JGDean
Sous Chef
I just spoiled myself and bought a chunk of excellent Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. What is the best way to store it?
Parmigiano-Reggiano
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Good question. I was reading up on this a while back. Most folks I found say to wrap in butcher paper, loosely, so the cheese can breathe. Others mention working in cheese shops that keep the cheeses in plastic wrap. And any chunk cheese I have ever bought has been wrapped in plastic wrap.
I keep my cheeses wrapped in plastic wrap, but I'm not saying that is the right way. Dry parms get wrapped and put in the fridge. Soft cheeses get wrapped and vacuum sealed, then put in the fridge. They all seem to last me until they are used up, so it works for me. I'm interested to follow this topic.
I keep my cheeses wrapped in plastic wrap, but I'm not saying that is the right way. Dry parms get wrapped and put in the fridge. Soft cheeses get wrapped and vacuum sealed, then put in the fridge. They all seem to last me until they are used up, so it works for me. I'm interested to follow this topic.
How big is the chunk? And how quickly do you think you'll go through it? If you're thinking a few days, then plastic wrap should do it. If you're thinking weeks then I'd be more inclined to do the butcher paper thing. I think it matters what kind of cheese you get too. Parm-Regg is pretty dry so you want to keep it that way.
OP
OP
JGDean
Sous Chef
It is about 2 lbs. I believe it will take several weeks for us to use it up.
My Mom always wrapped cheese in tight saran wrap. If any air gets to it, it will become dried out.
I do that too for expensive cheeses and then put the wrapped cheese in a zip bag.
I do that too for expensive cheeses and then put the wrapped cheese in a zip bag.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
What I've learned is that parm should be sealed but not skin tight. I use a ziplock bag so the hunk can breathe but it's sealed so it's in a closed environment. Works for me.
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
Yep.
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
From one of America's foremost cheesemonger, Formaggio Kitchen
This is one of the most common questions that I and, I suspect, my fellow cheesemongers field on a daily basis. It is a good question to ask because how you store your cheese can profoundly affect both its flavor and longevity.
One of the most important components to proper cheese storage is what you wrap your cheese in. Here at Formaggio Kitchen, we wrap cheese in a special type of paper that is imported from France. The paper is lined with a thin sheet, allowing the cheese to breath a bit while at the same time retaining its moisture. This differs greatly from plastic wrap which not only imparts a plastic flavor to your cheese but also prevents it from breathing at all. The cheeses on our cheese wall are wrapped in plastic so that you can see what they look like. However, every morning when the cheese wall goes up, the faces of our cheeses are cleaned and re-wrapped in order to prevent that plastic taste from permeating the cheese. Better than plastic wrap but not as optimal as the cheese paper, is tin foil or parchment paper. I would recommend using either of these in preference to plastic wrap if you do not have cheese paper.
Once you have wrapped your cheese for storage, what should you do with it next? I recommend keeping it in the fridge, preferably in your vegetable drawer. For one, the vegetable drawer is generally not near your freezer section and you do not want your cheese to be in the coldest part of the fridge. Essentially, you are trying to mimic the conditions of a cheese cave – cool with a bit of humidity. In addition to being more temperate, the vegetable drawer (perhaps due to the moisture of the veggies?) also seems to be a bit moister than the rest of the fridge… In general, refrigerators tend to dry things out – storing your cheese in the vegetable drawer should, however, slow the process a bit. The third good thing about the vegetable drawer is that it serves as a protective unit, preventing your cheese from absorbing the odors or flavors of other strong smelling items in your fridge. Conversely, if you are storing a “stinky” washed-rind cheese, you will be protecting your other foods from absorbing those smells and flavors. Eggs, for example, are quite porous and easily absorb the flavors of things placed in close proximity.
In an effort to simulate the conditions of a cave, I have also heard of some folks dedicating a Tupperware container (or something similar) to cheese storage. Lining the container with damp paper towels and poking holes in the top (to allow for air circulation) seems to do the trick for some. I have never done this myself because, to be honest, cheese never lasts long enough in my fridge to make it worthwhile! This actually begs another point – it is generally better to buy smaller amounts of cheese more often than to try to store large amounts of cheese for extended periods of time. Smaller quantities will ensure that you get the full flavor benefit from your cheese.
Occasionally, I have customers who ask if they should store their cheeses under a cheese dome on their counter-top… In the winter, you can get away with this (if you live in New England and don’t crank the heat!) but, in general, I recommend the fridge. Ideally, however, it is best to take the cheese out of the fridge an hour or two before you serve it (depending on the season and how warm you keep your home) in order for it to come to room temperature. If your cheese comes straight out of the fridge, you will not get the full benefit of its flavor. As with wine, excessive chilling dulls flavor – but, if you give the cheese a chance to come to room temperature, its flavor opens up and the difference between cold and room-temperature cheese can be quite striking both in terms of taste as well as texture.
This is one of the most common questions that I and, I suspect, my fellow cheesemongers field on a daily basis. It is a good question to ask because how you store your cheese can profoundly affect both its flavor and longevity.
One of the most important components to proper cheese storage is what you wrap your cheese in. Here at Formaggio Kitchen, we wrap cheese in a special type of paper that is imported from France. The paper is lined with a thin sheet, allowing the cheese to breath a bit while at the same time retaining its moisture. This differs greatly from plastic wrap which not only imparts a plastic flavor to your cheese but also prevents it from breathing at all. The cheeses on our cheese wall are wrapped in plastic so that you can see what they look like. However, every morning when the cheese wall goes up, the faces of our cheeses are cleaned and re-wrapped in order to prevent that plastic taste from permeating the cheese. Better than plastic wrap but not as optimal as the cheese paper, is tin foil or parchment paper. I would recommend using either of these in preference to plastic wrap if you do not have cheese paper.
Once you have wrapped your cheese for storage, what should you do with it next? I recommend keeping it in the fridge, preferably in your vegetable drawer. For one, the vegetable drawer is generally not near your freezer section and you do not want your cheese to be in the coldest part of the fridge. Essentially, you are trying to mimic the conditions of a cheese cave – cool with a bit of humidity. In addition to being more temperate, the vegetable drawer (perhaps due to the moisture of the veggies?) also seems to be a bit moister than the rest of the fridge… In general, refrigerators tend to dry things out – storing your cheese in the vegetable drawer should, however, slow the process a bit. The third good thing about the vegetable drawer is that it serves as a protective unit, preventing your cheese from absorbing the odors or flavors of other strong smelling items in your fridge. Conversely, if you are storing a “stinky” washed-rind cheese, you will be protecting your other foods from absorbing those smells and flavors. Eggs, for example, are quite porous and easily absorb the flavors of things placed in close proximity.
In an effort to simulate the conditions of a cave, I have also heard of some folks dedicating a Tupperware container (or something similar) to cheese storage. Lining the container with damp paper towels and poking holes in the top (to allow for air circulation) seems to do the trick for some. I have never done this myself because, to be honest, cheese never lasts long enough in my fridge to make it worthwhile! This actually begs another point – it is generally better to buy smaller amounts of cheese more often than to try to store large amounts of cheese for extended periods of time. Smaller quantities will ensure that you get the full flavor benefit from your cheese.
Occasionally, I have customers who ask if they should store their cheeses under a cheese dome on their counter-top… In the winter, you can get away with this (if you live in New England and don’t crank the heat!) but, in general, I recommend the fridge. Ideally, however, it is best to take the cheese out of the fridge an hour or two before you serve it (depending on the season and how warm you keep your home) in order for it to come to room temperature. If your cheese comes straight out of the fridge, you will not get the full benefit of its flavor. As with wine, excessive chilling dulls flavor – but, if you give the cheese a chance to come to room temperature, its flavor opens up and the difference between cold and room-temperature cheese can be quite striking both in terms of taste as well as texture.
no mayonnaise
Sous Chef
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2011
- Messages
- 553
Parchment paper is what I have used for years.
4meandthem
Half Baked
Like Andy and others I use a ziplock with some air. My wedges usually come wrapped tight and they are a little too wet when I open them.
They dry out little more which gets them just right. I think I like Grana Padano more tha parm these days and it is a little cheaper.
They dry out little more which gets them just right. I think I like Grana Padano more tha parm these days and it is a little cheaper.
Bigjim68
Head Chef
I buy large chunks and wrap them in a paper towel and then into the ziplock and reefer. I have also frozen parm and reg. Not wrapping in some form of moisture absorber seems for me to leave a slimy coating, which I don't like.
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
So, in case you get the munchies, you have a snack right there!!
justplainbill
Executive Chef
Our experience has been the greatest enemy of most cheeses is condensation caused by unwrapping (uncovering a jar of grated) cold / refrigerated cheese in a humid environment. The moisture (and perhaps mold spores) so promulgated promotes mold growth. We minimize this problem by storing cheese in an airtight container and removing it from refrigeration early enough to come to room temperature before permitting it to come into contact with moisture laden (summertime) air.
Many cheeses come from the 'factory' with a skin tight wax coating or rind.
Many cheeses come from the 'factory' with a skin tight wax coating or rind.
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buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
lol, no mayo, is your avatar giorgio tsoukalos?
i used to joke that you could tell the age of and how many servings my dad got out of a remaining hunk of cheese by cutting a cross section and counting the layers of foil, plastic wrap, and rubberbands.
dw does the ziplock bag thing, i do losee plastic wrap and tight foil.
no rubberbands.
OP
OP
JGDean
Sous Chef
I'm going to try wrapping in cheese cloth and putting in a ziplock baggie. We'll see how it goes. Thanks for the helpful responses.
no mayonnaise
Sous Chef
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2011
- Messages
- 553
Last edited:
buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
lol, that's too funny.
only aliens could create something that funny.
and that much hair gel...
only aliens could create something that funny.
and that much hair gel...
I have never had a problem with grated parm in a plastic tub, even after several months. I buy the big tub.
I bought myself a nice chunk of parm and put it in a plastic bag with a clip. It grew some mould. I cut off the mould and put it in another plastic bag. It is now wrapped in parchment paper and, as always, in the cheese keeper of my fridge. I'm curious to see how that goes.
I bought myself a nice chunk of parm and put it in a plastic bag with a clip. It grew some mould. I cut off the mould and put it in another plastic bag. It is now wrapped in parchment paper and, as always, in the cheese keeper of my fridge. I'm curious to see how that goes.
Kayelle
Chef Extraordinaire
I recently read somewhere......don't know if it was here or not.....to never touch cheese with your bare fingers. It seems that even the cleanest fingers can cause mold to start on cheese. I really never thought of it before, but it makes sense. I'm very careful now when grating cheese to be sure the cheese is protected from my bare hand with plastic.
Has anyone else heard about this?
Has anyone else heard about this?
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Never heard that and I don't buy it. If that were true, my cheeses would all spoil instead of lasting as long as they do.
