Wanted to leave a note to let you know that your videos are still a go-to resource for those who appreciate getting excellent, detailed instruction on food preparation and storage. I watched this video many years ago but am just now going to wax some cheese and so came back to watch again. Thank you for the time and effort you put into creating your UA-cam videos!
Katzcradul I just stumbled over this video! I have missed you so much!! I watched all your videos several years ago. When you stopped recording, I was devastated! I so wish you were back ‘online’! I never could find out where you ‘disappeared to’. I’m going to search out the videos from ‘my early days’ of food processing and go down memory lane with you. 😍
I know this is an old video, but I just found you so it's new to me and I am in awe of you! What an excellent teacher you are. So clear and concise. Thank you for all your good works.
You don't know how much I needed this this morning. 😭 Thanks for taking the time to come back and tell me and thanks for watching my videos. It means a lot to me.
@@carolynmoody9460 Thank you! Will do. Prepper A has now graduated from college and is working as a banker! (Skipped 2 grades in school so finished really young. Started college when just 16 years old.)
@@katzcradul oh how wonderful!!!!! thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing how she is (I think she was truly the first teenage STAR on Utube an loved by all how watched) once again thank you for the update
UA-camr Rain Country referenced/shared this video. After all this time, it is still relevant and begs for more videos especially in these times. Few people have these skills anymore. Very helpful.
My wife is overloaded and underpaid, as are most workers today. Since about 2007 I haven't been useful to the affluent as they prepare for their early retirements. I am a highly-skilled and motivated cabinetmaker who can't even work for what they pay undocumented foreign workers. Many weeks I worked 70-80 hrs-- now I work on my home projects with salvaged materials and make bread and wax cheese-- thanks to a wonderful and generous lady from a small town in middle America. Rapid change.
Yes, let the leftover wax harden in the pot. Remelt it the next time. The vinegar is to inhibit mold growth. The drying is to wick some of the water out of the cheese and to eliminate pooling of moisture in the wax.
I cannot believe this video has been out this long and I never tripped over it. This is my next preserving endeavor, and I thought I had seen all of your vids. Once again excellent video and thanks for the old world knowledge! You rock Kat.
I LOVE this video! Thanks sooooo much! My 7 year old has been fascinated with your videos! We have left our cheese out for 48 hours and will be waxing tomorrow! Same black wax we got at our local home brew store. We'll let you know how it goes and thanks again so much for the great info/ideas!
Hi, Just wanted to say hi from the UK, and thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. I'm new to food storage, and have just sucessfully (I hope) waxed my first 7 lumps of cheese. My family are somewhat skeptical of my efforts, but I'm quite chuffed with my little self. Thank you again for what you do. Sully
I have watched your videos and have learned a great deal. Thank you so very much for your time and effort. Please continue sharing, so many of us, especially me are soaking up everything you put out there.
Wanted to say thanks for this I did it & it was easy!My son is currently serving with the Marines in Afganistan and has always loved Spagetti O's with cheese.I sent him a care package with some pull top cans of the O's and a block of cheese with the directions on how to open it.Got email saying saving it for a special occassion-two days later I got one that said-"Just had spagetti O's with cheese and it was delightful! Like heaven!" All it said! So Thanks for helping me make his tour delightful!
This is a follow up to doing this about five- six months ago. We decided to taste some of the cheese you taught me to re-wax, and it turned out to be super yummy. It turned simple, cheap, mild cheddar into wonderful strong, sharp cheddar. My family ate two chunks in just a few minutes which tells me its a yes, yes for storage. Thanks again. I will be doing this much more now that we have tested it.
Miss you & your videos - Hope all is well - thx much for all your wonderfully clear instructions - on ALL your videos - I have saved them for reference over the years, they are a wonderful resource.
So glad to find your videos again. You were one of the first people I discovered years ago with all your DIY projects. Someone recommended your channel for dry canning ground beef. Haven’t found it yet but so glad to find this one. Mystery solved on how to preserve cheese. Thank you.
Rain country told us to day to come an learn more about cheese waxing...p.s. I miss your videos very much an would love to know how you an prepper A is doing!!!
Thank you so much. Ordered more wax for the remaining 4 blocks of cheese which will arrive on Tuesday (Oct.25,2022) so our blocks should be good & dry by then - no I will not forget the vinegar. Thank you again - this frees up a lot of space in the fridge. Judi
Thank you so much for your videos. You have opened my eyes to things I had forgotten, and a lot more things that I didn't know. I am saving so much money by doing these things and not buying the pre made items from the store. People do not realize how they are being ripped off by manufacturers and we don't realize
I waxed my first batch (a small one) a couple of weeks ago--super, so far. I didn't leave mine to dry much over 12 hours, though, because I live in the desert, and things dry very quickly here. My cheese was beginning to show a very dry edge, and was beginning to warp a little. I looked at the web site for the black cheese wax you use, but their shipping cost for my area was waaaay more than the price of the wax, so I ended up buying red (which was the darkest color they had) from Hoegger Farms, a sheep oriented site. Good price, good shipping cost, good customer service. Thank you for this video (and the others you've posted). You have broadened my horizons, and encouraged me to do things I didn't know could be done. I've been giving canned cream cheese and jam as Christmas gifts--next year, they'll get waxed cheese, too!
I don't take the wax off. Usually the build up of water will make the wax crack a little, in one spot. I just hold that spot over a bowl and gently squeeze any of the water out, dry the area with a paper towel, and re-wax just that spot. Works like a charm.
@carefulcarpenter I am touched by your comment. All I knew what that I have great peace of mind in knowing how to do a lot of things for myself. I've studied long and hard, for many years, not only to learn the things I know, but to hone my skills. My hope was that I could communicate this information in a way that was clear and concise, and that would inspire and encourage others to expand their skill set. UA-cam has been a great venue for me. I love this prepping community. Thanks!
My cheese weeps too, on occasions. Dry the moisture and rotate the block of cheese. I do not usually re-wax anything. If on cracks open, I just use it. You don't usually have to cut anything thing away. The part that was dry when you waxed is perfectly usable. No, you should not need to dry it any longer.
It really just depends on how much moisture is in your cheese, but yes, if you could keep a little hole in one of the corners, and then sit them all in a " v " shaped rack, I think you could evacuate all the moisture and then in a week or so, seal up the hole. It's worth a shot.
I Love this Video. I just opened 3 of my cheeses that I waxed early in October of 2015. Thank You So much for this Video. Your Method is what I used. All three were a success. I did do an expensive Mozarella and it tastes like a Monterey jack. but it Was cheap. :) I did a Mild and it's definitely little more than medium now. I also had a yummy KerryGold cheese that I did... AWESOME!!!! Tomorrow I am waxing my third time but second 'haul' of cheeses. A KerryGold Irish Cheese, and a Darigold Medium White Cheddar that I got at $1.33/lb. So Excited. It is going to taste Awesome. I have a crockpot that I chose just for this and it's the perfect size/depth. My Black wax comes from The Beverage People. I Love it. Thank You Thank You again for this GREAT Instructional Video!
Great in depth video! I never thought that using black wax would be somehow better than the other colors. I might just have to buy some when I finally make a hard cheese. Thanks for sharing!
I had never thought about about saving the wax or letting it sit outside of the fridge for all of that time! I am going to have to take a thermometer around and see if I can find a spot that is cool enough in the summer. Food for thought!
That was a great video Katzcradul. I think i will give waxing cheese a try thanks to you. This will help me in the near future when I start my preps. Please keep making videos that will help people like me learn ways to prep. Again Thanks
I am so serious! How did I NOT get subscribed to you before!?! I mean, I really thought I DID! I'm gonna have to set some time aside and watch ALL your stuff! Love this one!
@KGaver617 I think I was using a store brand cheddar. I'm planning to make a trip to Sam's Club to purchase some big wedges of good Parmesan cheese. I think it would wax beautifully, and it's very low in moisture. Thanks for commenting. Great buy on your chesse! I love that!
@desertprepper1 Jack and jalapeno jack will work. I don't recommend mozzarella...it's just too soft. Wiping you cheese with vinegar to store in the fridge might help you. The best tip I can give you for storing cheese in the fridge is 1) don't wrap it too tightly...it likes to breath and 2) try not to touch it, the part that going back in the fridge, with your bare hands. To be honest we usually store our cheddar on the counter. I'll make a follow up video tomorrow to show you what I do.
In general, the high acidity, low moisture, and lack of air exchange will be all you need to keep nasty things from growing. There ARE lower acidity cheeses that cannot be aged this way, but in general, cheeses in the cheddar family hit the acidity targets for canning (Which is what keeps stuff from growing there once you remove the air exchange by sealing the jar).
Great vid. Who knew waxing cheese could be that easy? You did a great job explaining the process. Thanks for showing the problem with the "wet" cheese. I'm sure that I wouldn't have known what to do if mine turned out that way and probably would have thought it was ruined. lol.
Correct. Cheddars especially are *meant* to be aged that long and (provided a sufficiently large size) can be aged that long without any wrapping at all, the rind of the cheese on the outside providing protection (similar to waxing) to the cheese on the inside. If you want a rindless cheese (thereby reducing "wasted" cheese that has molded and dried out, but formed a protective barrier to the internal cheese block) then you can wax or vacuum seal.
Thank you so much for your informative video. I will be doing this today. I bought wax a few years ago when I first watched this and never got around to doing it. Your advice and experience will save me some hassles!! Fall is the perfect time for me to do this because we have very hot summers where my house is often in the 90's so too hot for storing out of the fridge. But I can store it all fall/winter long.
Don't worry about the bubbles on the surface. They're benign. Some cheese has more moisture than others, that they way the cheese manufacturer makes more money. If it's weeping, there's a tiny crack somewhere. Hold your cheese up and tilt it in several directions. You'll probably find where it's coming from. You can squeeze lightly, and get most of the moisture out. If you don't see any visible cracks, store it back like it was. A crack may form eventually & you can just re-wax that spot.
I just leave it in the pot it was melted in. I bought a small pot at a garage sale and it's my designated 'wax pot'. I just let the pot and wax cool, and when it's firm, I store it on a shelf in my workroom. Simple.
Sure you can store it in the fridge, but I'd store it unwaxed. It will keep for a very long time in the fridge. I have some in mine that's 2 years old....looks and tastes great. The danger is from the wax catching fire. You're welcome...I'm always happy to answer questions.
It's only hot for 2 months out of the year. So I could store it in the fridge for those months & the rest of the year out of the fridge. I already store cheese in the fridge for 6 months or more by vacuum sealing, so I'm really looking for a long term storage that doesn't require the fridge. I will probably do some dehydrating too, but not as crazy about that. Either way, I still love that I can buy a mild & end up with sharp! When cooking, you can use less of the sharp b/c of the extra flavor
Thank, Katzcradul, for holding my hand as I do my first dipping. I'm looking forward to not only for my future delicious cheese needs for pasta to tacos, but what a great holiday gift, waxed cheese :)
+katzcradul I will let you know in about six months. Do you do a batch on a three-month rotation so that you have constant waxed cheese? I cut up and did a 5-pound block of mild cheddar. Thank you for writing and asking !
That happens to me sometimes too. You just got a batch of cheese that had a lot of water in it. What I do is just let them weep-out and then re-wax the spot where the liquid wept out. I hope that makes sense.
great info! was waiting for this vid and almost missed it... off to look for the follow-up vid... i am really enjoying and benefiting from your info.... so glad i found you!
@thewheatguy I DON'T KNOW! LOL I have followed Bexarprepper for a long time and have been subscribed to her since I saw her first video. We're friends now, and she just realized yesterday that after all this time, she was not subscribed to me. She had the same reaction as you. Too funny. Thanks for watching.
Wow---another GREAT idea and executed beautifully and clearly. I had one failed attempt at making my own cheese (which is what brought me to YT to begin with!), but plan to try again in the near future. Now I am definitely going to try this on store-bought cheese until I can successfully make my own to wax. Thank You, Thank You, Thank YOU!!
All the wax is reusable, it's just that I feel like I can see the yellow cheese shining through a thin spot in the black wax better than I can with the yellow or red. If I see the was is thin in one spot, I can re-wax that area.
Great video. Thanks so much for showing six months post waxing. I would have thought I did something wrong, and then given it to the chickens. Again, thanks for the knowledge.
You are a really good teacher. I have looked you up specifically on waxing cheese several times because other people aren't as clear and they're painting it on with a brush and I just personally prefer your method. What I haven't figured out is where to store it? Mice can chew through wax. Where do you store your waxed cheese? My other fridge is full.
+Cathy Anderson I store it in the coolest room in my house. I take other measures to be certain I don't have mice in my food storage area. That is essential and ongoing.
Thanks again for another great way to store long term well kinda of. A couple of yrs will do that is if it last that long with my family. I already did the canning cheese and worked great. You are such a blessing and hugs to you. Cheryl
Thanks Katz. That makes snese. I haven't tasted it yet as it has only been about 6 weks since I have waxed it. I am waiting for another month before I try some. Smiles.
Of course, the cooler the better, but you might be o.k. at 75 degrees. I think my temp has been up that high as well. You'll just have to experiment and see what you think.
What a great video! Thank you so much for taking the time to share that with us, I can't wait to try it!! I am especially excited to try the parmesan cheese, wow, so many possibilities!
I agree with snookie65. Because Linda pays so much attention to you, and I found her before I found you, I now pressure can and WILL be waxing cheese. I've told her, that because of the canning skills I've learned, I was able to save my husband and I from going without meals for a 4 month period. We'd go weeks without grocery shopping (not as an experiment, but because we couldn't afford it). So thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Awsome vid i have been interested in waxin cheese and have read some on the subject but now im not as intemidated by it you make it look so easy thanks and God Bless
@michiganmadmax Stock up on mice and rat traps!!! I've never had a problem with any varmint trying to get to my cheese. Seriously, if you have a rodent problem, and you store food, I would have mouse traps set at all times. I'm going to do a follow up video today and try and answer a few additional questions. Thanks for commenting.
I've never done that, but it would be an interesting experiment. I would be a little concerned about 'case hardening', where the outside gets totally hard a seals up moisture on the inside of the food. If you do it, I would do it at a very low temperature and would still use the vinegar wash on the outside.
RAIN COUNTRY GAVE YOU A SHOT OUT FOR THIS VIDEO 👍 came back to rewatch..miss you dearly..do a quick video to let us know how you an prepper A are doing.. Blessings ❤️
@michiganmadmax You can wax as big of a piece as you want. If it's a huge piece and you want to wax it by dipping it like I did, you'll need a good bit of wax. The other option is to brush the wax on. I only want to wax a pieces that are the size I expect to use in just a couple of day. I don't want to have a lot of cheese just sitting around. All of the cheese is usable. There is nothing that has to be cut off.
First, I must have missed something because I didn't realize you store your waxed cheese out of the fridge until I read all the comments. Fascinating! I don't have a room under 75 degrees so is the fridge an option? Second, you said that if you get the wax too hot it is a danger. Dangerous for health safety with the cheese or a fire hazard? I sure appreciate all the questions you answer in the comment section.
I'm planning on doing this as soon as I get my wax. I just scored a buy-one-get-one-free deal on 8 oz. cheese blocks, (which I'd been waiting for ever since I saw this vid!). It's the store brand, so I hope it won't be of the water-filled variety. Wish me luck!!
many thanks... i eat cheese a lot, almost everyday, in one recipe or other and just yesterday i was sitting in my kitchen wondering about long term cheese storage and presto-blammo i find your vid :)
I make my own cheese, and I use vacuum sealing instead of waxing to preserve my cheeses as they age. The same principals are in play (Anaerobic environment, for the most part.) I have my cheddars aging for a year or two in vacuum sealed packages and they age very well that way. I prefer the vacuum sealed plastic because it is more durable (though more expensive) than wax. Wax breathes a little more than a vac pack, but the preservation principal is about the same.
Great all I need is some wax..I have had a block of Jack cheese in my fridge unopened for awhile wondering how I can store it once its opened. TY for the video!
Wow! This is a great video...very educational! Thanks so much for this!! Can't wait to try it. I'm ordering some wax today!! I LOVE sharp cheese & am so excited that I can buy the cheaper mild & end up w/ sharp! What if you can't keep it in a cool place? I live in CA & it gets over 100 here regularly in the summer. We leave the a/c at about 76 - 78, but sometimes I think it gets a bit hotter in parts of the house like as hot as 80 or 85.
gm I didn't see this video imtill 255sage(linda) mentioned it had to come look I will be trying this soon and having help from my son and daughter n law its great to teach your children to do the things you want to pass on tell prepper they did a great job filming its nice to be able to see every thing so well with a steady hand I have a hard time seeing when the camera is flying all over the place zooming in and out great video looking forward to more great videos blessings :)
thank you for posting this. :-) i've been thinking about canning cheese for a couple of years, but this looks like so much less work.... i'm going to give it a try. and while i'm ordering the wax, i might as well order the other stuff to make cheese (which i've been wanting to try for at least the last decade, lol)
You are excellent. I have learned a great deal from your videos. Questions- Will waxing yogurt and bree cheeses work well? They can be on the soft side, but I would like to preserve assorted cheeses long term. Do all waxed cheeses need to be refrigerated or can I keep them in a cool dry place? I am a newbie and love food preservation. Thank you, Teri
+Teri Guerin Sorry, it's a 'no' on the yogurt and bree cheeses. They're just too soft. Yes, you can leave them in a cool dry place. Thanks for watching.
Wanted to leave a note to let you know that your videos are still a go-to resource for those who appreciate getting excellent, detailed instruction on food preparation and storage. I watched this video many years ago but am just now going to wax some cheese and so came back to watch again. Thank you for the time and effort you put into creating your UA-cam videos!
Thank you so much! I appreciate your kind comment.
Katzcradul I just stumbled over this video! I have missed you so much!! I watched all your videos several years ago. When you stopped recording, I was devastated! I so wish you were back ‘online’! I never could find out where you ‘disappeared to’. I’m going to search out the videos from ‘my early days’ of food processing and go down memory lane with you. 😍
It’s 2024- October. I’m going to start wax in cheese myself. I’m so happy I saw this, as I’d toss that cheese
I know this is an old video, but I just found you so it's new to me and I am in awe of you! What an excellent teacher you are. So clear and concise. Thank you for all your good works.
Sent over by Heidi from Rain Country. Thank you for the great info💙
came back to say that even though you no longer do videos your channel keeps on giving an giving a wealth of knowledge do the UA-cam world
You don't know how much I needed this this morning. 😭 Thanks for taking the time to come back and tell me and thanks for watching my videos. It means a lot to me.
@@katzcradul please tell pepper A as well..My God bless you and your family..MERRY CHRISTMAS MY UTUBE FRIEND..MUCH LOVE FROM MISSOURI
@@carolynmoody9460 Thank you! Will do. Prepper A has now graduated from college and is working as a banker! (Skipped 2 grades in school so finished really young. Started college when just 16 years old.)
@@katzcradul oh how wonderful!!!!! thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing how she is (I think she was truly the first teenage STAR on Utube an loved by all how watched) once again thank you for the update
UA-camr Rain Country referenced/shared this video. After all this time, it is still relevant and begs for more videos especially in these times. Few people have these skills anymore. Very helpful.
My wife is overloaded and underpaid, as are most workers today. Since about 2007 I haven't been useful to the affluent as they prepare for their early retirements. I am a highly-skilled and motivated cabinetmaker who can't even work for what they pay undocumented foreign workers. Many weeks I worked 70-80 hrs-- now I work on my home projects with salvaged materials and make bread and wax cheese-- thanks to a wonderful and generous lady from a small town in middle America. Rapid change.
Yes, let the leftover wax harden in the pot. Remelt it the next time. The vinegar is to inhibit mold growth. The drying is to wick some of the water out of the cheese and to eliminate pooling of moisture in the wax.
I cannot believe this video has been out this long and I never tripped over it.
This is my next preserving endeavor, and I thought I had seen all of your vids.
Once again excellent video and thanks for the old world knowledge!
You rock Kat.
I LOVE this video! Thanks sooooo much! My 7 year old has been fascinated with your videos! We have left our cheese out for 48 hours and will be waxing tomorrow! Same black wax we got at our local home brew store. We'll let you know how it goes and thanks again so much for the great info/ideas!
Hi,
Just wanted to say hi from the UK, and thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. I'm new to food storage, and have just sucessfully (I hope) waxed my first 7 lumps of cheese. My family are somewhat skeptical of my efforts, but I'm quite chuffed with my little self. Thank you again for what you do.
Sully
Thank you SO MUCH for telling me this. It made my day...totally. May God keep your son in his tender care until his return home.
I have watched your videos and have learned a great deal. Thank you so very much for your time and effort. Please continue sharing, so many of us, especially me are soaking up everything you put out there.
Wanted to say thanks for this I did it & it was easy!My son is currently serving with the Marines in Afganistan and has always loved Spagetti O's with cheese.I sent him a care package with some pull top cans of the O's and a block of cheese with the directions on how to open it.Got email saying saving it for a special occassion-two days later I got one that said-"Just had spagetti O's with cheese and it was delightful! Like heaven!" All it said! So Thanks for helping me make his tour delightful!
This is a follow up to doing this about five- six months ago. We decided to taste some of the cheese you taught me to re-wax, and it turned out to be super yummy. It turned simple, cheap, mild cheddar into wonderful strong, sharp cheddar. My family ate two chunks in just a few minutes which tells me its a yes, yes for storage. Thanks again. I will be doing this much more now that we have tested it.
Miss you & your videos - Hope all is well - thx much for all your wonderfully clear instructions - on ALL your videos - I have saved them for reference over the years, they are a wonderful resource.
So glad to find your videos again. You were one of the first people I discovered years ago with all your DIY projects.
Someone recommended your channel for dry canning ground beef. Haven’t found it yet but so glad to find this one. Mystery solved on how to preserve cheese. Thank you.
Thank you so much for watching and re-watching my videos.
Katz...that was reeeeally awesome and inspiring! You are such a thorough and great teacher! Love 'ya!
Rain country told us to day to come an learn more about cheese waxing...p.s. I miss your videos very much an would love to know how you an prepper A is doing!!!
Rain Country Homestead sent me to this video on 9-27-21, going to try waxing some cheese soon!👍🏻
Same here👋🏼♥️
Thank you so much. Ordered more wax for the remaining 4 blocks of cheese which will arrive on Tuesday (Oct.25,2022) so our blocks should be good & dry by then - no I will not forget the vinegar. Thank you again - this frees up a lot of space in the fridge. Judi
Thank you so much for your videos. You have opened my eyes to things I had forgotten, and a lot more things that I didn't know. I am saving so much money by doing these things and not buying the pre made items from the store. People do not realize how they are being ripped off by manufacturers and we don't realize
I waxed my first batch (a small one) a couple of weeks ago--super, so far. I didn't leave mine to dry much over 12 hours, though, because I live in the desert, and things dry very quickly here. My cheese was beginning to show a very dry edge, and was beginning to warp a little. I looked at the web site for the black cheese wax you use, but their shipping cost for my area was waaaay more than the price of the wax, so I ended up buying red (which was the darkest color they had) from Hoegger Farms, a sheep oriented site. Good price, good shipping cost, good customer service. Thank you for this video (and the others you've posted). You have broadened my horizons, and encouraged me to do things I didn't know could be done. I've been giving canned cream cheese and jam as Christmas gifts--next year, they'll get waxed cheese, too!
Loved your comment...thanks for taking the time to write. Sounds like your doing so many cool, new things. That's what I love to hear!
I don't take the wax off. Usually the build up of water will make the wax crack a little, in one spot. I just hold that spot over a bowl and gently squeeze any of the water out, dry the area with a paper towel, and re-wax just that spot. Works like a charm.
@carefulcarpenter I am touched by your comment. All I knew what that I have great peace of mind in knowing how to do a lot of things for myself. I've studied long and hard, for many years, not only to learn the things I know, but to hone my skills. My hope was that I could communicate this information in a way that was clear and concise, and that would inspire and encourage others to expand their skill set. UA-cam has been a great venue for me. I love this prepping community. Thanks!
It all gets sharper as it ages...but I love that! So great that you have a cheese company nearby.
I have watched this video before. I have my wax. Rain Country sent me back to rewatch. Thank you for all you teach. God bless.
My cheese weeps too, on occasions. Dry the moisture and rotate the block of cheese. I do not usually re-wax anything. If on cracks open, I just use it. You don't usually have to cut anything thing away. The part that was dry when you waxed is perfectly usable. No, you should not need to dry it any longer.
It really just depends on how much moisture is in your cheese, but yes, if you could keep a little hole in one of the corners, and then sit them all in a " v " shaped rack, I think you could evacuate all the moisture and then in a week or so, seal up the hole. It's worth a shot.
I Love this Video. I just opened 3 of my cheeses that I waxed early in October of 2015. Thank You So much for this Video. Your Method is what I used. All three were a success. I did do an expensive Mozarella and it tastes like a Monterey jack. but it Was cheap. :) I did a Mild and it's definitely little more than medium now. I also had a yummy KerryGold cheese that I did... AWESOME!!!! Tomorrow I am waxing my third time but second 'haul' of cheeses. A KerryGold Irish Cheese, and a Darigold Medium White Cheddar that I got at $1.33/lb. So Excited. It is going to taste Awesome. I have a crockpot that I chose just for this and it's the perfect size/depth. My Black wax comes from The Beverage People. I Love it.
Thank You Thank You again for this GREAT Instructional Video!
+Deanna Stevens LOVE your comment! I'm so glad this has proven a success for you. Thanks for watching.
Great in depth video! I never thought that using black wax would be somehow better than the other colors. I might just have to buy some when I finally make a hard cheese. Thanks for sharing!
Hey, Ken! So go to have you aboard. I hope you learn lots of information that will be useful to you. Thanks for commenting.
I had never thought about about saving the wax or letting it sit outside of the fridge for all of that time! I am going to have to take a thermometer around and see if I can find a spot that is cool enough in the summer. Food for thought!
I had that happen to me too. It helps to let the wax harden good between coats. I always just rewax over the cracks.
That was a great video Katzcradul. I think i will give waxing cheese a try thanks to you. This will help me in the near future when I start my preps. Please keep making videos that will help people like me learn ways to prep. Again Thanks
I am so serious! How did I NOT get subscribed to you before!?! I mean, I really thought I DID! I'm gonna have to set some time aside and watch ALL your stuff!
Love this one!
@KGaver617 I think I was using a store brand cheddar. I'm planning to make a trip to Sam's Club to purchase some big wedges of good Parmesan cheese. I think it would wax beautifully, and it's very low in moisture. Thanks for commenting. Great buy on your chesse! I love that!
I love to catch you on you tube, you have taught me so very much...thanks.
+paperroses352 Kaufman Thanks! I hope to be posting more real soon.
I've tried to wax cheese only to have it weep,( you make it look so easy), I'm going to give it another try. Thanks for the video.
@desertprepper1 Jack and jalapeno jack will work. I don't recommend mozzarella...it's just too soft. Wiping you cheese with vinegar to store in the fridge might help you. The best tip I can give you for storing cheese in the fridge is 1) don't wrap it too tightly...it likes to breath and 2) try not to touch it, the part that going back in the fridge, with your bare hands. To be honest we usually store our cheddar on the counter. I'll make a follow up video tomorrow to show you what I do.
In general, the high acidity, low moisture, and lack of air exchange will be all you need to keep nasty things from growing. There ARE lower acidity cheeses that cannot be aged this way, but in general, cheeses in the cheddar family hit the acidity targets for canning (Which is what keeps stuff from growing there once you remove the air exchange by sealing the jar).
You're so welcome. I'm glad you've found information you can use on my channel.
Great vid. Who knew waxing cheese could be that easy? You did a great job explaining the process. Thanks for showing the problem with the "wet" cheese. I'm sure that I wouldn't have known what to do if mine turned out that way and probably would have thought it was ruined. lol.
Correct. Cheddars especially are *meant* to be aged that long and (provided a sufficiently large size) can be aged that long without any wrapping at all, the rind of the cheese on the outside providing protection (similar to waxing) to the cheese on the inside. If you want a rindless cheese (thereby reducing "wasted" cheese that has molded and dried out, but formed a protective barrier to the internal cheese block) then you can wax or vacuum seal.
Thank you so much for your informative video. I will be doing this today. I bought wax a few years ago when I first watched this and never got around to doing it. Your advice and experience will save me some hassles!! Fall is the perfect time for me to do this because we have very hot summers where my house is often in the 90's so too hot for storing out of the fridge. But I can store it all fall/winter long.
Don't worry about the bubbles on the surface. They're benign. Some cheese has more moisture than others, that they way the cheese manufacturer makes more money. If it's weeping, there's a tiny crack somewhere. Hold your cheese up and tilt it in several directions. You'll probably find where it's coming from. You can squeeze lightly, and get most of the moisture out. If you don't see any visible cracks, store it back like it was. A crack may form eventually & you can just re-wax that spot.
What a wonderful Video!!! I cannot wait to try this on cheese. We love our cheese.
Thank you so much for sharing such great tips with your viewers!
I just leave it in the pot it was melted in. I bought a small pot at a garage sale and it's my designated 'wax pot'. I just let the pot and wax cool, and when it's firm, I store it on a shelf in my workroom. Simple.
Sure you can store it in the fridge, but I'd store it unwaxed. It will keep for a very long time in the fridge. I have some in mine that's 2 years old....looks and tastes great. The danger is from the wax catching fire. You're welcome...I'm always happy to answer questions.
It's only hot for 2 months out of the year. So I could store it in the fridge for those months & the rest of the year out of the fridge. I already store cheese in the fridge for 6 months or more by vacuum sealing, so I'm really looking for a long term storage that doesn't require the fridge. I will probably do some dehydrating too, but not as crazy about that. Either way, I still love that I can buy a mild & end up with sharp! When cooking, you can use less of the sharp b/c of the extra flavor
Thank, Katzcradul, for holding my hand as I do my first dipping. I'm looking forward to not only for my future delicious cheese needs for pasta to tacos, but what a great holiday gift, waxed cheese :)
+Steven Kosmata Thanks for watching Steven. I hope all went well.
+katzcradul I will let you know in about six months. Do you do a batch on a three-month rotation so that you have constant waxed cheese? I cut up and did a 5-pound block of mild cheddar. Thank you for writing and asking !
Steven Kosmata I do it whenever there's a big sale on cheese.
I have been thinking of a good way to store cheese.... and thanks for this video. You have helped me alot. Thanks.
That happens to me sometimes too. You just got a batch of cheese that had a lot of water in it. What I do is just let them weep-out and then re-wax the spot where the liquid wept out. I hope that makes sense.
great info! was waiting for this vid and almost missed it... off to look for the follow-up vid... i am really enjoying and benefiting from your info.... so glad i found you!
@thewheatguy I DON'T KNOW! LOL I have followed Bexarprepper for a long time and have been subscribed to her since I saw her first video. We're friends now, and she just realized yesterday that after all this time, she was not subscribed to me. She had the same reaction as you. Too funny. Thanks for watching.
Wow---another GREAT idea and executed beautifully and clearly. I had one failed attempt at making my own cheese (which is what brought me to YT to begin with!), but plan to try again in the near future. Now I am definitely going to try this on store-bought cheese until I can successfully make my own to wax. Thank You, Thank You, Thank YOU!!
All the wax is reusable, it's just that I feel like I can see the yellow cheese shining through a thin spot in the black wax better than I can with the yellow or red. If I see the was is thin in one spot, I can re-wax that area.
Great video. Thanks so much for showing six months post waxing. I would have thought I did something wrong, and then given it to the chickens. Again, thanks for the knowledge.
You are a really good teacher. I have looked you up specifically on waxing cheese several times because other people aren't as clear and they're painting it on with a brush and I just personally prefer your method. What I haven't figured out is where to store it? Mice can chew through wax. Where do you store your waxed cheese? My other fridge is full.
+Cathy Anderson I store it in the coolest room in my house. I take other measures to be certain I don't have mice in my food storage area. That is essential and ongoing.
Thanks again for another great way to store long term well kinda of. A couple of yrs will do that is if it last that long with my family. I already did the canning cheese and worked great. You are such a blessing and hugs to you. Cheryl
Thanks Katz. That makes snese. I haven't tasted it yet as it has only been about 6 weks since I have waxed it. I am waiting for another month before I try some. Smiles.
you do a great job explaining to us beginners, keep it up.
Estou maratonando todos os seu vídeos e fazendo as conservas em casa. Gratidão imensa.
Of course, the cooler the better, but you might be o.k. at 75 degrees. I think my temp has been up that high as well. You'll just have to experiment and see what you think.
This is AMAZING! I had no idea a person could preserve cheese! I'm so excited to try this! Thank you for sharing!
What a great video! Thank you so much for taking the time to share that with us, I can't wait to try it!! I am especially excited to try the parmesan cheese, wow, so many possibilities!
I agree with snookie65. Because Linda pays so much attention to you, and I found her before I found you, I now pressure can and WILL be waxing cheese. I've told her, that because of the canning skills I've learned, I was able to save my husband and I from going without meals for a 4 month period. We'd go weeks without grocery shopping (not as an experiment, but because we couldn't afford it). So thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
5# should be plenty to start with. I do turn my cheese. It really helps, in my opinion. Thanks for watching and for leaving a comment.
Awsome vid i have been interested in waxin cheese and have read some on the subject but now im not as intemidated by it you make it look so easy thanks and God Bless
The most practical and useful video I found on the subject. Thanks!
@michiganmadmax Stock up on mice and rat traps!!! I've never had a problem with any varmint trying to get to my cheese. Seriously, if you have a rodent problem, and you store food, I would have mouse traps set at all times. I'm going to do a follow up video today and try and answer a few additional questions. Thanks for commenting.
I've never done that, but it would be an interesting experiment. I would be a little concerned about 'case hardening', where the outside gets totally hard a seals up moisture on the inside of the food. If you do it, I would do it at a very low temperature and would still use the vinegar wash on the outside.
I am going to try this as soon as the wax comes in! thanks so much, Lynn
We love it too! Glad it turned out well for you. It's just wonderful to cook with too.
Very helpful. Thanks for taking the time to show the process.
RAIN COUNTRY GAVE YOU A SHOT OUT FOR THIS VIDEO 👍 came back to rewatch..miss you dearly..do a quick video to let us know how you an prepper A are doing.. Blessings ❤️
@michiganmadmax You can wax as big of a piece as you want. If it's a huge piece and you want to wax it by dipping it like I did, you'll need a good bit of wax. The other option is to brush the wax on. I only want to wax a pieces that are the size I expect to use in just a couple of day. I don't want to have a lot of cheese just sitting around. All of the cheese is usable. There is nothing that has to be cut off.
@sherldoe A lot! It all depends on how you cut your cheese and how much surface area there is.
First, I must have missed something because I didn't realize you store your waxed cheese out of the fridge until I read all the comments. Fascinating! I don't have a room under 75 degrees so is the fridge an option? Second, you said that if you get the wax too hot it is a danger. Dangerous for health safety with the cheese or a fire hazard? I sure appreciate all the questions you answer in the comment section.
I'm planning on doing this as soon as I get my wax. I just scored a buy-one-get-one-free deal on 8 oz. cheese blocks, (which I'd been waiting for ever since I saw this vid!). It's the store brand, so I hope it won't be of the water-filled variety. Wish me luck!!
many thanks... i eat cheese a lot, almost everyday, in one recipe or other and just yesterday i was sitting in my kitchen wondering about long term cheese storage and presto-blammo i find your vid :)
Thank you for you nice comment. I appreciate it and glad you like my videos. Yes, you can reuse the wax on store bought cheese...it's the same.
I make my own cheese, and I use vacuum sealing instead of waxing to preserve my cheeses as they age. The same principals are in play (Anaerobic environment, for the most part.) I have my cheddars aging for a year or two in vacuum sealed packages and they age very well that way. I prefer the vacuum sealed plastic because it is more durable (though more expensive) than wax. Wax breathes a little more than a vac pack, but the preservation principal is about the same.
thanks for the video. I had never thought of waxing cheese.
You rock miss!
Funny how there's always a naysayer. Cheese has been stored this way for hundreds of years.
It probably will fill in the indentations, but when you pull the wax off, it should pull right out. No problem.
Great all I need is some wax..I have had a block of Jack cheese in my fridge unopened for awhile wondering how I can store it once its opened. TY for the video!
Wow this is a great idea I don't think I have seen anybody else do a video like this before thanks for the info
Wow! This is a great video...very educational! Thanks so much for this!! Can't wait to try it. I'm ordering some wax today!! I LOVE sharp cheese & am so excited that I can buy the cheaper mild & end up w/ sharp! What if you can't keep it in a cool place? I live in CA & it gets over 100 here regularly in the summer. We leave the a/c at about 76 - 78, but sometimes I think it gets a bit hotter in parts of the house like as hot as 80 or 85.
gm I didn't see this video imtill 255sage(linda) mentioned it had to come look I will be trying this soon and having help from my son and daughter n law its great to teach your children to do the things you want to pass on tell prepper they did a great job filming its nice to be able to see every thing so well with a steady hand I have a hard time seeing when the camera is flying all over the place zooming in and out great video looking forward to more great videos blessings :)
What a great idea-- especially for backpacking. How about keeping a full block from the store on a shelf to age?
I've never done pepper jack, but I believe it would work.
Thanks, Katz, I think I will. If it works well, I'll let you know. :-)
Can't wait for a good sale on chez now. I am learning so much from you and others. Thanks so much!
I never thought of recycling the wax. Thanks for the vid. Exellent info.
thank you for posting this. :-)
i've been thinking about canning cheese for a couple of years, but this looks like so much less work.... i'm going to give it a try. and while i'm ordering the wax, i might as well order the other stuff to make cheese (which i've been wanting to try for at least the last decade, lol)
I can't wait to try this. I'll be ordering wax soon. Please continue making videos.
You are excellent. I have learned a great deal from your videos. Questions- Will waxing yogurt and bree cheeses work well? They can be on the soft side, but I would like to preserve assorted cheeses long term. Do all waxed cheeses need to be refrigerated or can I keep them in a cool dry place? I am a newbie and love food preservation. Thank you, Teri
+Teri Guerin Sorry, it's a 'no' on the yogurt and bree cheeses. They're just too soft. Yes, you can leave them in a cool dry place. Thanks for watching.
Yes, you can wax all hard cheeses...just not soft or semi-soft ones.
Wonderful video! This will definitely come in handy when I find cheese on sale!
I just ordered some from that company, thanks for the tip. I can't wait to get started.