Author Topic: Waxed Rind - Mouse Chewed Through, Now What?  (Read 1991 times)

GlennK

  • Guest
Waxed Rind - Mouse Chewed Through, Now What?
« on: November 18, 2011, 05:59:43 PM »
Hi everybody!
CF newbie here.  I found a problem with my just made batch of farmhouse cheddar that I don't know what to do with.  I made 2 pounds of farmhouse cheddar 20 days ago.  Yesterday I moved it to the basement because it's cooler there.  Today I went to flip it and I see a mouse (or something) chewed a 1cm wide (and 1cm deep) hole in the side of it.  What should I do at this point?  DW thinks I should throw the whole thing out.  I was thinking I would take off the top 2 inches (the hole is in the edge), rewax and not keep it in the basement anymore.  Any suggestions?

linuxboy

  • Guest
Re: Waxed Rind - Mouse Chewed Through, Now What?
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2011, 06:06:41 PM »
cut off and around the eaten area, rewax. Why throw the whole thing out when a small piece is affected?

Tomer1

  • Guest
Re: Waxed Rind - Mouse Chewed Through, Now What?
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2011, 11:50:15 PM »
And the mouse will just come again and have another go.
You need to put it in some kind of box maybe where he cant reach it.

GlennK

  • Guest
Re: Waxed Rind - Mouse Chewed Through, Now What?
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2011, 12:21:17 AM »
I'm going to cut out the bite mark, rewax, and put in a larger plastic tote with a cover.  I think that should keep out the mouse.

GlennK

  • Guest
Re: Waxed Rind - Mouse Chewed Through, Now What?
« Reply #4 on: November 19, 2011, 01:12:59 AM »
No problems with the rewax.  The cheese is coming along well too!  The texture seems right and it tastes like I imagine a 3 week old cheddar should.

Leasa

  • Guest
Re: Waxed Rind - Mouse Chewed Through, Now What?
« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2011, 04:52:29 AM »
hi Glennk

I had the same thing happen to me.  The big bush rats we have up here got in to the house (shock Horror) and ate a big wedge out of my farmhouse cheddar when it was at the drying stage.

I wasn't on this forum then and not knowing what to do, i gave it to the chooks.  mine also had alot of scratch marks over the cheese.  Wasn't sure if (BAD) bacteria was now in the cheese and didn't want to chance it. :(  Sounds like it might of been ok. OH well the chickens were feasting for a while.

good luck with the cheese.  let us know how it all ends up! :D

Cheers Leasa