Cheese in a charcuterie chamber?

[LoydB]

Is anyone using the same chamber for both drying charcuterie and cheese? I'm wondering if cross contamination is an issue, the chamber is pretty well saturated with M-600 mold spores.

 

[indaswamp]

Yes, can be done... but you will need to put the cheese in a container to keep the RH% higher. Hard cheeses are easier to control cross contamination. Especially those dipped in salt water brine like Parmesan.

 

[LoydB]

Is 75-80% too low?

 

[indaswamp]

Is 75-80% too low?

Depends on the style of cheese you are making.. most like 80-98%RH. Which is why you need to put the cheese in a container with a small hole to raise the RH%

 

[indaswamp]

Good primer for cheese making...
https://cheesemaking.com/blogs/learn/faq-aging-cheese

 

[LoydB]

Thanks all!

 

[LoydB]

Practicing thread necromancy to give a one-year update.

1. You can use your charcuterie chamber for anything that is vac-sealed or aged in a container (camembert for instance). It ages perfectly.
2. If you want to do a natural rind (or a cloth-banded one) that requires 85%-90% humidity, you can't.
3. You can try to do a natural rind in a container, but it won't be as good as one done just sitting out on a shelf with a ton of air circulation.

I've basically turned my charcuterie cave into a cheese cave. I've got a ton of charcuterie already vac sealed, and we eat way more cheese than charcuterie. My plan is to get yet another freezer for charcuterie at some point.

I've got a small wine fridge where I store all of the vac-sealed wheels that have been cut open - this one only contains untouched wheels.

 

[indaswamp]

2. If you want to do a natural rind (or a cloth-banded one) that requires 85%-90% humidity, you can't.

My big maturing chamber that I build has the airflow return at the bottom of the chamber. The temps run about 2*F colder than higher up in the chamber...about 52-54*F, and the humidity is higher there as well, running 83-87%. Might be close enough for aging the hard cheeses I want to make. What do you think?

 

[LoydB]

My big maturing chamber that I build has the airflow return at the bottom of the chamber. The temps run about 2*F colder than higher up in the chamber...about 52-54*F, and the humidity is higher there as well, running 83-87%. Might be close enough for aging the hard cheeses I want to make. What do you think?

If you can keep it 85+ regularly you should be good. If the cheese starts cracking, then it’s too dry and should be vac sealed instead.