Best way to pack a block of chedder cheese?

[saltysack]

Leaving out Monday for section and hear people bring block cheese...I've been Leary but see its common practice...how do u pack-store it? Temp forecasted to be low 60's for highs and mid 30's lows....


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[Feral Bill]

Throw it in a plastic bag. Put that bag in your food bag. Eat it when you get hungry. It won't have time to get moldy.

[Another Kevin]

Hard cheese does 'sweat' oil and get slimy when it's wrapped tightly in plastic. (It's still safe, but messy and unappetizing.) It keeps better if some air can get at it.

So do what Grandmother did: wrap it in wax paper and then a brown paper bag, or even better, wrap it in cheesecloth that's been dampened in a bit of vinegar. That's why it's called cheesecloth: it's for wrapping cheese as well as for separating curd from whey. Hard cheese is still safe if it molds: just cut the moldy bit off and discard it.

Another possibility is to cut up the cheese into individual portions and dip them in hot wax. They'll keep a long time that way.

But really, Feral Bill is right, cheese doesn't last very long on the trail, not because of spoilage, but because of hiker appetite.

[Tipi Walter]

This is only relevant in hot weather---wrap it in a paper towel like Bounty and hold with rubber band. Put in ziplock.

[burger]

Any ziploc bag is fine. Just keep the cheese in it's original packaging in the ziploc---that will keep most of the oils from leaking out. You might get a little oil in the ziploc, but it's nothing to worry about.

[imscotty]

These Cheese threads always crack me up. Honestly, I just keep mine in a ziplock bag. My primary concern is keeping my gear oil and cheese free. Yes, if it is warm out it the cheese will sweat oil. No big deal, it still tastes delicious.

Kevin's advice on airing it is good, but I do not take such precautions. I've never been able to keep a piece of cheese long enough to let it go bad.

[saltysack]

Thx....I realize seems like dumb question


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[illabelle]

Thx....I realize seems like dumb question

There are no dumb questions. :)
Non-hikers (like my daughter) are horrified that we take perishables with us into the woods. On our last trip we had the all the following foods that normally are kept in my refrigerator: hard-boiled eggs, cheese (both shredded and sliced), vegetarian "meats" (burgers, sausage, bacon), chili, bread. Temps on the trail (in Mass) ranged from low 40s to upper 60s. Cheese did sweat a bit, and it was kinda hard to separate the slices, but we ate every bit of it.
I second Tipi's suggestion about paper towels. I often tuck half a paper towel into a zip lock to absorb excess moisture.

[hikernutcasey]

There are no dumb questions. :)
Non-hikers (like my daughter) are horrified that we take perishables with us into the woods. On our last trip we had the all the following foods that normally are kept in my refrigerator: hard-boiled eggs, cheese (both shredded and sliced), vegetarian "meats" (burgers, sausage, bacon), chili, bread.I get the "are you crazy" stares from my family and friends as well. I just laugh and say don't knock it 'till you've tried it :) There's not too many things better than being out for a few days and having cooked bacon or a good piece of cheese on the trail!

[Pedaling Fool]

Throw it in a plastic bag. Put that bag in your food bag. Eat it when you get hungry. It won't have time to get moldy.
That's been my experience. I know hard cheeses supposedly last longer, but I personally don't have a problem taking softer cheeses out on the trail.

[saltysack]

That's been my experience. I know hard cheeses supposedly last longer, but I personally don't have a problem taking softer cheeses out on the trail.

See u also live in AB


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[daddytwosticks]

I've had good luck wrapping in parchment paper then into a ziplock bag. :)

[QHShowoman]

Wrap it in cheese paper. As long as it's real cheese and not processed, the cheese paper will allow for adequate ventilation, which prevents all the moisture you get when you wrap cheese in plastic and keep it at room temps.

[Leanthree]

I had a brick of Cheddar last 6 days no problem in the desert. Daytime Highs in the 90s, overnight in the 40s.

[saltysack]

Thx all...I don't have any special papers....think I'll try what tipi said...wrap in paper towel put in plastic bag


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[Trailweaver]

Any of the above suggestions for "absorbing" the oil will work. I've kept it days on the trail and been fine. I smiled about the boiled eggs. I grew up in a farming area, and spent most of my time divided between two grandparent's houses in the summer - they were both farmers. Back then, they didn't refrigerate the eggs (raw). They used them in just a few days after they were gathered from the hen house/barn, and never thought anything about them sitting in a bowl on the counter. As for boiled eggs - we kept them several days (unfrigerated) in the Easter basket on the table at our house, eating one whenever the mood hit us. ; - ) We did discard the cracked ones.

I realize that most people are horified by this in this day and age of being hyper careful with food spoilage, but really, a few days without a refrigerator just isn't going to cause any harm, unless you're dealing with mayonaise. You just need to be careful with which food you take.

One other thing I've done is to take something down to the creek in a plastic bag, weight it, and "cool" it for a while in that way. Then you can extend the time it's out there.

[saltysack]

Forget dehydrated crap!! The 8oz block was dinner first 2 nights!! Seriously sharp cheddar and wheat thins my new favorite trail food....


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[Teacher & Snacktime]

"Why, why, THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!!! Is this Cheddar Cheese?"

"That's Chevy, Chevy Chase"

"Oh, well then.....................nevermind".


(I'm sorry....I just couldn't resist)

[Wise Old Owl]

uh wait ... has anyone rapped the water bladder in the pack in reflectix then dropped the block inside? I think not.

[bmanice]

a heavy duty ziploc with as much air sucked out as possible. air creates the environment for mold to grow. however its highly unlikely youll have a mold issue as your cheese will be gone before it can even start! :)

[saltysack]

a heavy duty ziploc with as much air sucked out as possible. air creates the environment for mold to grow. however its highly unlikely youll have a mold issue as your cheese will be gone before it can even start! :)

Yep ate for dinner first 2 nights....will bring a second block next time....cheese and crackers was a good dinner...


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