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fuzzy mold on waxed jack cheese
January 30, 2012
10:36 pm
Katsat
Banty
Forum Posts: 8
Member Since:
September 1, 2010
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Okay, I finally took the plunge on January 13th and tried to make my first aged cheese.  I chose Jack Cheese, followed New England's recipe to the letter using raw milk ($13 a gallon!), aged it a few days, waxed it, and have had it in my temperature and humidity controlled "cheese cave."  I've been turning it every few days, and so far so good….

Until today, when I found colonies of fuzzy white mold in numerous places all over my cheese!

What do I do?

Will a little vinegar rub solve the problem?

Kat

January 31, 2012
8:09 am
Leah's Mom
Super Chicken
Forum Posts: 543
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October 31, 2010
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I'm guessing the mold is on the cheese rather than the wax?  If that's the case, you probably have a small pinhole (or more) in the wax.

Assuming it's on the cheese, you can remove the wax, wash with a salt-water solution (or vinegar…I like the salt water better as it leaves a better flavor on the cheese than the vinegar!  hungry), then re-wax the cheese. 

When re-waxing I would encourage you to use the "dipping" method rather than the "brush-on" method as it works much better.   First put the cheese into the fridge at least 1 hour – a couple hours is better to let it get good a cold.  For the dip method, melt the wax in a deep pot/container that you can dedicate to the wax.  I use a stainless steel mixing bowl that's about 2 quarts I think (cost me about $5.99 at Walmart).  Dip your cheese into the wax 1/2 way; let it cool a bit until you can touch the wax without making finger prints then turn it and, holding the waxed side, dip in the other half overlapping your first dip.  Do this 2 more times but each time give the cheese a quarter turn so the "seam" runs cross-wise to the prior seam.  Be sure to let it cool a bit before each dip so you can handle it without destroying the wax.

I hope that helps…if you're getting mold on the OUTSIDE of the wax the answer is different!

January 31, 2012
11:50 am
Katsat
Banty
Forum Posts: 8
Member Since:
September 1, 2010
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Hi Leah's Mom!

The mold is definitely on the wax. I don't know if it also is on the cheese.  Here's a pic.

Should I cut it open and see?  I brushed the wax on, quite inexpertly, so pinholes are a definite possibility even though I tried really hard to avoid them.

What do you think?

January 31, 2012
12:05 pm
Leah's Mom
Super Chicken
Forum Posts: 543
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October 31, 2010
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Well…I think I'd try to determine if it is on the cheese.  It most likely is.

If it's only on the wax that would tell me that your aging area has a good amount of mold and, combined with the high humidity is causing the growth on the outside.  You can start by wiping down the wax to get the mold off and them looking closely to see if it looks like it's coming from inside.

Judging by the photo, it looks like there are a few spots that have mold??  If so, it is probably from a pin-hole in the wax.  If there are only a couple of them, and you think it's coming from a pinhole, you can just take off the part that has the mold, clean it or scrape out the spot, then do a "patch" with the wax just in those specific places.

February 5, 2012
12:20 am
Katsat
Banty
Forum Posts: 8
Member Since:
September 1, 2010
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So, I removed the wax and this is what I found…

 

I'm not sure I have to ask, but is this beyond saving? 

February 5, 2012
9:33 am
Leah's Mom
Super Chicken
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October 31, 2010
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It depends on a few things  happy-flower So far I've met very few cheeses that weren't worth working with! 

So here are some thoughts:

-If the mold is marbled throughout the whole cheese, the cheese will definitely take on a moldy flavor that you likely won't find pleasant. That is the only time I've ever abandoned a cheese – when the mold flavor was just too strong and unpalatable for my taste buds. It won't hurt you, but it just may not be palatable to you.

-Is the mold mostly on the surface (within a quarter inch or so deep)?  If so, just go ahead and scrape it off (I would use the blade of a sharp knife-sometimes scraping and sometimes just kind of "carving" it depending on the depth.  If it's really just on the surface you can use the cloth dipped in salt water and kind-of scrub it if your cloth has some "tooth" to it.)  After you've removed the mold, give the whole cheese a good rub-down with the salt water.  From there you can either re-wax and continue to age, or just put put it in the fridge and eat it at the younger age. 

 

Knowing that a photo is hard to interpret without actually seeing the cheese, it looks to me like the mold is gathering around where finger prints may have been in the wax…the places you were holding it as you were doing the waxing.  It looks like there were just some places where your fingers were holding it that the wax didn't completely cover the cheese.  This happens because of the wax being soft  when you grabbed it.  Then when you move your fingers off, some of the wax can be displaced.  I hope this doesn't discourage you from continuing to make cheese!  It is just a learning thing (much like making bread if you've never seen it done) and after you do it a few times you'll get the bugs worked out!!

February 5, 2012
9:59 am
Leah's Mom
Super Chicken
Forum Posts: 543
Member Since:
October 31, 2010
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PS – I forgot to say that your cheese looks really good from what I can see in the photo. It looks like the curds are knit together well and is quite nice looking! 

yes

February 5, 2012
12:55 pm
Katsat
Banty
Forum Posts: 8
Member Since:
September 1, 2010
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Thanks, Leah's Mom.  I'll cut the mold off and see what I find inside. I think you might be spot on about the finger prints.  I forgot to chill the cheese before I painted on the wax, and had trouble getting the wax thoroughly covered. I only have one pound of wax, so I didn't have enough for dipping, but I think I'll try melting it in a pie tin to see if that will work.

I REALLY appreciate your help!

February 12, 2012
3:59 pm
Katsat
Banty
Forum Posts: 8
Member Since:
September 1, 2010
Offline

I cut off all the moldy bits, and then cut the cheese into three pieces.  I vacuum sealed an approximately one pound sized chunk, an approximately half-pound sized chunk, and have been eating the rest. 

The cheese tastes reeeeeeally great!  Kind of like cheddar, but firmer in texture, it has a really unique flavor.  I'm hoping that the largest chunk can age for a while longer in the fridge, and perhps taste closer to the jack it was supposed to be.  The medium chunk is for eating after I finish the fresh, so I don't have to open the big kahuna cheese too soon.

I can't wait to start another batch.  I'm thinking of Caerphilly next…but we'll see!

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