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I own a small goat dairy and have been making feta cheese from a recipe by Mary Jane Toth. The feta seems to set up fine and taste right. My issue is that when I put it in olive oil and refrigerate it, the oil congeals. I have tried different brands of olive oil thinking that it was the quality of my oil, but this hasn’t helped so far. Any suggestions?
Nancy, that is a tough question. I am not a cheese expert and even further from a chemical engineer. I am sure someone out there has the answer. I would be interested to know the answer as much as you.
Refrigeration gradually slows the molecular activity of monounsaturated oils–olive, peanut, avocado, and macadamia–and they will become firm (although not as hard as butter), and turn cloudy or opaque. Returned to room temperature or heated, they quickly liquefy.
Like Mike says when refrigerated olive oil sets up. Once warmed again it will flow. Find a place outside the fridge that is cool but not cold so the oil stays liquid. Or make brine from whey and calcium chloride to store the cheese in in the fridge
Olive oil simply has a higher melting temperature than other oils. If you want a oil that does not solidify in the fridge, mix your olive oil with some other mild flavored oil – corn oil, vegetable oil – and it will prevent congealing but still give you olive oil flavor.
I’ve stopped putting anything with olive oil in the fridge. It’s got too high a solidifying point.
I marinate lots of things in olive oil including store bought feta. However I just put them in clean properly sealing jars and leave them in the kitchen cabinets.
Been doing that for a few years now.
Sorry should have added. As long as I keep a strict hygiene routine keeping out of the fridge hasn’t been any hassle for me.
