Does anyone know if sliced cheese can be dehydrated? If so, how long can this be stored? My neighbor was wondering if anyone has had any experience with this..

-- Sharon Lonewolf (sharonlonewolf@hotmail.com), December 04, 1999

Answers

Well, don't know if this will help....first off, wouldn't use that pastuerized stuff or 'cheese food' YUCK! I'd prefer to buy a block and slice it myself... Might try one or two slices....do one and bag it and see. Do another and bag and remove the air...

consider freezing it as well.... Just my thoughts....there is a good recipe here or on another forum about pickling cheese...sounded yummy! If it's not here I can post it....

-- Satanta (satanta@zdnetmail.com), December 04, 1999.

Pickled cheese????? Yessss! Please post that recipe! (I checked the archives @ this site plus searched the engines--nada)

-- Sharon Lonewolf (sharonlonewolf@hotmail.com), December 05, 1999.

You can smoke cheese also.

-- Bob Henderson (redgate@echoweb.net), December 05, 1999.

Here ya go...I left this person's name in so as to give credit where it is due...it's under "A Maltese way of preserving cheese'

"Hi everyone

I Maltese by birth (now Canadian) and there is a kind of cheese they have that lasts and lasts. I am told it would last even without refrigeration. I have always refrigerated mine, but here is the recipe. I think it would not need refrigeration.

You can use whole milk natural brick cheese - cut into two inch squares. Put into a large large jar with the cheese filling it up. Add a lot of black pepper - say two inches worth in the jar and then fill it up with vinegar. Put lid on and shake well. Shake every other day to keep the pepper distributed. The cheese takes a month or more to mellow - the longer the better. The taste is of course spicy and it is delicious with bread or crackers. It is a delicacy in Malta and if I'm not mistaken the best is made with goat's cheese. I have always used natural brick and while not authentic, it is delicious.

Had forgotten all about it till I visited a Maltese restaurant yesterday and saw the big jar on the counter (not refrigerated). The owner who makes it said it would last several months, even a year at room temperature due to the vinegar. Just thought I'd pass it along. I used to make it all the time and got out of the habit as my husband doesn't like it. But I'm going to make a big jar now!

-- citygirl (citygirl@idirect.com), November 25, 1999"

This stuff soubds great... }:-]

-- Satanta (satanta@zdnetmail.com), December 05, 1999.

I should think this is possible. While I've never done it, I have purchased dehydrated cheese(from Spices, Etc.)and they say it reconstitutes to the same fat and nutrtion content as whole cheese. I bought cheddar, but they also have blue cheese and swiss, so I imagine it works with any cheese not too high in fat(like brie) Sue

-- Sue Landress (Sulandherb@aol.com), December 05, 1999.

I'd been wondering about dehydrating cheese myself, so contacted Mich. & Indiana extension offices. Both had same answer, "don't". They said it wasn't a safe practice as most cheeses contain too much fat to be stable. They told me manufacturers use a different process to dry cheese making a safe and stable product. As I really don't want to harm my family just to save a few pennies, I think I'll take their suggestion and buy store-made dehydrated cheese.

-- Kathleen (kalfy53@hotmail.com), December 07, 1999.