How long and how should smoked Adyghe cheese be stored?
Smoked Adyghe cheese is a product of Caucasian cuisine that relatively recently appeared on store shelves. For many years, residents of Adygea made it only for their own needs and did not put it up for sale.
Having a bright salty taste and appetizing aroma, this product quickly gained popularity and became one of the favorite types of snacks. To prevent it from deteriorating during storage, it is important to maintain it properly.
We’ll talk about storing smoked Adyghe cheese in the article.
Content
What determines the shelf life?
Shelf life depends on several factors. Including from the following:
- initial product quality;
- integrity of the packaging and the head itself;
- conditions (temperature and humidity) at the storage location.
You can also use a glass container with a lid. This allows you to prevent the exchange of odors in the refrigerator and prevent airing.
Adyghe cheese is young and soft, having a very short shelf life. It is prepared from cow, sheep or goat milk.
Homemade product can be of three types:
- fresh;
- dried;
- smoked.
Smoking allows you to extend the shelf life. The smoke treatment helps dry it out and adds a piquant flavor. This forms a crust on the surface, which protects the contents from bacteria and contact with air. In the original, such a product is called “koeplyzh”.
The duration of storage largely depends on the correct organization of its contents. A whole head in unopened original packaging can last up to 6 months., unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer.
Adyghe cheese that has not been smoked can be stored significantly less than smoked cheese - up to a month.
Peculiarities
Cheese should only be stored in the refrigerator. Suitable conditions for its location are the bottom shelf. The product itself must be packaged in foil or parchment paper.
In the case when it is cut into small pieces, it can be stored for up to 2 weeks, in a large piece, and with appropriate packaging - up to a couple of months. Cling film is less suitable for this, since the cheese in it will begin to become moist and can quickly deteriorate.
Freezing
It is not recommended to freeze smoked Adyghe cheese, since even when stored in the refrigerator it has a fairly long shelf life.
If you plan to add it to dishes that are cooked in the oven, The product can be frozen if desired. In this case, some changes in its consistency after defrosting will not significantly affect the overall taste of the dish.
Fresh Adyghe cheese can also be frozen if necessary. After defrosting, the product can be used for frying and in salads. When planning to use smoked Adyghe cheese as an independent snack, you should not freeze it.
How to determine the quality of a product?
The usefulness of smoked cheese is determined by the quality of its production and compliance with production technology. This allows you to preserve trace elements and other substances that were in it before smoking. Its caloric content on average is 320-420 Kcal per 100 grams.
At the time of buying You should pay attention to the following points:
Cracks on the surface indicate a violation of the smoking technology and insufficient drying.- The grayish color of the product may indicate the presence of vegetable fats, which should not be in it.
- A chemical or vinegary smell most often indicates that the product has been processed, and may not be made from fresh cheese, but from expired cheese.
- Vacuum packaging should not contain liquid or air, as this may indicate a violation of the manufacturing or transportation technology.
- The taste should be soft and creamy.
- There should be no foreign matter on the surface - mucus, mold, etc.
Conclusion
Smoked Adyghe cheese can be used as an independent snack, as part of simple or complex salads, and in a cheese plate. The dense structure, interesting taste and pleasant aroma allow this product to diversify the table and add new notes to even familiar dishes.
