The problem you had with your cream cheese was the same as I had in reconstituted tzatziki. It was so gritty, it wasn’t edible. I’ll try your method with the warm water. Thanks for the idea.
cream cheese reconstituted with cold water= grittiness is fat not melting back into cheese which is why warm water -even boiling water added at first will melt fat into cream and then chill to firm up
What do you think is the shelf life of the freeze dried cheese? Thank you for your excellent videos. And yes, cottage cheese is often used instead of ricotta.
Thank you for making and sharing this video. Regarding the shredded and block cheese…manufacturers add cornstarch to shredded cheese packets to prevent clumping…it absorbs some of the oil/fat. If you test a batch of block cheese that you grate yourself, I bet you will get similar results as the block cheese you tested…oily. Regarding the cream cheese…a block contains approx 55% moisture, with an approx 33% fat. By adding cold liquid, the fat will seize instantly, causing the separation. You probably could have saved the split mixture by letting it come to room temp, then use a whisk to emulsify. Tip…when removing your cheese from the cloth, if you used a really big steel bowl or a 5g pail it’d be a lot less messy😂!
When you buy shredded cheese at the store, it is coated with corn starch to keep it from clumping. I wonder if shredding cheese from a block would give you as good of results. I know store bought shredded cheese doesn't melt as well as the cheese you shred for yourself and it is because of that corn starch.
Yikes! I’m sitting on a lot of block cheese and was going to freeze dry it all. So, has anyone tried to shred and freeze dry their own, or dusted home shredded cheese with cornstarch?
@@beckycasady3100 I haven't tried it yet but plan to after the holidays. I'm going to try and just shred and freeze dry. It melts so much better than the preshredded from the store when I buy that. I figure I'll do a couple trays of uncoated and 3 of the preshredded and see how it goes. I really hope the freshly shredded is great! Please let us know if you try this and I'll do the same.
As a freeze dried powder I don't have any problems, but out of the freezer and thawed, it becomes crumbly. If heated in a microwave I have better luck.
Can you please tell me if your cheese is now in a big clump caused by vacuum sealing it. I haven’t done cheese yet but several of my berries that I vacuumed sealed are big clumps vs the ones that were sealed loose in the Mylar bags remained loose… same batch.
I used to use the HR vacuum chamber, but it was a hassle to take out the tray rack, so I purchased this vacuum chamber. It will do bags and jars: ua-cam.com/video/CDj02lxBFiQ/v-deo.html
Thanks for the rehydration methods, good to know. Now having a Mid Batch Heater failure, Have watched all the Harvest Right videos and have not figured the problem out. After running a failed batch where I just canceled the procedure then adding more time, I did the tests that are in the videos. I started the test by turning on the Drain relay it clicks and lights up the (so I know I have no problem with the Firmware) Vacuum and the Freeze do the same, but when I turn on the Heater it does not click or come on. Then I took the tray wire apart to check the 4 pin receivers and they are fine. I move the Heater wires to the Drain and it clicks and lights up. Then I move them back and retest and all relays click and lights up. So I started another batch of herbs and 4 hours in I get a Mid Batch Heater failure again. So I cancel and then add more dry time, so far the heater relay heats up to around 132 degrees then turns off, then when it gets down to 122 degrees it turns back on(clicks and lights up). I watched it for 5 or 6 cycles. So I don't know if it is the relay or maybe something else. Have you come across anything like this. I can finish each batch by canceling and adding more dry time, but I don't know if I should trust this type of freeze drying. I guess a call to tech support is in my future. If you have any ideas would love to hear them. Doris
I was also thinking to have you move your heater relay wires over to the spare drain valve relay. The drain valve relay terminals should be empty. This would be a process of elimination. This would tell you if your heater relay is bad.
@@Philat4800feet When I tested the 1st time the heater clicked on and light came on but no heat, every other relay tested fine, I removed the tray rack unhooked the wires, the pin receivers were in place. Then I moved the heater relay wires to the drain relay = no click no lights no heat, moved the wires back to the heater relay and the heater relay clicked and light came on and trays started to heat up went from 72 to 109 in 2 minutes. So I started another batch to see if I would get a Mid Batch Heater failure, 2/3's into the batch I got the dreaded Mid Batch Heater failure, add dry time to get the batch finished then started over testing DRAIN, VACUUM, FREEZE, AND HEATER RELAYS all clicked and lit up and the heater pads heated up. This is where I called Tech Support, Jess told me to take a picture of the reset button on the tray rack(which I had already done) it did not need resetting. I also set my batch files to them. Now I wait. I will ask him about the sensor. This has me baffled because I can not duplicate the test results, which could tell me if my relay board is bad or not. I'll let you know what I find out. Thank you for your suggestions.
Did you try the reset button on the back of the tray shelf. There is a little hole that you can get a thin screw driver or tiny dowel rod to depress the button. I’ve seen it a couple times on friends freeze dryers
Do you recommend only using commercially shredded cheese, or would block cheese that you preshredded at home perform the same as the commercially shredded stuff? I think I heard you say something about a difference in processing, and wondered if you think the bags of shredded are treated in some way
Good question. I had a lot of oil from the block cheese that I never had from shredded cheese. My guess is they're the same. Just can't account for the extra oil. Unless some of the oil evaporates from the extra surface area?
@@Philat4800feet I was thinking about trying some home shredded cheese on one pan and pre shredded cheese in the other pans in the same. I mentioned earlier that commercial pre shredded cheese has cornstarch added to it to prevent clumping. Do you think having one pan of home shredded cheese in the batch would ruin the pre shredded cheese because of the oil?
Thank you for your efforts! You are my "go to" for freeze dryer info. You are awesome!
Blushing
@@Philat4800feet lol...
The problem you had with your cream cheese was the same as I had in reconstituted tzatziki. It was so gritty, it wasn’t edible. I’ll try your method with the warm water. Thanks for the idea.
cream cheese reconstituted with cold water= grittiness is fat not melting back into cheese which is why warm water -even boiling water added at first will melt fat into cream and then chill to firm up
Had that happen on camping out
Thank you! I’ve been wanting to try cheese but wasn’t sure. Love that you show start to finish. My next grilled cheese will have pepperoni on it 😊
It's so good!
What do you think is the shelf life of the freeze dried cheese? Thank you for your excellent videos. And yes, cottage cheese is often used instead of ricotta.
With all of the air removed I would say indefinite? Only time will tell.
I always use cottage cheese in lasagna. I don’t like ricotta.
Yup
Another very informative video, Thank You!
Thank you for making and sharing this video.
Regarding the shredded and block cheese…manufacturers add cornstarch to shredded cheese packets to prevent clumping…it absorbs some of the oil/fat. If you test a batch of block cheese that you grate yourself, I bet you will get similar results as the block cheese you tested…oily.
Regarding the cream cheese…a block contains approx 55% moisture, with an approx 33% fat. By adding cold liquid, the fat will seize instantly, causing the separation. You probably could have saved the split mixture by letting it come to room temp, then use a whisk to emulsify.
Tip…when removing your cheese from the cloth, if you used a really big steel bowl or a 5g pail it’d be a lot less messy😂!
I've been told that ricotta cheese is creamed cottage cheese.
Have you tried to buy block cheese... grate it yourself and freeze dry it? The store has a coating the manufacturers use and it does not melt well.
I have not. I wimp out at convenience.
I could see doing block cheese as a snack food, so no reconstitution
Thank you so much for how to reconstitute the cream cheese and cottage cheese.
Very helpful information. Thank you
When you buy shredded cheese at the store, it is coated with corn starch to keep it from clumping. I wonder if shredding cheese from a block would give you as good of results. I know store bought shredded cheese doesn't melt as well as the cheese you shred for yourself and it is because of that corn starch.
That would make a difference.
Yikes! I’m sitting on a lot of block cheese and was going to freeze dry it all. So, has anyone tried to shred and freeze dry their own, or dusted home shredded cheese with cornstarch?
@@beckycasady3100 I haven't tried it yet but plan to after the holidays. I'm going to try and just shred and freeze dry. It melts so much better than the preshredded from the store when I buy that. I figure I'll do a couple trays of uncoated and 3 of the preshredded and see how it goes. I really hope the freshly shredded is great! Please let us know if you try this and I'll do the same.
I don't see cornstarch as an ingredient. Shred away!
When I have frozen my cream cheese or heavy cream I get the same results. It never forms cream sauce so heating doe not work either!
As a freeze dried powder I don't have any problems, but out of the freezer and thawed, it becomes crumbly. If heated in a microwave I have better luck.
I would like to request that you use a darker bowl with white items, I couldn't see the cottage cheese or the cream cheese consistency..😊😊
20/20 hindsight- sorry
use different colored bowls man
Sorry
What is the shelf life of these cheeses?
For far five years. The six month theory is, if it hold for six month it will hold for 20.
Can you please tell me if your cheese is now in a big clump caused by vacuum sealing it. I haven’t done cheese yet but several of my berries that I vacuumed sealed are big clumps vs the ones that were sealed loose in the Mylar bags remained loose… same batch.
Cheese hasn't clumped together when vacuum packed. Perhaps this video would be helpful:
ua-cam.com/video/RhN1W6hjJ_A/v-deo.html
Will the cream cheese firm back up if put in the refrigerator?
My wife likes cream cheese on celery.
Most likely. Never had any left overs to try.
Do you have to have a special vacuum machine to do Mylar?
I used to use the HR vacuum chamber, but it was a hassle to take out the tray rack, so I purchased this vacuum chamber. It will do bags and jars:
ua-cam.com/video/CDj02lxBFiQ/v-deo.html
Thanks for the rehydration methods, good to know. Now having a Mid Batch Heater failure, Have watched all the Harvest Right videos and have not figured the problem out. After running a failed batch where I just canceled the procedure then adding more time, I did the tests that are in the videos. I started the test by turning on the Drain relay it clicks and lights up the (so I know I have no problem with the Firmware) Vacuum and the Freeze do the same, but when I turn on the Heater it does not click or come on. Then I took the tray wire apart to check the 4 pin receivers and they are fine. I move the Heater wires to the Drain and it clicks and lights up. Then I move them back and retest and all relays click and lights up. So I started another batch of herbs and 4 hours in I get a Mid Batch Heater failure again. So I cancel and then add more dry time, so far the heater relay heats up to around 132 degrees then turns off, then when it gets down to 122 degrees it turns back on(clicks and lights up). I watched it for 5 or 6 cycles. So I don't know if it is the relay or maybe something else. Have you come across anything like this. I can finish each batch by canceling and adding more dry time, but I don't know if I should trust this type of freeze drying. I guess a call to tech support is in my future. If you have any ideas would love to hear them. Doris
Watch this video, see if it helps:
ua-cam.com/video/9UKfpSmirk0/v-deo.html
I was also thinking to have you move your heater relay wires over to the spare drain valve relay. The drain valve relay terminals should be empty. This would be a process of elimination. This would tell you if your heater relay is bad.
@@Philat4800feet When I tested the 1st time the heater clicked on and light came on but no heat, every other relay tested fine, I removed the tray rack unhooked the wires, the pin receivers were in place. Then I moved the heater relay wires to the drain relay = no click no lights no heat, moved the wires back to the heater relay and the heater relay clicked and light came on and trays started to heat up went from 72 to 109 in 2 minutes. So I started another batch to see if I would get a Mid Batch Heater failure, 2/3's into the batch I got the dreaded Mid Batch Heater failure, add dry time to get the batch finished then started over testing DRAIN, VACUUM, FREEZE, AND HEATER RELAYS all clicked and lit up and the heater pads heated up. This is where I called Tech Support, Jess told me to take a picture of the reset button on the tray rack(which I had already done) it did not need resetting. I also set my batch files to them. Now I wait. I will ask him about the sensor. This has me baffled because I can not duplicate the test results, which could tell me if my relay board is bad or not. I'll let you know what I find out. Thank you for your suggestions.
Did you try the reset button on the back of the tray shelf. There is a little hole that you can get a thin screw driver or tiny dowel rod to depress the button. I’ve seen it a couple times on friends freeze dryers
Do you recommend only using commercially shredded cheese, or would block cheese that you preshredded at home perform the same as the commercially shredded stuff?
I think I heard you say something about a difference in processing, and wondered if you think the bags of shredded are treated in some way
Good question. I had a lot of oil from the block cheese that I never had from shredded cheese. My guess is they're the same. Just can't account for the extra oil. Unless some of the oil evaporates from the extra surface area?
@@Philat4800feet I was thinking about trying some home shredded cheese on one pan and pre shredded cheese in the other pans in the same. I mentioned earlier that commercial pre shredded cheese has cornstarch added to it to prevent clumping. Do you think having one pan of home shredded cheese in the batch would ruin the pre shredded cheese because of the oil?
I think there would be very little, if any transfer. Go for it.
@@Philat4800feet Thank you Phil!