Cheese is a kitchen staple no matter if you are putting cheddar on a burger or some feta in a salad, but it often becomes brick-hard or even mouldy if it is not stored properly. It might seem simple to just wrap cheese up in plastic, but the experts at Yarra Valley Dairy have warned that this will cause cheese to spoil quickly.
They said: “Don’t use cling wrap. This makes cheese sweat. Don’t wrap the cheese back up in the paper or wrap it came in. It needs a fresh, clean environment so as not to deteriorate.” It can be a balancing act to keep cheese fresh, as it is highly sensitive to moisture and wrapping it in plastic encourages mould, while leaving it exposed causes it to dry out and become rubbery.
You also need to be careful about cross contamination as reusing packaging or the same knife from other foods can introduce bacteria into cheese which will speed up spoilage.
However, it is actually very easy to store keep it fresh for a long time, as you just need a little bit of baking paper.
Baking paper is made of material that allows just enough airflow into cheese to stop it becoming mouldy, and also the right amount of moisture to stop it becoming stale.
It is often recommended by cheesemongers to store cheese in baking paper as it will create a more balanced environment to keep it fresher for much longer.
The experts said: “Most cheese should be wrapped in baking paper or waxed cheese paper (if you can locate it) inside a sealed plastic container lined with dampened paper towel or cloth to control humidity and stop the cheeses from drying out.”
How to store cheese properly with baking paper
To begin, simple wrap your cheese in the baking paper. If it is a soft cheese, wrap it loosely so you so not squash it. However, Hard cheese are more likely to dry out, so wrap them up tightly. If you wish, you can also wrap hard cheese in a extra layer of tin foil for some extra protection.
Then, simply place in a airtight container with a lid. This helps create enough humidity while also protecting it from the dry air in the fridge.
You also place a paper towel or tea towel in the container to help control moisture. If the cheese seems to be drying out, lightly dampen the towel with water. On the other hand, if the cheese looks like it might develop mould, the towel will absorb any excess moisture to keep things balanced.
If you take five minutes to store cheese properly then it will stay fresh so you do not have to worry about wasting food and it can help save a little bit of money on your next food shop.