Natural Rinds

Natural rinds are exactly what it sounds like. Cheese rind that does not have a permanent applied exterior made of foreign material for protection and conditioning during aging. Usually after a few weeks you will see mold growth. This can be contained by lightly brushing the rind. This will not completely eliminate the mold, but prevent it from damaging the rind and breaching the paste.

Here are some examples of techniques used when working with a natural rind cheese.

Oiled Rinds

Oiling the cheese rind is a technique utilizing food grade oil, usually olive oil, as a series of applied coats after a few weeks of drying the wheel. This oil layer not only protects from cheese mite infestation, but also can prevent any unwanted flora from growing on the cheese.

Washed Rind

“Washing” is a broader term used to describe cheese rinds that require specific

bacterial attention, or brining technique, by way of applying a brine solution to the

surface of the cheese for further external and internal bacteria development. The

paste of these cheese varieties can vary from soft and gooey to firm, depending on

the style.