Storing Cheese

[Entlie]

Ditto on Sunspot Baby's comment about hard waxed cheeses. We buy the large red waxed ones from Sam's Club. Cost is about $10 each, but they contain a lot of servings and you don't need to refrigerate until cut. I try to store close to the water line, in a cool dark place, inside a zip lock bag. If a little crust gets on the inside next to the wax, just cut it off.

We also use the Laughing Cow totally unrefrigerated, and they have lasted a number of months.

I agree the Bahamas cheeses are fine, and reasonably priced. Sometimes you will find them in the meat section of the market instead of the cheese sections (Because they are cut in the store? Not sure why.)

If you make your own yogurt, you can make a soft cheese from that. Email me if you would like to have directions for making your own yogurt, or making yogurt cheese.

Entlie
Sailing Catamaran Sunspot Baby

[Tahiti Rover]

Ahoy, cruising mates!

Hands down, the best way to put up cheese for relatively long periods of time without refrigeration is to sterilize jars by boiling, then filling with chunks of your favorite cheese, then covering the cheese with extra virgin olive oil, and screwing on the lid tightly. Kept this way, most cheeses will last for 6 months to a year. And once the cheese is eaten, the olive oil can be used for cooking. Important rule: Don't re-use the oil with a fresh batch of cheese. Start with fresh cheese and fresh oil each time.

Check out the new cookbook, "Gourmet Underway - A Sailor's Cookbook" for lots more tips and techniques for extending the life of meats, vegetables and dairy. See the book's website at www.gourmetunderway.com

Fair winds to all,

Robbie

[Tahiti Rover]

Another old-time technique for extending the life of fresh cheese aboard is to wrap it in cheese cloth soaked in vinegar. Over the course of a few days, depending on heat and humidity, the vinegar will eventually evaporate. Just refresh the cheesecloth by using a spray bottle to apply a fresh application of the vinegar. This technique works especially well with the harder (more firm) cheeses. Vinegar is cheap, and the time invested in preserving is minimal.

Fair winds to all,

Robbie

[hzcruiser]

Originally Posted by Tahiti Rover

Another old-time technique for extending the life of fresh cheese aboard is to wrap it in cheese cloth soaked in vinegar. Over the course of a few days, depending on heat and humidity, the vinegar will eventually evaporate. Just refresh the cheesecloth by using a spray bottle to apply a fresh application of the vinegar. This technique works especially well with the harder (more firm) cheeses. Vinegar is cheap, and the time invested in preserving is minimal.

Fair winds to all,

Robbie

Does the cheese have to breathe if one uses the vinegar'd cheesecloth? If not, how about keeping it in a plastic box, more or less airtight?

[nautical62]

I've kept cheese unrefridgerated both sailing and on canoe trips well over a month. There have been many good tips here about using oils and cheesecloth. One thing I'll add is Dont' touch it!

I've seen cheese where you can see mold growing on it in the form of a finger or hand print. Avoid touchihg it until you use it.

I've also found many of the lighter yellow cheeses tend to keep better than cheddar.

Obviously keeping it out of the heat and sun will extend its life and also prevent it from separating.

[BluesTraveler]

Hello,

I just happen to work for a cheese manufacturing plant in Tillamook Oregon and have successfully traveled with Cheddar, both sharp and medium for up to three months with little refirgeration. Just keep it sealed and below 75 degrees. Sharp cheddar travels the best since it has less moisture content.

My 2 cents worth.