Preserving Cheese for 25 years or so

[Moravec]

This information posted with permission from PreparednessPro.com

No by no way am I an expert in this field but having been taught by Dan and Julie Wood I am now experienced and hoping it went well. We took 10 lbs of mild cheddar cheese and waxed it and hung it up to dry. The claims are that when done and stored properly the cheese will last up to 25 years WITHOUT refrigeration.

Items needed:

• mild cheese
• double boiler
• candy thermometer to determine the temperature of the wax
• cheese wax (this is NOT paraffin) it is a special wax that does not crack when it dries
• natural boar's hair bristle brush (nylon will melt) Don’t use paraffin wax. It tends to crack. Cheese wax warms slower and heats to a higher temperature and thus plies better to your cheese shapes and sizes. Cheese wax is also less crumbly and you can use less of it than paraffin. Remember, it’s reusable too!
• something to hang the cheese up with on the rafters in a cool, dark, dry place (fishnet stockings, I used a netting material) to keep it away from the rats and mice
• knife to cut the cheese with

I went to Real Foods in Orem on Th North. They had the wax and the brush together

So here are the steps we followed:

• Select good mild cheese because it will become EXTREMELY sharp.
• Let it sit at room temperature for an hour or so to make sure it is not cold and has no moisture on it.
• Cut it into blocks of cheese that you can consume in 2 - 3 days without refrigeration. (I cut mine into 1 1/2 lb. blocks)
• The surface of the cheese should be clean and dry prior to waxing.
  
• Melt the cheese wax in a double boiler about 210 degrees. It’s best to melt the cheese wax in a double boiler as opposed to direct heat. Any pan you use to melt your cheese wax in will be your designated cheese wax pan. They are impossible to get clean afterwards. So be forewarned.
• The less you handle the cheese with your hands the better. Use food handling gloves.
  
• Brush the cheese with the cheese wax in a thin layer. Do 3 thin layers of brushing. (Using the natural boar’s hair brush) The reason why you want to use this kind of brush specifically is because other brushes will apply the cheese wax too thick, or with crevices, etc. This kind of brush is perfect for cheese waxing. There’s no need to do more coats than that.
  
• You don’t need to use food-grade labels for your cheese, however, it’s smart to use a label on the outside of your cheese just prior to the last wax layer. That way you don’t have to worry about it falling off. Be sure to label not only the kind of cheese it is, but when it was waxed as well.
  
• When you have finished let it air dry good (about 30 minute) before you try to store it.
  
• Don’t store your waxed cheese in additional containers. Just stack them on top of like cheeses and let them breathe. I like to hang them from the ceiling in a "fishing net" kind of contraption.
  Be sure to check for pockets or crevices that didn’t get sealed.

[AZ Prepper]

Thanks Kenneth! Great information!

[maroonlady]

For those of us in rural AZ, you can order cheese wax on Amazon.

[ssprepper]

thanks for posting this info. I've been to a class where cheese waxing was taught, but I was a bit skeptical, so I'm glad you've backed up the idea for me. I love the pics of your cheese hanging. It makes me more excited to do it myself.

[Katrina1001]

...and the rest of us in rural everywhere else!!!
Thanks for letting us know maroonlady!

~Katrina

[Angela]

I did some waxing cheese using paraffin wax. It worked, but did want to crack--cheese wax would be better. The cheese also got very sharp very fast, so if you're going to wax your cheese, I'd check it after 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, etc. to see if you can even eat it. The stuff I had waxed a little over a year was too sharp for me to even eat. Ick. Here's my blog post on the results:

Had to use some of the waxed cheese from storage the other day and thought I'd update the cheese waxing post. Here's some thoughts on the waxing cheese experiment:

This was my first attempt at waxing cheese. It worked pretty well. To do it again, I'd skip the strings and just dip half the cheese block at a time. The strings made it too easy for air to get in. I might also get cheese wax if it were available somewhere (which it isn't around here, but I could probably order some). Cheese wax has the advantage of being thicker and more flexible than paraffin wax. After waxing my cheese I put it carefully in a small box so it would not get bumped which could break the more brittle (but less expensive and more readily available) paraffin wax I had coated it with. I started with store brand mild cheddar cheese as I was told the cheese would age on the shelf. Here is the same cheese earlier today (approx 1 year + 3 months spent waxed in the non-climate-controlled food room):

It is still edible and did not go moldy on me. However, it aged more than a little. This stuff is so sharp I about can't eat it. If you like super sharp cheese, this is the way to get it. I think the dog might get most of mine though. The cheese had gotten drier and more crumbly and liquid separated and was inside the wax so when I cut the cheese open quite a bit of liquid came out. You can kind of see the texture of the cheese in this next picture.

About 6 months ago I also purchased a block of Tillamook Colby cheese. I'm not a cheese expert, but colby is pretty darn mild. It was in the shrink wrap wrapper, so I put it right on the shelf as it was. (Sorry I didn't get a picture of this before I opened it, I needed it for dinner the other night and didn't want to hunt down my camera).

It "expired" last September.

This block was only about 6 months from purchase (why I did not sharpie the date on it when I bought it I do not know) and had been in my uncooled food room since it came home with me. The first thing I noticed was it had changed shape. It used to be squarish on the ends and it settled into a squatty loaf.

The second thing I noticed was that instead of having the wrapping tight against the cheese, there was "air" in the package. I'm assuming this was some kind of gasses released by the aging cheese because if it was air, the cheese would have molded long ago. When I got it opened I noticed some minor separation of something on the side of the cheese, but overall the cheese was still a good texture and easy to slice and work with.

It was still quite sharp. Not nearly as sharp as the year + old cheese, but borderline too sharp for just eating (at least for me). I did use it for our homemade mac n cheese and it worked out fine. I could taste the difference, but nobody else made any mention of it tasting bad (and believe me, my kids are not shy about telling me when they don't like something). We'll eat the rest of this loaf.

So now the moral of the story. Waxing cheese works. Buying Tillamook shrinkwrapped cheese and storing it on a shelf works. However, the cheese ages a lot faster than I thought it would. I'd only reasonably store the cheese I would use within 4-6 months for better flavor. Learning to make cheese would be a good thing.

[Rizzo]

Great comments Angela. Thats good to know about the sharpness....my family HATES sharp cheese. Is there a guideline to what kind of cheeses to store? I imagine the super soft cheeses are a no go...but what about a mozzerella?

[AZ Prepper]

Thanks Angela! There's some great knowledge on this board, even if we are still in our infant stages!

[Moravec]

We are doing mozzerlla on Monday. I will report on how it turns out.

[Rizzo]

Cool, thanks Kenneth.

[Moravec]

update on last nights Mozzella and Swiss Cheese waxing. It went well except for all of the holes in the Swiss chess. Hard to seal.

[Imamom]

update on last nights Mozzella and Swiss Cheese waxing. It went well except for all of the holes in the Swiss chess. Hard to seal.

Kenneth,

Try Dubliner cheese rather than Swiss. I LOVE Swiss cheese and the Dubliner tastes very similar. It tastes almost like a mix between Swiss and Parmesan. And, it is a solid hard cheese which does very well with waxing.

Imamom

[AZ Prepper]

Here's another great article about cheesewaxing...
___________________________________________

Say Cheese!
http://kneadfulthingsnow.com/cheesewaxing.aspx


Storing cheese in your long term food supply would be such a blessing. Well, ask and ye shall receive!

HERE’S HOW IT’S DONE. . .

It is important to use cheese wax. Paraffin wax does not work adequately. Paraffin is stiff and will crack when it cools allowing for the penetration of air and mold causing bacteria. Cheese wax is made specifically to coat cheese. It is formulated to be more pliable, and does not crack as easily.



Cheese wax melts at lower temperatures and should be melted in a double boiler. Dedicate a pan or bowl to this because the wax will claim the container as its own. The temperature of the melted wax can be between 160 and 220 degrees. The cooler the better. The wax should be melted just until clear and then turn the heat off. If the wax becomes too hot it will bring the oils of the cheese to the surface preventing the wax from adhering.

Do not over handle the cheese with your bare hands. The oils from your hands can compromise the seal between the cheese and the wax. You also do not want to introduce any unwanted bacteria. Purchase some food grade disposable gloves from your local super mart.

Hard, dry, acidic cheeses are the best candidates for waxing. The cheese should be slightly cool, clean, and dry. I dry my blocks of cheese with a high quality paper towel before I dip them to soak up any excess moisture or oil. Cut the cheese into sizes that your family will use within a few days. I cut the cheese into the portion called for in any given meal; that way I am assured freshness.

As I was myself learning to wax cheese I was told by the experts that any cheese that would form a block can be waxed. That is NOT true. I know from personal experience. Cheeses that have more moisture do not wax well. Mozzarella which I was originally told was lovely to wax does not keep. Don't waste your time with soft moist cheeses. Stick to harder dryer choices such as parmesan, colby, imported swiss, and others.

Cheese is not completely rigid and will therefore bend and misshapen under it's own weight. As that happens it will pull the wax away from the cheese and cause air pockets. This is another reason why it is better to wax smaller lighter weight portions of cheese at a time.

Heat your wax using a double boiler. You will read on the internet that you can melt your wax in a #10 can. That is not a good practice. Number ten cans are not manufactured for constant water applications and will rust. Double boilers can be purchased at Wal-Mart for around 20.00. It is a one time investment that will last a life time. If you have more than one color of wax, as I do, use ceramic bowls or some other rust proof container that will fit on top of your boiler and can be heated.

When you are not using your wax store it covered to deep it dust free.

1. When the wax has melted and come to temperature, just until the wax is clear, turn off the heat.

2. Dry the block of cheese you will be waxing with a high quality paper towel or lint free cloth. Flour sack cloths work well.

3. Quickly dip the block of cheese half way into the wax. Allow the wax to dry slightly and dip the other half of the block.

4. Allow the wax to cool before you set it on any surface otherwise it will stick. When youtry to move the cheese it will pull away from the block just waxed. I set my finished blocks on the paper side of freezer paper which has a paper side and a waxed side.

You may also use a natural bristle brush to coat the cheese. If you decide to use the brush method, a boar’s hair brush is recommended for the smoothest application.



The wax should form an intimate bond with the cheese, hermetically sealing the cheese including any holes or crevices. This process protects the cheese from mold spores and unwanted fungal invasions. It also locks the natural moisture of the cheese in, preventing it from drying out and hardening.

Repeat the waxing process so that there is a minimum of three layers of wax. It is best to apply the second and third layers of wax while the previous layer is still slightly warm. You may choose to apply a fourth layer of wax for added strength.

Label the cheese, type and date, before the last dipping so that the label is embedded within the wax and will not fall off. I use a self adhesive sticker and a permanant marker.

The cheese should be stored in your coolest room stacked with like cheeses. Do not seal the cheese in additional containers as the cheese requires air circulation.

The cheese will continue to age over time, especially cheddar, so start with more mild cheeses.

Although you will find that cheese wax is expensive, about 5.50/lb, it can be reused. Simply peel the wax off the cheese being used and wash it in warm soapy water. Allow the wax to dry and store it to be used in your next cheese waxing session.

You will need approximately three pounds of wax to cover ten pounds of cheese.

The experts say that cheese can be stored this way for twenty-five years. However, a savvy Domestic Diva will rotate her waxed cheese regularly and NEVER allow it to sit too long. Rotation will ensure the highest quality possible.