Brine for feta cheese at home storage

What you need to make cheese

If cheese is cooked on an ongoing basis, it is advisable to purchase a pasteurizer, two pots or vats of different diameters to arrange a steam bath, a container for soaking finished products, and a culinary thermometer. You will need: a stirring blade, a serpyanka net for shaping, pressing devices, a special table, cheese molds, a grader for aging.

To make cheese with your own hands, you do not need special devices. Needed: pots - one with a lid, a colander, a wooden spoon, oppression, a clean cutting board. Required products: milk, better fat, leaven, salt.

All instruments and utensils are washed, if possible, sterilized. It is better to iron the fabric or gauze in which the finished product will be wrapped with a hot iron. If hygiene requirements are not followed, the product will not be stored. In addition, its use can provoke an upset stomach.

How to store feta cheese without brine

Cheese by weight is sold without brine, and therefore the hostess has to take care of the safety of this product herself.

If there is a lot of feta cheese and it is unrealistic to eat it in 3-4 days, then it is advisable to place the cheese in a brine prepared in the way mentioned above.

But if the feta cheese is not enough, then it can be stored in the refrigerator without brine, but no more than five days.

Some housewives wrap feta cheese in cling film. But in this form, she quickly suffocates and becomes slippery. And its taste is much worse.

Cheese is also stored in the freezer, previously packed in a plastic bag or cling film.

Frozen feta cheese is stored for a long time. When thawed, it tastes less than fresh, but it can still be eaten.

Outcome:

• Cheese should be bought in the amount that can be eaten within 3-4 days.
• The best way to store feta cheese is in a salty solution.

What is feta cheese

Soft structure, white or slightly yellowish, has a salty taste. During the manufacturing process, the cheese mass is soaked, spices are added, and given a certain shape. The finished product has a non-crumbly, non-dense structure, easy to cut.

> Fresh milk is the main ingredient. Basically, they use sheep's milk, but they can be made from cow's milk, less often from goat's milk. The classic product has a high fat percentage - over 45%. This indicator depends on the type of milk used in production. You can prepare a fragrant delicacy at home. It is used as an independent dish and as an ingredient in salads, baked goods, cold snacks. It is considered a national dish in the Caucasus, Moldova, Bulgaria.

Storage periods

In an ordinary room, soft cheese is not stored for long. In plastic packaging, it preserves its taste characteristics for 24 hours, in brine it lasts for two days, without brine - for 5–6 hours.

In the refrigerator, the shelf life is significantly increased. At a temperature of 1–5 degrees and a humidity of 85–92%, the goods in a sealed shop container remain fresh for 10 days.

There are several storage methods.

• Wrap cheese bought by weight in foil, place in an enamel container, cover with a lid and place on the middle shelf of the refrigerator. There it will not deteriorate in the next 2 weeks.
• You can put small pieces in a plastic container with a lid. The box will prevent the product from drying out in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• It is best to store feta cheese in a glass jar filled with brine and covered with a plastic lid. If the temperature does not exceed 5 degrees, the cheese stays fresh for about 2 months.After 30 days, do not forget to empty the old brine, prepare a new one and pour it into the jar.

Cheese is stored in the freezer for up to 8 months. You can defrost it at any time and use it for cooking.

The benefits and harms of a fermented milk product

Cheese at home turns out to be as tasty as from the store. To make it, you can take any milk - cow, goat, sheep and even buffalo. When prepared from store milk in dairy factories, cheese is aged for at least 2 months, homemade milk can be eaten after 7-10 days.

Cheese cheese is a source of milk protein, calcium, which strengthens bones and ligaments. Drinking it 4-5 times a week improves bowel function, eliminates bad breath, normalizes acid-base and water-electrolyte balance. This product slows down aging, prevents the formation of the first wrinkles, improves joint mobility and increases muscle tone.

Having mastered the recipe for cooking at home, you will not only be confident in the safety of the product, but you will also be able to lose weight. Cheese breakfast blocks hunger for a long time, which means that an extra snack before lunch can be excluded.

With diseases of the stomach, kidneys, hypertension, gallbladder and blood vessels, you can eat feta cheese, but it is better to limit yourself to a small piece - 20 g, no more than 2-3 times a week. This is due to the increased salinity. To minimize harm, cheese is soaked in boiling water or hot milk, boiled for several minutes. But such methods will only help for homemade feta cheese, which has been kept in brine. If salt was added during the introduction of the starter culture, it is practically impossible to neutralize it.

Attention! Cheese is not eaten before bedtime. It is difficult to sleep after such a snack - falling asleep is disturbed, nightmares are dreaming

Despite the benefits of a fermented milk product, it will not replace kefir.

How to store homemade cheese

Proper storage of homemade feta cheese is also not significantly different from the storage method of this product made in an industrial environment.

Similar to the above types, it is advisable to store homemade feta cheese in the refrigerator at a temperature of 6 to 8 ° C.

At the same time, in the case of homemade feta cheese, the period of its suitability for food will significantly depend on the characteristics of the process of its preparation. In particular, with a sufficiently high salt saturation, the storage period under the above conditions can be up to six months.

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Enzymes for homemade cheese

For feta cheese, it is permissible to use microbial enzymes of the following brands:

• MEITO MICROBIAL RENNET - the most popular enzyme obtained from edible mushroom;
• Mushroom chymosin obtained during the fermentation of molds;
• SUPAREN isolated from ascomycete parasitic fungi;
• MILASE - raw materials from modified mushrooms;
• MAXILACT is obtained by fermentation from milk mushrooms;
• CHY-MAX - from Aspergillus mold;
• CHYMOGEN FROMASE - from a mold of the genus Mukor Miehei;
• MAXIREN is the result of milk yeast fermentation.

In the matter of choosing microbacterial starter cultures, one should pay attention to the mesophilic group, since it is these additives that are used in the production of brine and soft cheeses at a low cheese-making temperature (not higher than 40 ° C)

Cheese storage: cheese brine

Before you decide to make feta cheese at home, you need to arm yourself in advance with a proven recipe for making brine for ripening the product. After all, feta cheese is a pickled product and the taste of the product in the future will depend on the quality of this composition.

In addition, in the same composition, ready-made cheese can be stored for up to six months at a high salt concentration.

Homemade brine for feta cheese: option No. 1

After cheese making, we have a decent amount of fresh whey, which makes an excellent brine for feta cheese.

• We dilute 400 g of coarse salt in 2 liters of whey.
• In such a marinade, the cheese should be kept for 10-12 days.

You can vary the salting time by sampling. Within ten days, the feta cheese will become spicy and salty.

Brine recipe for homemade feta cheese: option number 2

The brine cooked in water according to this recipe is soft and will not let the cheese get too salty.

• Add 1 pack of salt and 1 glass of granulated sugar to 4 liters of water.
• After that, bring the composition to a boil and cool to room temperature.
• In such a marinade, the cheese must be allowed to salt for 5-10 days, after which we transfer the diced cheese to a jar and fill it with the same brine.

It is possible to save feta cheese at home in this way, provided that you find a tightly closed container in a cool dark room (cellar, basement) for a fairly long period of up to 12 months.

Among home cooks, there are quite a few different options for making pickled cheese. However, in the world there is only one and only original recipe for making feta cheese, which, if the necessary components are available, can be easily reproduced at home.

Tips & Tricks

In order to preserve the taste of varieties in brine for a long time, the liquid must be changed every three days.

Some housewives resort to such a trick to keep hard and semi-hard cheeses fresh. The pieces are wrapped in a regular paper napkin. And they take copies of white. The cheese is placed in a plastic container with a closed lid and refrigerated. When the fermented milk product is taken out, the container is wiped off with a dry towel, and the napkin is replaced.

Some families prefer to buy processed cheese. They are treated with heat during cooking and are good because they can not deteriorate for three or four days even at room temperature. But, like all dairy products, it is better to place them in the refrigerator and store them according to the period indicated on the label. If the original packaging is opened, then the processed product must be eaten in a couple of days.

Most importantly, you shouldn't buy a lot of dairy products. After all, supermarkets work seven days a week and offer a huge range of cheeses for different tastes, for people with different financial capabilities.

And in almost all settlements, the lights are often turned off. It means that it is warming in the refrigerator. Temperature changes are bad for any kind of cheese.

An original appetizer is used to create hot or cold sandwiches or to prepare hot dishes. The taste of the finished product will depend on how the cheese is preserved.

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How to freeze feta cheese correctly?

When freezing soft cheese, keep in mind that the texture will change slightly. Under the influence of cold, microscopic ice particles are formed inside the cheese. After thawing, the product shrinks, crumbles and loses its attractive appearance. It cannot be cut into nice slices, but it can be used for salad and second courses.

To properly freeze feta cheese, follow these simple guidelines:

1. cut the cheese head into pieces of 200-250 g;
2. wrap each part in a towel, foil or parchment;
3. pack in a plastic bag, tie and place in the freezer (you can use bags with a sealed zipper);
4. be sure to write the name of the cheese and the date of freezing on the container.

You can store feta cheese in sliced ​​form. Cut food into cubes or strips. Cover a tray with parchment, lay out the pieces, cover with foil and put in the freezer for 2-3 hours. When they are completely solidified, remove, transfer to a plastic container, sign and store in a camera.

General storage rules

Cheese is a snack made from milk (usually cow's or goat's), with the help of special microorganisms or by melting. Over the years, people have learned how to produce original cheeses with different tastes and different hardness.

All varieties have their own storage characteristics. But there are also universal recommendations that require mandatory compliance:

1. The best place to find a fermented milk product is in the refrigerator. Indoors, microorganisms quickly settle on the cheese and multiply, the cheese spoils. And during the summer heat, it melts, subsequent cooling harms the taste and structure.
2. The appetizer is first wrapped in baking parchment and then placed in a plastic container. Such a procedure will help to keep the desired percentage of moisture and stay soft for a long time.
3. Smoked cheeses are stored longer than usual, they cannot be stored in the same container.
4. If mold is found on an ordinary fermented milk product, it is immediately cut off, and the cheese is used to make hot sandwiches or pizza, the remaining piece is put in the freezer. It is worth remembering that the appearance of even a small area of ​​mold indicates the contamination of the entire product, because spores penetrate inside at great speed.
5. Particularly advanced housewives purchase newfangled cheesecakes with a device to ensure the required humidity inside (approximately 80-90%). After all, such parameters are not maintained inside the refrigerator. Moreover, the device does not let smells inside, which means that the natural aroma of the original snack will remain for a long time.

In order not to confuse the date of purchase of cheese, you need to write it on a sticker and stick it to the container in which the delicacy is located.

Brine recipes

The liquid helps to keep the delicacy soft and prolong the shelf life. Salty brine prevents the formation of harmful microorganisms, helps to preserve useful qualities.

Raw

To prepare a classic brine, use the following recipe:

1. Water - 1 liter.
2. Salt - 200 grams.

These ingredients make a strong saline solution. The components are mixed together, the ready-made solution is completely poured into feta cheese. The cheese will absorb the right amount of salt, so the shelf life can be extended to several months. Before use, the product is soaked in ordinary fresh water for at least 2 hours.

With herbs

The recipe not only preserves freshness, but also enriches the flavor of the cheese. For cooking, use the ingredients to taste:

1. Ground red pepper.
2. Chopped garlic.
3. Dill.
4. Caraway.
5. Parsley.

The components are added to the brine, mixed. You can expand the palatability by using mustard seeds, sunflower oil, spices to taste.

The specificity of storage of various varieties

Different varieties of fermented milk snacks require completely different storage conditions.

Solid

Solid types of dairy products are stored for the longest time. The best temperature regime for them is from -3 to 0 ° С. This means that it is precisely such pieces that can be laid out closer to the freezer.

Cheese from France cannot be stored without cling film. And for the Swiss, a closed enamel or glass container is suitable. The crust that is present on the appetizer is removed before use.

Pickled and soft

Some of the original snacks are sold in brine or whey. They are not stored without liquid. The freezer is also not suitable for them. The best place is the bottom of the refrigerator. Consumed within 2-3 weeks.

Adyghe cheese retains its taste and even less - about 5 days.Vacuum packing extends the term up to a month.

With mold

The original appetizer with noble mold is kept at a slight subzero temperature for about 30 days. And with a plus - two weeks. Moreover, the cheese is placed in a tightly closed container, otherwise the dairy product will deteriorate, and the inside of the refrigerator will smell bad.

Home

Homemade products retain their useful properties for 3-5 days. Plastic bag is not suitable for storage. The product is placed in a glass container with a lid.

Fine and expensive parmesan

Parmesan is best placed in a sealed vacuum package. So, it stays in the refrigerator for 7-8 months. The term is reduced to six months if the delicacy is wrapped in parchment paper and then wrapped in foil. Parmesan, cut into pieces and slices, retains its taste for 10-14 days. And rubbed - only a week.

In the freezer, in parchment, cheese cannot be kept for more than three months. And at room temperature, in the dark - 6 days if the product is wrapped in a cloth soaked in saline.

Unwanted neighborhood

The original snack has a porous structure and quickly absorbs the flavors of other food supplies. Therefore, it is not placed next to smoked products, spicy herbs (dill, mint, lemon balm). Moldy delicacies give off a pungent smell, so they are placed in a tightly closed container. Do not place raw meat and fish next to cheese.

Storage of feta cheese in brine

Cheese bought in brine should not be removed from it and transferred to other conditions. In brine, the storage of feta cheese will be longer.

The packaging of the goods, as a rule, contains all information about the date of manufacture, as well as the time and storage conditions. The manufacturer's instructions should be followed as closely as possible, and the cheese should not be consumed after its expiration date.

Every time a piece of cheese is cut off, the remaining cheese should be put back into the brine. It is best to store feta cheese in the middle of the refrigerator, where the temperature is optimal for storing it (+ 1 ° С - + 5 ° С).

Brine for storing feta cheese

When the brine for storing feta cheese has somehow been lost, you can prepare it yourself, following the following recipe:

1. In cold water (1 l) dissolve 180 - 200 gr. salt (you get an 18 - 20% solution);
2. After that, cheese is poured onto them so that the piece is completely covered with liquid.

A common mistake some people make is storing this cheese in chilled boiled water. At the same time, they try to immediately soak the cheese from excess salt and leave it in the liquid. This way of storing is wrong!

The shelf life of feta cheese in fresh water will be very short. The very next day, the edges will begin to float, and soon all the cheese will become liquid and start to deteriorate.

For storage in brine, it is best to use a glass container. Some housewives keep it in plastic containers, but this is not the best option. During storage in brine, the product continues to ripen. And the chemicals in plastics can negatively affect its taste.

How to store cow feta cheese

In fact, the requirements for how to store cow feta cheese will not differ from the above conditions, since despite certain differences in production technology due to the difference in the chemical composition of milk (for example, pasteurized milk is used to prepare cow feta cheese), the final product is quite similar. for cheese from other types of raw materials. Moreover, storing it is almost the same as storing feta and other pickled cheeses.

The list of requirements on how to properly store cow cheese can be formulated as follows:

• Store in a cool place without strong odor nearby.
• Cheese content in a sealed container to prevent drying out.In the absence of a plastic container, you can use a metal enamel container, as well as wrap the cheese with cling film or foil.
• In the case of purchasing a product whose packaging does not contain a special brine, to increase the storage time, you can prepare such a composition yourself, for which you dissolve 20 g of salt in 100 ml of water.

Selection Tips

High-quality feta cheese is distinguished by a white or slightly yellowish tint. The presence of extraneous colors indicates spoilage, technological irregularities in production. It is advisable to choose cheese in brine, so it will retain its taste and useful elements longer.

Fresh cheese lacks a tough crust. Its presence speaks of long-term storage on a trade counter, it is better to refuse it. The composition must be free of preservatives. Only the presence of the hardener E509 is permissible, it is harmless to the body. It is advisable to taste the cheese before buying. It is optimal to choose the fat index in the range of 25-50%, such a product will have an oily and soft structure. Even full observance of the rules for storing feta cheese will not help to preserve the completely useful properties of the delicacy. Therefore, it is advisable to buy it in small quantities and consume it immediately.

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How to choose a quality cheese?

Cheese is made from sheep, cow or goat milk. During the production process, the fermented milk product is soaked in brine, which gives it a special taste and aroma. To purchase a quality product rich in calcium, protein and vitamins, examine it carefully.

Cheese should be:

• light milky color;
• without extraneous inclusions;
• tight dense consistency.

In the market, ask the seller to cut a slice and make sure that it does not crumble, does not stick to the knife. Try a bite. Good cheese - salty with a delicate milky taste.

Freezing is not the worst way to keep feta cheese fresh for a long time at home. Cheese will partly lose its delicate aroma and elastic structure, but it will still remain a useful product for preparing delicious dishes.