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GENERAL CHEESE MAKING BOARDS (Specific Cheese Making in Boards above) => STANDARD METHODS - Aging Cheese => Topic started by: Digdagdug on October 15, 2013, 04:12:59 AM
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I've only waxed 2 cheeses; a Caerphilly and a Cheddar. They are aging in a "natural" cave with several natural rinded cheeses. I have a vigorous ambient mould environment. I waxed to see how the would compare to the natural rinded versions but now I have small but numerous sub-wax issues.
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If your cheese is mold free and dry to start and if your wax is hard enough to kill mold spores when you dip it you're supposed to be home free but this issue is why I have never waxed. I use layers of coconut oil and it works great for me. others swear by using member Alp's traditional Swiss method of creating a hard coating by forming a schmier on the rind in the beginning. I haven't mastered that yet. ???
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If you're worried about mold growing underneath the wax, next time apply a few layers of cream wax with mold inhibitors (natamycin). Cream wax is somewhat porous, so moisture will come out slowly. You can then wax over the cream after a few days.
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Alternatively you can brine them a little bit longer in saturated brine and the rind will protect itself a bit better.
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I always cream coat and then wax my cheeses.
I routinely get mold growing between the coating and the wax , but it never touches the cheese.
I think it's more of a problem when using paraffin , it's harder than proper cheese wax and tends to pull away from the cheese in spots when it ages , then you have an air space that is just great for growing mold , that's been my experience anyway.