If you’re making hard cheeses like Cheddar or Gouda, chances are you either already waxing them, or have been looking into how to do so.

Cheese wax is a pliable, paraffin based wax that is usually coloured red, yellow or black. You can also get green and blue wax.

On a side note, ever wondered why there are different colours?

In the commercial cheese world each colour of wax signifies something about the cheese, whether it be maturity, type, added ingredients like herbs, or fat content.

Anyway, back on topic.

For some, when venturing into using cheese wax, there may be concerns about using paraffin based wax because of chemicals in the wax and how sustainable this type of wax is and you might be tempted to look at another option.

Beeswax is usually that option.

As we all know, beeswax is made naturally by bees. It is used for all sorts of applications and appreciated for it’s natural make up and sustainability.

Can You Use Beeswax For Cheese Wax?

Yes you can.

In fact it has been used for centuries to wax cheeses, although ‘modern’ waxes have become more popular these days.

Beeswax Vs Paraffin – Cheese Wax Ingredients

Beeswax, like most waxes, can become brittle when set and stored in cold conditions and may crack and pull away from the cheese. Paraffin based waxes have an extra ingredient added to avoid this issue. Some cheese makers and beeswax fans have suggested adding vegetable shortening, coconut oil or a small amount of mineral oil to the beeswax to assist with the pliability. Others believe it doesn’t need it and prefer to keep the beeswax pure and untainted by other ingredients.

Beeswax, like normal cheese wax, also needs to be applied with care.

Your cheese should be dry, and cold before you attempt to apply the wax.

And your wax should be hot, but not boiling. Beeswax melts at around 65º Celsius/150º Fahrenheit.

Like the paraffin based waxes you can dip your cheese into the wax half at a time, and then carefully rotate it to coat all of the surfaces, or you can paint your wax on. Just be sure to follow the precautions mentioned in our Waxing Your Cheese post. These still apply with beeswax obviously.

Beeswax isn’t necessarily cheaper than paraffin based cheese wax but the cost is usually weighed up against the positives of using a natural, renewable and sweet smelling product.

Also, you don’t use a large amount of wax to wax your cheeses and beeswax can be reused as long as you reheat it and strain it to remove any debris that may mold over time so you won’t need to buy kilos and kilos of the stuff.

If you’re lucky enough to access to a bee keeper or your own hives then it’s well worth giving it a try to see if you like the results.

Do you have any questions or comments about BeesWax for Cheese Wax? Join the discussion over at the Curd Nerd Forum. We would love to hear from you!

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While most home cheese makers find making cheese for their family and friends enough of a thrill, some cheese making hobbyists decide to take things to the next level, and start thinking about selling their cheeses at markets or, if possible, in local stores.

If you’ve ever thought about taking this next step, you’ll know that there are quite a few things to consider before you can branch out. There’s the purchasing of supplies, tools and equipment, planning how to increase production levels, extra costs and finding ways to market your cheeses.

And then there’s the regulatory matters.

Food safety is a pretty tightly controlled process in most countries, and it is becoming more and more difficult to just peddle your wares at the local farmers market. I know that in the country I live in, they are pushing through a new set of regulations that mean even a little old lady wanting to simply sell a few jars of jam at her grandchild’s school fundraiser, can end up in more trouble than she ever expected.

It’s got kind of ridiculous in my opinion, and artisan cheese certainly hasn’t escaped the red tape either.

In fact regulations for selling cheese have been around for a long time, and in some countries they are particularly rigid if you are using raw milk to make your cheese.

In a bid to ‘prevent dangerous bacteria being consumed and causing illness’ certain countries have specifications that raw milk must either go through a pasteurization process before being used for cheese making, or the final cheese product needs to be aged for a certain period of time before it can be sold as a ‘food safe’ product.

The key to avoiding any unnecessary fines or negative exposure once you are ready to sell your cheese, is to know what these periods are so that you can comply.

In New Zealand, Australia, the United States and Canada the required aging period is 60 days or more. Mind you, this period has been tabled for review multiple times in some of these countries, so it would be wise to check with your local authorities before you venture down the path of selling your cheese, to see if any changes have been made.

In many European countries the compulsory aging rules on raw cheeses are a lot looser, if not completely absent, due to long standing traditions of raw milk cheese production and consumption. There are some areas which enforce certain regulations, but no where near as stringent as the countries mentioned earlier. Again, if you want to sell your cheese, make sure you know which rules you need to adhere to, if any.

So, if you are considering selling your cheeses, take the time to inquire about the local food safety rules for your country. It’s not worth the risk of hoping things will be fine and finding out you’ve breached regulations, when most food safety agencies are more than happy to provide you with the information you need.

Do you have any questions or comments about selling cheese? Are you already selling your cheeses? Be sure to let us all know where we can find you.

There just might be other Curd-Nerds in your area who are keen to support you. Join the discussion over at the Curd Nerd Forum. We would love to hear from you!

Curd Nerd Forum

 

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There comes a time when most home cheese makers decide to move on from making fresh cheeses, to aged cheeses, but one thing that often holds them back is the seemingly difficult task of creating the right aging environment for their cheeses to mature in.

But a cheese ripening box really doesn’t have to be that hard, or too expensive.

From the emails I received, a number of Curd-Nerds agreed that using a wine fridge was one of the simplest and more effective solutions to set up, but I also received an equal number of responses from Curd Nerds who use an old refrigerator to store and age their precious cheeses.

In some cases these fridges were newer, fully functional fridges. In others, the fridges were older and weren’t required to actually work, being used turned off as a cheese ripening box, rather than a cooling mechanism, just like a large chilly-bin.

Curd Nerd Carmen Gray’s cheese aging environment was created in this manner.

She is using an old refrigerator, which is left unplugged and is instead cooled with 2.5 litre bottles, filled with water and frozen.

These frozen bottles also serve as a means of providing humidity, as they melt and produce condensation. Carmen turns her cheeses every day and, at the same time, replaces the frozen water bottles to keep the temperatures cool, and the humidity levels up.

Carmen uses separate containers to store each cheese, which is not only useful for protecting against cross contamination of molds, but also makes it possible to raise the humidity for each cheese, if necessary, with a lid and an increase in moisture in that one container.

Looking at the great progress Carmen’s cheeses seem to be making, this solution is obviously working well and is cheap, and easy to maintain.

The only problem cheese makers in warmer climates might have with this solution, is keeping the fridge cool enough without it being turned on. Keeping the fridge in a cool spot in a garage or basement would certainly help if this is a concern though.

And of course if you use a fridge that does still work perfectly well, you can save power in the cooler months by using it turned off, and then power it back up in the warmer months to keep things cooler. The best of both worlds.

Another Curd Nerd, Naor Walloch, takes a slightly different approach by using his fridge turned on, but for only a certain number of hours each day, to have a highly successful cheese ripening box.

He found that when the fridge was on all day, the temperatures were too low for his cheeses. By adding a cheap timer to the socket the fridge runs off, he now controls the power so that the fridge is on for 8 hours, and then off for 4 hours, on for 8 hours, off for 4 hours, and so on.

Naor also monitors his humidity levels with a combined thermometer and hygrometer, and as necessary, he raises the humidity levels by filling the drinks tray at the bottom of the fridge with water, and wicking it out with a hand towel draped in the water.

Naor has found this to be necessary when there are only a couple of cheeses in his fridge, but when he is closer to filling his ‘cave’ with cheese, the humidity levels self stabilize at 80-90%.

As you can see, neither Carmen nor Naor’s cheese aging solutions are overly complex, or laden with expensive and technical equipment. Which is why I particularly chose to share their cheese caves with you.

They really do demonstrate how simple and cheap creating a cheese cave can be, instead of scaring new home cheese makers away with set ups that are over engineered and cost prohibitive.

Thanks for your help Naor and Carmen : )

Related Cheese Cave Articles

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Do you have any questions or comments about creating cheese aging environments? Join the discussion over at the Curd Nerd Forum. We would love to hear from you!

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Then someone found a way to take the concept of those two items and invented a product which didn’t just cover your food in plastic, but it actually sucked out all the air first, creating a air-tight, vacuum sealed wrapper.

Welcome to the Vacuum Sealer!

The Vacuum sealer has enjoyed renewed popularity lately. With more and more people growing and preserving their own produce and the economy encouraging better food saving to prevent wastage.

But vacuum sealing has long been a recommended way for people to save store bought cheeses, re-sealing them to prevent that hard edge forming and the mold taking over.

But is vacuum packing suitable to age your cheese in as well?

There is much debate about this topic, not unlike the Raw vs Pasteurised milk conversation. Some cheese makers believe that a cheese ceases to age once vacuum sealed, and others believe it is a perfectly suitable product to use for aging and have no issue with the results they achieve.

The answer to this question, for yet another group of cheese makers, is a definite ‘no’ simply because it doesn’t ‘seem’ right. Vacuum sealing cheese for aging is certainly not a traditional method and you probably won’t find many artisan cheese makers using this method.

But with many commercial cheese companies now selling high end cheese, vacuum sealed right out of the press, vacuum sealing appears to be more readily accepted as a modern, safe and easy way to age and store cheese.

So why do some cheese makers prefer to use this new method, over the tradition methods?

Benefits of Vacuum Sealing Cheese – Compared To Waxing Cheese

• Quick
• Easy
• Cheaper
• Humidity in your fridge is no longer a concern
• Less fuss and mess
• No rind/mold washing
• Visibility of your cheese, throughout the aging process

Mooka Vacuum Sealer Review

Difference Between Vacuum Sealing Cheese And Waxing Cheese

On the face of it, it would seem that vacuum sealing and waxing are comparable. They both seal the cheese away from air and molds and prevent moisture loss.

But wax and vacuum bags have a totally different composition and being aware of how each will impact your cheese making will help you decide which to work with.

Cheese Wax

Cheese wax is breathable, allowing for the exchange of air and gases which is necessary to properly age a cheese.

Again, there has been debate about whether wax is indeed breathable but if you have ever waxed a cheese that had too much moisture left in it, you will know that it weeps and releases whey.

Plus, even with all your cheeses waxed, you will get a cheese smell in your cheese fridge which suggests there has to be air and gas exchange occurring.

Vacuum Sealing Bags

On the other hand a vacuum bag, by it’s very design, is totally impermeable so that it can hold it’s seal.

This means no air or gas gets in, or out. Commercial cheese makers have access to a different film which is more permeable but this is not commonly available to be used with home vacuum sealing machines.

But this isn’t to say that vacuum bags are right out of the question for aging.

Vacuum Sealed Cheese Results

What it will mean is that if you use vacuum sealed bags to store and age your cheeses, they will age differently than if they are waxed.

Because of the lack of gas and oxygen exchange you may find that the flavours develop differently in a vacuum sealed cheese. They tend to be a bit flat, and under-developed.

Also, without anywhere to go CO2 and ammonia will build up and can create quite a rancid smell, and a sour taste and the texture of the cheese might be different than expected too.

You will also notice that there will often be excess moisture held in the bag. This occurs because of the pressure exerted during the vacuum sealing pulling the whey out towards the surface of the cheese, which normally wouldn’t happen.

Sitting in this moisture can increase the rate of maturation of your cheese so you will want to track your aging periods more closely.

And on a totally cosmetic front, vacuum sealing may also crease or dent your cheese when pulled in and wrapped tight. Not a big deal for most though. Once it’s cut and ready to eat, it won’t matter a bit.

It’s Your Choice At The End Of The Day

If after reading this, you decide that you want to vacuum seal your cheeses, then a great compromise is to first age the cheese naturally for it’s minimum aging period (1-2 months depending on the cheese) and then vacuum seal it for further aging.

This will help to reduce the moisture in the cheese, and let some of the flavors develop more typically before being sealed up.

Also, it is recommended that you reduce your temperatures for vacuum sealed cheeses, particularly if you are going to leave them for longer, to slow down the increased maturation as mentioned above.

To conclude, vacuum sealing cheese won’t necessarily ruin your cheese, it might just change the end result a little but if you are more concerned about ease of handling, preservation and storage, give it a go.

Test to see whether it’s a method you like, or not. You’ll only truly know by trying : )

Do you have any questions or comments about the vacuum sealing preservation method? Join the discussion over at the Curd Nerd Forum. We would love to hear from you!

Curd Nerd Forum

But once it’s waxed and stored away for aging, how do you ever remember which cheese is which, when it was made and when it will be ready?

Obviously the answer is to label the cheese, but how?

Don’t worry cheese labels are extremely simple.

How To Label Waxed Cheeses

• Apply your first coat or two of wax.
• Next, prepare a label. I actually use a label maker to print plastic labels, which don’t smudge or fade, and other home cheese makers use adhesive labels which would work well too. But you are also just fine using plain paper labels because the next steps will protect your label.
• Be sure to put at least the type of cheese and the make date on the label. Some cheese makers also put a batch number on their cheese to help them identify not only when the cheese was made in reference to other cheeses but also to use to refer back to their cheese logs to see what milk, starters and rennets etc were used in that make. It can also be helpful to put an expected maturity date on your label so that you can quickly see when your cheese might be ready, but also to avoid any ‘intruders’ ; ) opening and eating your cheese before it’s fully ready.
• Apply your last coat of wax and as you put the wax onto the side of your cheese that you will label, press the label you have already made flat onto the wax while it is still warm and soft so it sticks.
• When you have finished applying your last coat of wax, paint another few light coats of wax OVER the label. This will seal it into the top layer of wax and prevent it from falling off or smudging

And just like that, your cheese is labeled!

Other Methods Of Cheese Labels

There are 2 other methods of labeling your waxed cheese – direct labeling and stamping.

If you want to do things much more quickly and simply you can simply write your details directly on the wax with a permanent marker BUT the downside to doing this is that you may not really want to re-use the wax after opening it. For me, this is a definite downside. I’m not sure I like the idea of ink in my wax and on my cheese : /

Alternatively, you could go the fancy, but more expensive route and purchase, or have made, a cheese stamp. I haven’t personally used one of these, or even investigated getting one as I am quite happy with my home made labels but if you ever get into selling your cheeses, this may be an option to brand and label your waxed cheeses.

Final Fun Tip

If you are giving any of your cheeses away as gifts, maybe later in the year for Christmas, consider making up festive gift labels to paint into the wax.

I made these Christmas ones a few years back and although they certainly weren’t works of art, or even tidily written, they helped remind me that these cheese were for gifts and not for us.

Do you have any questions or comments about cheese labels? Join the discussion over at the Curd Nerd Forum. We would love to hear from you!

Curd Nerd Forum

It’s not always true what they say, that age doesn’t matter.

For cheese, it most certainly does.

Aging cheese (also known as ripening or maturing) is an important part of developing the signature of the particular cheese you are making. It allows time for millions of microbes and enzymes to do their thing, breaking down the proteins and fats into a complex combination of acids that influences how texture, taste and aroma are expressed in your chosen cheese.

A longer aging time causes a firmer, more intense cheese, whereas short aging times result in a more mild taste and a softer ‘paste’.

It is also during this evolution that mold rind bloom, ‘eyes’ open to create holes and blue veins branch out.

Cheese is aged after it has been formed in the mold (with a press if required) and in many cases, salted or brined.

Ideal aging times differ depending on the profile of the cheese you are creating.

Fresh cheeses often have little to no aging time, soft cheeses are usually aged for between 2 weeks and 2 months and hard cheeses have longer aging periods starting at a few months and spanning out to 2 years, or more.

How your cheese ages will also differ based on whether you are making a surface ripened cheese like Blue cheese which ripens from the surface in towards the middle of the cheese, or an interior ripened cheese such as Cheddar which does the reverse, ripening from the middle of the cheese outwards to the surface.

My NewAir Wine Fridge Cheese Cave Review

Combined with time, and cheese type, your aging environment is the most essential factor for the success of your final cheese and should be carefully controlled to provide the right conditions for your homemade cheeses.

While most of us don’t have access to a cave or cellar, as traditionally used to age cheese, you can still provide a suitable alternative environment and get great results.

Whether using an adapted fridge, a wine fridge or containers and a cool space in the house, as long as you have the fundamentals of a good cheese aging/storage environment in place, you can still enjoy plenty of success with your cheese making:

Cheese Aging Conditions

Temperature

Maintaining correct and consistent temperatures when aging cheese can mean the difference between failure and fabulous. Most cheeses are aged somewhere between 7° – 14° Celsius. A home fridge is usually set below this range, which is why they’re not suitable for aging cheese.

Follow the recipe guidelines for the temperatures required for the type of cheese you are making but also perform checks with a thermometer to make sure your equipment is achieving the right levels and make allowances for any variables unique to your environment.

Humidity

If your cheese aging environment is too dry your cheese will dry out. Too humid and you might attract unwanted molds or end up with other undesirable effects like the dreaded Slip Skin. Depending on the cheese you are making, you will need humidity levels of between 75% and 95%.

Getting humidity levels exactly right can be difficult but you should certainly attempt to get them as close as possible if you want a good end product. Similar to a thermometer, a hydrometer will determine if you have a suitably humid environment for your cheeses.

To provide different humidity levels for specific cheeses, you can use enclosed containers to create diverse micro-environments. Laying down a clean, wet cloth in the container will add more moisture if required, and closing the container off from the moisture provided in the main part of the environment will reduce it.

Ventilation

Constant, low flow air circulation in your aging environment supports the exchange of gases (oxygen, carbon dioxide and gases emitted from the cheeses) necessary for the proper development of your cheese. Too much air movement will draw moisture from the cheese causing the surface to crack and the cheese to dry out.

Appropriate air flow is easy enough to achieve simply by making sure your cheeses are well spaced and your aging environment isn’t overcrowded. If you have a cheese fridge, regularly leave the door open for a short period to let in new, fresh air and crack the lids on any containers as well.

Vacuum Sealing Cheese

Maintaining Your Aging Cheese Environment

Constant surveillance and maintenance of your aging environment is crucial if you plan to get the best possible results with your home made cheese. Not only do you need to keep an eye on the temperature, humidity and ventilation but you also need to check your cheese regularly for undesirable molds.

While some cheeses require the right molds to age true to their ‘design’, unwanted molds can take your cheese from promising to potentially dangerous and spread to your other cheeses if left untamed.

As well as checking for unwanted guests there are also cheeses you will need to turn and flip, cheeses you need to pat and wipe, and cheeses that get carefully washed.

Aging Cheese is not a set and forget step.

But all your love and attention will be well rewarded with delicious, true to type, home made cheese if you are willing to be a little fussy and spend the time.

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Do you have any questions or comments about Aging Homemade Cheese? Join the discussion over at the Curd Nerd Forum. We would love to hear from you!

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It is also a more natural method that will appeal to those not wanting to preserve their cheese with colored waxes.

Bandaging involves wrapping your cheese in cheese cloth bandage and then sealing it with a fat based product like lard. And while it is still a slightly messy preserving technique much like waxing, it looks pretty neat when it’s done.

It also produces a better flavored cheese due to the molds that form around the bandage and contribute to the aging of the cheese. Bandaging also allows your cheese to breathe as compared to wax or vacuum sealing.

Do note though that bandaging tends to produce a drier, flakier cheese and traditionally it is used for Cheddars where this texture is often sought after.

Before bandaging, always make sure your cheese has been air dried for at least a week, for a nice dry surface.

First cut a top and bottom circle of bandage for your cheese from your normal cheese cloth. Cut these slightly bigger than the diameter of your cheese so it will hang over onto the sides of the cheese.

Then cut lengths of bandage that will cover the full diameter of the side of your cheese. Cut them to a height slightly wider than the height of the cheese so they again over hang onto the top and bottom of the cheese.

We are looking for an overlap of the bandages to make sure everything is sealed and there are no open edges.

Sanitize all pieces of cloth before you start bandaging.

There are a few options for fat based sealing products for your bandaged cheese. You can use ghee or butter, which some say work well with the flavors of the cheese, but I personally use lard as it doesn’t tend to go rancid like butter does.

Melt whichever fat you are using so that it is soft and spreadable. I work a little backwards with my lard so that I can make sure it is free of bacteria.

I first heat it until it is fully melted and clear, to kill any bacteria, then I let it cool and it is as it is cooling that I use it for bandaging.

If you are sure your fat has been kept sealed and bacteria free you can simply heat it and use when it is soft enough to work with.

Once the fat is heated drop your bandages into it to soak up some of the fat.

Then, take a circle of bandage, wipe off the excess and apply the bandage to the top of the cheese using a butter knife to spread out a layer of lard over all the areas of the bandage from the middle out to the edges, making sure you seal down the overhang.

It is important to make sure there are no dry spots on the bandage when you are finished.

Then turn the cheese over and put your other circle of cloth on the bottom of the cheese. Again, spread a layer of lard over the bandage and make sure you seal down the overhang.

Put your cheese into the press for 1 hour, at approximately 30kg, to press the lard into the bandage and any cavities in the cheese.

Now apply the side bandage around the edge of the cheese and once again (I know I’m repeating myself but this is important) press down the overhang so it now overlaps the top and bottom bandages.

Press again for 1 hour at approximately 30kg.

Leave overnight and then repeat the same process, applying a second layer of bandaging. This make sure you have a good seal on your cheese.

Molds will form on the bandaging but should dry up in a short time and leave a really interesting and colourful looking cover on your cheese.

The fat will prevent any bacteria from making contact with the cheese, as long as you have fully covered and sealed the entire cheese and bandaging.

Like waxing, bandaging takes a bit of work to get the hang of but it is a fun process that can actually be quite therapeutic once you get into it.

Have you tried bandaging your cheese? Is this a method you like to use? Or do you have questions about something I haven’t mentioned about bandaging? Join the discussion over at the Curd Nerd Forum. We would love to hear from you!

Curd Nerd Forum

Aging, preserving and storing cheese can present a few challenges for home cheese makers, between battling with rinds, molds, brines, wraps and waxes and trying to control humidity and temperatures.

There are many tried and true methods and just as many personal recommendations for how to nurture and protect your cheese and it can all get a bit confusing about what works and what doesn’t, and for those wanting to be true to the art of cheese making, what’s wrong and what’s right.

One question I often get asked by readers of Curd-Nerd wanting to overcome their storage and aging issues is whether cling film can be used for wrapping and storing cheese.

Cling film (also known as Saran wrap or Glad Wrap) is a plastic food storage product which has become a standard and, some would say, essential part of the food industry. It is a thin PVC wrapping medium which is made with plasticizers that make it flexible and tear resistant.

My instant reaction to the idea of using cling film for preserving and storing cheese is usually a firm No! But having been asked again recently, I decided that instead of just pressing forward my opinion on the matter I would do some research and try to get a definitive answer to this question.

It wasn’t as simple as I thought it would be.

Whereas some cheese makers and suppliers don’t seem to have any issue with it and in fact recommend using it for the safe, practical and cheap storage of your cheeses, others curse the stuff and advise makers, suppliers and consumers to stay right away from the stuff.

Other sources didn’t have an issue with cling film as such but suggested it should never be used for fatty foods such as diary (cheese) and raw meat, with high proportions of surface fat, as the plastics break down into the fats.

I then turned to Caneterbury Cheesemongers, my local cheesemongers who import, mature and sell cheeses from around the world, and they weren’t against cling film under the proviso it wasn’t left on for long term storage, was changed frequently (they change theirs most days) and isn’t reused once unwrapped (again due to the fact it begins to break down with the fats).

So, despite best efforts, I didn’t find a single, agreed stance on cling film but I’ll sum up the pros and cons that I deduced from my research and let you make your call on whether you use it or not. I’ll also provide my opinion since it was asked for in the first place and I now have much more information behind it.

Cheese Plastic Wrap Pros:

• Can keep moisture in and stop cheese drying out.
• Can prevent bacteria contacting the cheese, causing mold.
• IF and only IF, the cheese is PROPERLY wrapped and sealed in the cling film (stretch their wrap tight until they get a glass like effect across the surface of the cheese).
• Cling film is safe and will be air tight if sealed properly.

Cheese Plastic Wrap Cons:

• Cheese is a living food and it needs to breathe so that the gasses it emits can escape and the living organisms are not asphyxiated.
• Wrapping cheeses in cling film to age will prevent a natural rind from developing and retard the aging process.
• Likewise the un-breathable nature of cling film means that moisture cannot be drawn away from the surface of the cheese, causing ‘sweating’.
• Cheese left in cling film too long can pick up a chemical taste from the plasticizers when they break down into the fats in the cheese.

When all is said and done, matured cheese can certainly tolerate a short period in cling film for storage, not aging! It will help you keep your cheese moist but for me personally, it remains my least favorite or recommended storage material for cheese and is still, in my opinion.

Cheese plastic wrap is definitely a big No! for during the aging procees.

Related Articles

Age Does Matter – Aging Homemade Cheese

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What are your thoughts? Do you use cling film? Will you continue to? Or have you avoided cling film in your cheese making adventures? Join the discussion over at the Curd Nerd Forum. We would love to hear from you!

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Ok, so perhaps that’s a bad play on words but it’s what comes to mind EVERY time I’m waxing my cheeses.

Anyway, let’s move on from that terrible start and talk about one of the methods of preserving your aging cheeses – waxing.

A lot of people shy away from waxing their cheese because the whole process can seem a little technical and messy. But once you give it a go a few times it becomes a lot easier and the benefits start to outweigh the effort.

Cheese Wax

Cheese Wax is a speciality wax used for preserving cheese. Unlike 100% paraffin based wax it remain soft and pliable even when set and can easily be peeled away from the cheese without the wax cracking or crumbling in brittle pieces.

It is coloured with food grade colouring and commonly comes in Red, Yellow and Black. The colour doesn’t matter but a lot of people prefer the yellow as it obviously has less colouring in it.

Wax Coated Cheeses

Typically hard cheeses are wax coated to protect them during the aging process.

Benefits Of Cheese In Wax

As I mentioned, waxing your cheese preserves it while it is aging. It prevents mold from growing on the surfaces and it also helps to retain the moisture in the cheese. Once you have waxed your cheese there won’t be any mold washing or worrying about anything other than turning the cheese regularly, keeping it in the right conditions and eating it when it is ready.

Waxing is best suited to hard, drier cheeses. Attempting to wax a softer, moist cheese can end in disaster so don’t assume ALL cheeses can be waxed.

Step By Step – How To Wax Cheese

Before you start, make sure your cheese has been chilled if it has not come straight from the fridge. This will help the wax stick and set.

I use the direct heat method for melting wax but if you are nervous about melting your wax on a direct heat you can use the double boiler method (one pot inside of another pot with boiling water).

It is definitely safer because you remove the risk of the wax or vapors igniting but it can be difficult to get the wax up to temperature this way and often molds will grow under the wax shell.

Do what feels most comfortable for you. If you opt for the direct heat method please exercise caution, do not overheat the wax, stay alert and NEVER leave your wax unattended. Flash fires do happen.

Use old pots or buy cheap pots that can be kept for use for waxing only.

Heat the wax to approximately 120 degrees Celsius. You need it hot enough to kill any bacteria on the cheese surface but not so hot it explodes.

Turn the heat off as soon as the wax has reached temperature. This can often be spotted by the wax going quite clear.

Use a natural bristle brush (synthetic will frizzle up) and starting on one side, brush the wax onto the cheese evenly until the cheese is completely covered.

You will need to do 2 or 3 coats (letting each layer harden between coats) to make sure all parts of the cheese is sealed and no air holes are left. Be generous with your painting.

Or

Get pots that are large enough in size to let you dip your cheese right into and again, can be used only for cheese waxing.

Very carefully (wearing sanitised rubber gloves) dip your cheese into the wax, top then bottom surface, then roll the cheese edge through the wax half way, let it set then roll the other edge through half way.

Again, 2 or 3 coats will make sure all of the cheese is sealed and no air is available for mold growth and I normally hold my cheese under for 4-5 seconds so the mold spores are properly killed off.

Once you have coated the cheese, write or print a label out with the cheese type and the make date on it and, using the wax, stick the label onto the cheese.

The paper will stick to wet wax and if you paint another sealing layer over the label it will allow you to identify what the cheese is without any problems later on.

Extra Cheese Waxing Tips

If you have a large block of cheese and don’t think you’ll eat the whole thing in a week, cut your block up into wedges before waxing so you have sizes that you can enjoy fresh and don’t end up throwing away a larger block when it goes off.

Lay down wax paper or tin foil when waxing. Wax makes a heck of a mess and can be difficult to get off surfaces.

Take precautions to keep the hot wax off your skin. Wax holds its temperature when it sticks to something and will make a nasty burn if it is in contact with your skin.

Dipping the cheese definitely makes for a more aesthetically pleasing cheese but it does take more wax to do it since you need enough to submerge the cheese half way down.

Make sure your cheese is sufficiently dry before waxing. It should have a slightly hardened rind and be a darker yellow than when it was first pressed. It should be dry to the touch.

How To Reuse Cheese Wax

When you are ready to eat your cheese, remove the wax and rinse it off. Then melt it down and strain through a piece of fine cheese cloth to remove any hangers on. As long as it is brought up to the right heat next time any nasties will be killed and the wax will be fine for reuse.

In future posts I will talk about other methods of preserving and protecting your cheese including bandaging, oiling and vacuum packing.

Do you have any questions or comments about Cheese Waxing? Join the discussion over at the Curd Nerd Forum. We would love to hear from you!

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You’ve followed the instructions and put it in a salty brine. A few days later, it starts to soften, go slimy and ‘melt’ in the solution.

Why does your Feta brine solution make your Feta melt?

When your Feta melts in it’s brine during storage, it is often due to either the brine having a lower calcium level, which causes the calcium to leech out of the cheese and change the structure.

Or the pH level of the cheese is too high which means you basically don’t have enough acidity and again, calcium leeches and the cheese goes slimy and melts.

How Do You Prevent Your Feta From Melting?

• Use your whey, with the salt added, instead of water to make your brine. Your whey should have the correct pH and calcium balance for your cheese.
• Add a little Calcium Chloride (CaCI2) to your brine to balance the calcium levels.
• Add vinegar or citric acid to your brine, but not too much!
• Age your cheese at room temperature for at least 3 days after dry salting so that the surface of the cheese toughens and the acidity is high enough to withstand the brine.

If you really can’t get your brine balance right and your Feta melts every time don’t get too stressed about it. Simply change your storage method and keep it in Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a mason jar instead.

I sometimes do this for a change anyway and add a mixture of Garlic and Rosemary, which is lovely! I then reuse the oil for salads or cooking afterwards.

This is also a good storage method for those who don’t like their Feta too salty since there is obviously no extra salt take up from the Olive Oil.

Feta Cheese In Brine How Long Does It Last?

How long does feta cheese last in brine is a common question that we receive. As long as the feta stays submerged in the brine it should have a shelf life of 6 months. But, with how delicious it is I doubt it will last anywhere near that long.

Brine Solution For Feta

A brine solution for feta can be found on our post Using Saturated Brine Solution In Cheese Making

Do you have any questions or comments about Home Cheese Making? Join the discussion over at the Curd Nerd Forum. We would love to hear from you!

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