Washing Cheese Rinds - Methods?

[george13]

I have never made a cheese which requires washing, so in reading the posts on Reblochon, this is a must.  My question may sound kind of dumb, but when washing, do you rub with a cloth, use your hand or just dunk into a brine solution?  and once this is done, do you let the cheese sit out for a while to air dry before returning to cave?

[iratherfly]

Here are my tips.  Anyone else want to share?

• You can use a cheesecloth or a brush (not too hard), it all depends on the rind texture you are creating. This takes some practice to get the texture you want. the rubbing and a little bit abrasiveness of the rind "forces it" to heal itself and build a stronger layer of rind on top again and again and again.  You can also rub coarse cheese salt or kosher salt into it to help it "scratch and heal" as needed. Over salting may kill any active geo so don't over do it.
• Washed rind cheese does need to breathe (I put a hose from an aquarium air pump into the aging container so air constantly circulates but in a very faint manner).
• You want the rind to be moist and sticky the entire time so don't let it air dry through the wash period. Keep in very high humidity
• The wash regiment will begin at high frequency, every couple of days, then progressively become less frequent -once every 3 days, once a week, etc.
• Stop washing when the color is close to what you want but still not there. The cheese will continue to age and the color will intensify on its own
• When done washing, move the aging container with the cheese to the refrigerator for 24 hours. The cheese needs to cool down and dry slightly to prevent condensation when wrapping it for storage and refrigerated stage of the aging
• Your brine solution is 3%-6% salt and would usually have some rind culture in it (PLA or ARN for Reblochon). Always make the salt brine first and add the culture next. (In other words, never add the salt after the cultures, you will kill the cultures). Let it stand in room temperature for the first 12-24 hours to inoculate. Refrigerate it thereafter. Should be good for a couple of weeks but lose its strength later or be more susceptible to contamination the longer you keep it
• Don't dip your cloth or brush directly in the brine bottle as you will carry contamination back into the bottle. Always pour your required solution into an intermediate bowl and work from that bowl.  I personally use a spray bottle to spray the cheese heavily, then brush it with a soft mushroom cleaning brush or pre-boild cheesecloth (soak with filtered water and put for 60 seconds in the microwave)
• Never put the cheesecloth in laundry or wash with bleach or chlorinated water. Chlorine traces may kill the rind culture

[george13]

Thanks for the very detailed procedure on rind washing, as always I appreciate your expertise on so many diverse levels. 

[iratherfly]

I wouldn't call it expertise, it's more like cheese hacking 

Are you producing anything now on commercial basis?

I just made a couple of changes to clarify a couple of these point. Also in #7 I wrote MVA culture and I meant ARN so I corrected it

[george13]

Not quite yet, I am still working on the construction aspect and experimenting whenever I can.  I am hoping that by next spring/summer there may be some progress.  Once the ground freezes up here, you try to keep warm inside.  Thanks again.

[iratherfly]

Hey, that's how Emmental got its big holes int he first place! It was made in the alps in the fall and a month later when everything was turning frozen it was brought indoor to chalets that were kept warm with a wood burning hearth!