Newbie question about bandaging

[megdcl]

Hi all! I have a little 1 lb. colby brick that I'm experimenting with and want to bandage with ghee. My question is, should I wipe it down with either an oil or a salt/vinegar solution before bandaging? Sorry if this is a redundant question, but I've done quite a bit of searching the archives and couldn't find the answer. I get the impression that some do, some don't, but I'd love to hear from experience what works best and why, and any other tips about bandaging I can get. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

[linuxboy]

If you have good cleanliness, you don't need to. If you're paranoid or there are molds in the environment, then you could. It's up to you.

Not oil, that's not necessary. You only need it as a precaution, if you want to take it.

[megdcl]

Would coating it with oil before bandaging keep the mold from growing through the bandage onto the cheese?

Thanks for your help!

[linuxboy]

No, oil is used to keep the rind pliable and manage moisture loss.

[MrsKK]

I only rub down with salt if there is some mold on the rind before bandaging.  You do want to make sure that the rind is dry to the touch before you bandage.

[megdcl]

Alright, thanks again. Regarding oiling, though, should I oil mine because it's so small? It's been air drying for about 24 hours now, and it seems to be getting pretty dry (I've been waiting for the ends to dry completely before bandaging). I just don't want the rind to dry out so much because then the yield will be so minimal.. but would oiling it keep the rind from getting too hard and going to waste? Are there any problems when you oil it before bandaging?

[megdcl]

Last night I went ahead and bandaged my cute little guy with ghee (without coating the cheese with oil or vinegar). I only used one layer of muslin, but it was a pretty thick weave so it should be okay. I rubbed ghee around the colby before bandaging, and then another layer over the bandages.. I didn't warm up the ghee, so it went on pretty thick. Looks pretty now, but I'm mentally preparing myself for the mold that's sure to take over . We'll see how it goes!

[MrsKK]

I used lard when I bandaged cheeses and I coated the outside of the muslin with lard, too.