining now).  I wasn't sure if this would inhibit the cracks from healing later?  But I thought too it might inhibit mold growth in the cracks.

To help it possibly heal...should I put a little weight on it?  The cracks disappear if you press on the cheese lightly...  Or keep it in a higher humidity than I normally would for drying?  Or just let it run it's course as is?

Thanks!

[Sailor Con Queso]

Try using a hot butter knife to smooth out the cracks.

[Jessica_H]

Thanks. My partner took the cheese out of the bribe fur me and the cracks are worse

He put the cheese back in the press under 40lbs at room temp. I'll be home in about 5 hours and try the hot knife.

[Tomer1]

Perhaps jam some lard in to close it up if pressing doesnt help?

[Scarlet Runner]

I had good luck with a crack/hole by packing the hole with salt grains (dry), applying a moist "salt patch" (damp paper towel bit that was dampened with brine) to the hole, and then continuing to dry it for 2-3 more days at higher humidity (about 85%- created by turning an upside down colander over the drying board and storing the whole thing in a hall closet w/ door shut).  Every morning and evening when I flipped the cheese, I'd make sure the patch was still damp, and occasionally (maybe once a day or less) take a butter knife and smooth down the hole/crack to encourage the surfaces to knit. 

[Jessica_H]

Thanks for the suggestions!  The cracks healed with more pressing...now to see if they'll stay that way during drying...  And to figure out the effects of pressing so much!

[Cheese Head]

Late reply, I also had the same problem where pinch lifted my new pressed cheese out of brine and caused stress cracks.

Also see the Wiki: Turning Cheeses for how best to lift cheeses and avoid this problem and Wiki: Surface Defects, Cracks for a picture of this problem.