Even in ancient times, people used dried cheese. In all corners of the globe where cattle (cows, goats, sheep) were domesticated, people learned how to produce cottage cheese from milk and then cheese.
A bit of dried cheese history
Ancient chronicles, legends and even fairy tales brought to us information about a wonderful dish called cheese. From the time of the nomads, the Egyptian pharaohs and the Roman Empire, dried cheese was produced everywhere in large quantities.
During the war, its light weight did not burden the field wagons, and its nutritional capabilities made it possible to maintain strength and health in the soldiers.
With its help, we prepared hearty hot first courses during the trip. This product was added to cereals and pasta. On hot days or hiking in the desert, they were quenched by thirst. This cheese is sometimes simply "stained by a worm," as popcorn is used in modern times.
New original snack in the form of cheese barrels
Recently, a new original snack - a dried barrel cheese - confidently competes with all the now-known dried snacks: chips, crackers, peanuts and fish straws. In most cases, it is bought for beer, but it can be used instead of seeds.
This snack in the form of small barrels is a completely environmentally friendly product. It is made from brine cheese, thereby it is natural, nutritious and healthy.
This dried cheese is airy, like a slice of popcorn. Its porous structure easily bites, it is well absorbed by the stomach. A brackish flavor with seasonings subtly emphasizes its original taste.
Features of Dried Smoked Cheese
Cheese that has undergone a special smoking process is called smoked. It usually has a tan crust, which is formed during the vulcanization of the product surface.
It is noteworthy that the Danes first began to smoke cheese. They are rightly proud of this culinary masterpiece and consider it their great invention.
Before dried smoked cheese hits the shelves, it goes through the smoking stage. Today there are two ways:
- The cold method. This is a fairly simple and low-cost method that does not require special control from the manufacturer. It is enough for special automatic smokehouses to keep the temperature from 21 ° to 32 ° for a week from a month to a month, depending on the type of cheese.
- Hot smoked method. This method is more complicated. In his process, control by a specialist is mandatory. He monitors the smoking of cheese in the temperature range 38-88 ° C. Although the smoking procedure does not take as long as with the cold method, it nevertheless requires more costs.
There is another method close to smoking, which is used by unscrupulous manufacturers. They “bathe” inexpensive varieties of cheeses in liquid smoke, adding food coloring and flavoring agents, thereby trying to maximize the natural color of smoking and the taste of official brands. But no matter how hard they try, their product looks a little like the original and is easily distinguishable from it.
After the smoking process, drying takes place. Each manufacturer has his own methods for the production of dried cheese. The most common and well-known are smoked cheeses "pigtail", "straws" and "barrel".
Methods for drying cheese at home
If you want to develop as an entrepreneur, then further methods of drying cheese will not work for you. Buy special equipment for this purpose that can be easily purchased online. Then you will learn how to make dried cheese at home for your family:
- The first way is in the fresh air. If you cook the cheese yourself, then after all the moisture has left the cheese nodule, form balls from a still soft product (as in ancient times), lay them on a tray, cover with gauze and dry them on a hot summer day in the shade. Can be dried in the attic under a roof made of slate or tin.
- The second way is in the oven. For this method cheese "pigtail" or "straw" is suitable. Cut them with short sticks, if you have a thick cheese straw, cut it still along. Cover the baking sheet with napkins, spread a thin layer of cheese, dry it in a preheated oven at 120 ° C. Visually ensure that it does not fuse and does not burn.
- The third way - in a vegetable electric dryer. Grate your favorite hard cheese (smoked) on a coarse grater. So it dries faster. Set the operating mode so that the dried cheese does not melt.
All methods do not require special expenses, but allow you to get an original, tasty and healthy snack. Enjoy your meal!