Rind, wrapping and aging

[Vina]

Was not sure where to post my question, hope here it won't be an offtopic.

Some cheesemakers wax their cheeses, some do not if the recipe doesn't call for special treatment.
What is the best way?

Tha next question is about aging the cheese if its vacuumsealed.
Did I get right you can age your cheese vacuumsealed? How it goes vs waxing or aging 'naked'?

And last one (for now )  - when I put my Caerphilly in the fridge, it got covered with some NOID mold and developed unpleasant smell.

Thank you in advance!
 

[DeejayDebi]

Some cheesemakers wax their cheeses, some do not if the recipe doesn't call for special treatment.
What is the best way?

First off inspite of what you may have heard - you will find there is no ONE right way to make cheese. There are many ways of doiing a thing. SOme people ike waxing, it kind of looks cool and more what we are used to. I personally HATE waxing. I always make a mess, crack the wax in stroage. Just hate it! I am a Vacuum sealer person. I vacuum seal almost all of my hard cheeses and some stay sealed for upwards of 5 years or more. I think my oldest is a parm that is 7 years old now, but just a wedge left.

Tha next question is about aging the cheese if its vacuumsealed.
Did I get right you can age your cheese vacuumsealed? How it goes vs waxing or aging 'naked'?

For me the biggest isse as I mentioned is the mess. Also the bags are clear I can see what's inside, if you see things
like mold, whey, a crack etc you can deal with it immediately. The cheeses age fine in vacbags

And last one (for now )  - when I put my Caerphilly in the fridge, it got covered with some NOID mold and developed unpleasant smell.

Some cheeses the mold types need fresh air once in a while or they will develop awful smells. Try giving it a breath of fresh air. Sorry to be short I have to run!

[Vina]

Thanks a lot for your reply.
I feel I'm going to be a vacuum sealer person too

But how about humidity in the cave if the cheese is sealed? Does it make any difference than?

[DeejayDebi]

Ah another plus for vacpacking! You don't even have to worry about humidity just temperature!

[Vina]

Ah another plus for vacpacking! You don't even have to worry about humidity just temperature!

Yesssss!!!!!!! the best news ever!   thanks a lot!
Does this mean that after aging, I simply place the cheese in the refrigerator?

[Corina]

After vacuuming what is the temperature needed? Can I keep it in the cellar, at 12C?
What if after the few weeks needed, I oil the rind and place the cheese in the cave without vacuuming or other thing? Will it dry too much?

[Boofer]

Does this mean that after aging, I simply place the cheese in the refrigerator?

After a cheese is properly aged, it should most likely be moved to colder storage as in your regular refrigerator. I do that because I need to free up space in my two caves for new cheeses to age. The caves run around 48- 54F (9-12C) whereas the regular fridge maintains around 36-42F (2-5C). The caves allow a higher temperature and humidity for the cheese to age properly.

The cheese should be wrapped in cheese paper, sealed in wax, or vacuum-sealed if going into the fridge because the lower humidity and other foods may degrade its quality.

After vacuuming what is the temperature needed? Can I keep it in the cellar, at 12C?
What if after the few weeks needed, I oil the rind and place the cheese in the cave without vacuuming or other thing? Will it dry too much?

Yes, after vacuum-sealing the cheese is fine in the cellar (cave?) at the temps I referenced above. If your humidity is up in your cave, the oiled cheese should be fine. I've had no problem using that technique. Watch for cracking from too low humidity though.

Don't forget to turn your vacuum-sealed cheeses periodically.

-Boofer-

[Corina]

Thank you, my cave has high humidity, being a stone cave, deep into the ground.

[DeejayDebi]

Corina you may have the best cave of all of us! I would in your shoes at least try a natural rind on my cheeses. If they seem to be to dry or to mold then ready them for a vacbag - but I would definaltely try the open natural rind and see what you get first.

[Corina]

Thank you, I will do that. Today I have in plan to  make something, I do not know what yet, but I have 10l of fresh milk coming. This will be a cheese for the cave.

[Boofer]

Thank you, my cave has high humidity, being a stone cave, deep into the ground.

You are one lucky cheesemaker. One of a very few with a real cave. Most of the rest of us have to try to simulate what a cave would be like using a refrigerator. Do you have any pictures of your cave?

I would agree with Debi wholeheartedly...make cheeses with natural rind if you can. Do you have any history of your cave? Was it used for cheesemaking in the past? The reason I ask is to find out if there is naturally-occurring flora in the cave.

-Boofer-

[Corina]

I will make some photos tomorow.
My cave is a  young one unfortunatelly, we build it 12 years ago, to keep canned goods as I love to can everyting and to make pickles.
It is large, made of stone, and only the floor is made of cement. We are near a river and we are permitted to take stone from the river .

[DeejayDebi]

Nice! Is the river drinkable too?

[Corina]

No- I do not think so.

[DeejayDebi]

Aw to bad sounded perfect! but a REAL cave now that is something!