Question On Dehydrating Cheese.

[headchange4u]

I read somewhere that you can dehydrate cheese by grating it very fine and then drying it, ocasionally dabbing the cheese with a paper towel to remove excess fat.

What temp do you dry cheese at and for how long?

Has anyone very tried drying the packs of finely shredded cheese that are sold at Walmart (or other groceries)?

Anyone ever tried drying Feta cheese or other "softer" cheeses?

Can you dehydrate sour cream or cottage cheese?

Do you just add water to bring the cheese back?

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

I just spread it on a cookie sheet and let it air dry overnight.

[orangebug]

I just buy hard white cheese if I'm concerned about the extra weight. Cheese doesn't really go bad without refrigeration for a week or so. I'd rather spend the time on dehydrating veggies or fruits.

[hammock engineer]

Question, I thought I read somewhere that rehydrating milk is bad. Any thoughts?

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

I have used the cheese in recipes to bring up the protein content and add flavor - I doubt it would rehydrate well to be used as shredded cheese. Grated parmesan - the kind in a shaker container - travels well in a baggie and I've never had it spoil. As Orangebug notes, hard cheeses travel well and don't go bad for a week or so.

[headchange4u]

I am basically trying to replicate Adventure Food's Pimento Cheese Spread and Feta,Walnut, and Chive luncheon spread. If I could successfully dehydrate cheese many other recipes come to mind.

[Jester2000]

What's the problem with just carrying cheese? When you're hiking, there's no such thing as "extra fat." You want all the fat and some of someone else's. Isn't cheese already pretty much dehydrated (I mean, it used to be milk)?

[Fannypack]

What's the problem with just carrying cheese? When you're hiking, there's no such thing as "extra fat." You want all the fat and some of someone else's. Isn't cheese already pretty much dehydrated (I mean, it used to be milk)?
aren't u being tooooooooooo logical? is this the Jester with the hair clippers? the poet?

[headchange4u]

I guess what I am trying to do in the future is be able to go stoveless for short trips by having a totally cold prep menu. I am going to order some of the stuff from Adventure foods and try it out because they sound REALLY good, but in the long run I want to be able to make these items at home if possible.

[Jester2000]

aren't u being tooooooooooo logical? is this the Jester with the hair clippers? the poet?

Yeah, but, you know, at least 5% of my posts are serious.


I guess what I am trying to do in the future is be able to go stoveless for short trips by having a totally cold prep menu. I am going to order some of the stuff from Adventure foods and try it out because they sound REALLY good, but in the long run I want to be able to make these items at home if possible.

Hmmm. Gotcha. I guess we have different philosophies regarding eating.

[The Weasel]

"Dehydrating" cheese doesn't remove most of the "soft" weight. Cheese contains a high volume of fatty oils, which don't evaporate, but if left at room (or higher) temps will either melt (soft cheeses especially) or become rancid fairly rapidly (hard cheeses to a lesser extent). Think of what happens in a pizza oven.

The Weasel

[sarbar]

You can get commercially dried cheeses from www.beprepared.com that work really well. They have both dried and freezedried.

[Blue Jay]

Dehydrating cheese, sacriledge, that's comparable to dehydrating beer or pop tarts. Who would do such a thing?

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Feta,Walnut, and Chive luncheon spread.You might like this recipe: http://www.recipezaar.com/120049