Storing smoked cheese - optimum temp

4given · September 10, 2012, 11:53:54 AM

So I now have a decent stash of smoked cheese built up so I can get some decent age on it before we eat it all. ;) I have it all vacuum packed and I have a small 'fridge in the garage dedicated to cheese only. What is the best temp to shoot for in the fridge?

Smokin Sparky · September 10, 2012, 05:47:00 PM

I store my cheese at forty (40) degrees with no problem. I found out (the hard way) that if the cheese freezes it becomes very crumbly.

:o :o :o

Blake

Quarlow · September 10, 2012, 06:28:32 PM

Yup I found out the hard way. I bought a 20 lb block of cheese once and then got called out on the fishboats. My mom froze the block and yuck. It not only gets crumbly but it gets gritty too. It took a long time to eat that stuff. :'(

4given · September 11, 2012, 05:49:16 AM

Yep, I found out about feezing cheese a long, long time ago. I just thought there may be a certain temp that cheese does the best for long term storage. I would like to get a year on some of it.

Salmonsmoker · September 11, 2012, 09:25:49 AM

Standard fridge temp is 38-39 degrees. I have cheese smoked back in March that is very tasty right now and is still in prime condition..

mad_max · October 05, 2012, 09:37:50 PM

Hi, I freeze my cheese @ -28 C (think that's around -19 F) and it's perfect when taking out. I have no proof but I could bet it's even better than fresh after a few months in the freezer.

KyNola · October 06, 2012, 06:46:42 AM

Quote from: mad_max on October 05, 2012, 09:37:50 PM
Hi, I freeze my cheese @ -28 C (think that's around -19 F) and it's perfect when taking out. I have no proof but I could bet it's even better than fresh after a few months in the freezer.

I'll take that bet!

No frozen cheese at my house.

OU812 · October 06, 2012, 06:55:27 AM

Quote from: KyNola on October 06, 2012, 06:46:42 AM
Quote from: mad_max on October 05, 2012, 09:37:50 PM
Hi, I freeze my cheese @ -28 C (think that's around -19 F) and it's perfect when taking out. I have no proof but I could bet it's even better than fresh after a few months in the freezer.
I'll take that bet!

No frozen cheese at my house.

What larry said

I store my cheese on the top shelf of the fridge in the man room and the fridge is set at 38 F

Quarlow · October 06, 2012, 08:02:45 AM

Yeah I will pass on the frozen cheese too. I did it once to a huge block of cheese I got from a customer and it was crumbly and gritty afterwards.

muebe · October 06, 2012, 08:06:12 AM

And be careful storing in those vegetable/convertible meat drawers. Mine has a temp control I did not know about and ended up freezing the smoked cheese I had stashed back there :o

I only did that once ;)

OU812 · October 06, 2012, 08:26:55 AM

Quote from: muebe on October 06, 2012, 08:06:12 AM
And be careful storing in those vegetable/convertible meat drawers. Mine has a temp control I did not know about and ended up freezing the smoked cheese I had stashed back there :o

I only did that once ;)

My vegetable/convertible meat drawers are full of 5 lb bags of flour ;D

mad_max · October 07, 2012, 10:47:06 AM

I'm doing it regularily with smoked gouda and edamer. I think that the problem with freezing is that when you put a big block of cheese in, it takes too long to freeze on the inside. During the slow process the shrinking cells loose a lot of water - what makes the cheese crumbly. That's why I'm using slices ~ 2 cm thick and shock frost them to -28 C (not the regular -18).

KyNola · October 07, 2012, 12:29:30 PM

Different strokes for different folks my Austrian friend. I will venture to say that you are the first person I have ever read on this Forum that prefers cheese that has been frozen.

If that's what you prefer, that's all good with me.