Cheese Temp Safety Question

[s2k9k]

Well I think my fridge is on the fritz! I have about 10# of smoke cheese in it and I don't want to lose it. Right now the fridge is at 66* but I expect it will rise overnight and tomorrow. I was thawing a 9# pork butt in the fridge and I know it is trash right now along with some other stuff in there which I don't care about anymore but I don't want to lose my cheese. It is all vac/sealed so my question is at what temp will I lose it? I have a freezer but I don't want to freeze it, I can transfer to a cooler but the timing as it's getting late and I have to work tomorrow is not good.

 

[s2k9k]

Oh just want to add, your Maverick isn't just good for smoking but if you need to check the temp of you fridge or if you think it's on the fritz it really comes in handy!!!

 

[s2k9k]

I think all is good! The freezer was still working so the fridge never went above 69*. The defroster quit working and the coil froze over. I got it fixed temporarily but I need an $80 control board. It's down to 35* right now so I think the cheese is saved!!! WhooHoo!!!! Everything else is getting tossed though, not worth the risk over $20 - $30 worth of groceries!

 

[venture]

Better safe than sorry.

Here the night ambients might have been safer than that fridge.

Been there,done that.  Guess all that experience only comes with being an old fart?

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[ponderingturtle]

Cheese is best stored at higher than refrigerator temperatures anyway, about 50-55 degrees if you want a real cheese cave to age cheese.  So a brief stint at 66 should not hurt it too much.  Real cheese purists will refuse to cool cheese down to refrigerator temperatures as it ideally shouldn't be eaten that cold and should be given a good amount of time to warm up.

 

[daveomak]

 not worth the risk over $20 - $30 worth of groceries!  

You definitely have that right....   It's the 2 - 12 months of waiting that really pulls your chain in the wrong direction......  Time cannot be recovered, especially when aging cheese........