How to Open Waxed Cheese

How To Open Waxed Cheese

It almost seems a shame to break into the glorious waxed beauty of a Masala Red Leicester or Shamrock Cheddar, but it must be done to enjoy the cheesy perfection within.

We have a few tips on carefully opening wax cheese so you eat it at its best.

How to open waxed cheese

First, remove your cheese truckle from the fridge. Chilly temperatures affect the flavour and texture of the cheese and make it more difficult to separate it from the wax. Leave your cheese to reach room temperature. This should take about 30 minutes.

Once your cheese has warmed, place it on a clean chopping board, pick up your sharpest knife, and ponder your choices.

You could remove the entire cheese from the wax by cutting a careful circle around the outside and peeling off the wax,

Carefully cut through the wax, retaining the decorative coating on your slices or wedges for a more colourful cheese board.

A sharp knife is essential for cutting cheese as it gives a clean cut without breaking or bending.

What if I haven't got a sharp knife?

If you don't have a sharp knife handy but are desperate to get into your cheese truckle, you could try melting the wax.

Melting methods include immersing the wax in a bowl of hot water and heating it with a hair dryer. Both methods melt the wax sufficiently for it to be peeled off.

We have heard horror stories of people in a cheese frenzy resorting to a potato peeler to get the wax off as quickly as possible.

However, as waxed cheese lovers, we baulk at treating our truckles so brutally.

We understand the overwhelming urge to experience the fiery chilli and garlic taste sensation of a slice of Jerk Cheddar, but we like to treat our cheeses with the respect they deserve.

Our advice is to make sure you have a sharp cheese knife to hand at all times.

Ways to Cut Your Cheese

There are three standard ways to cut cheese; the best cut for you will depend on how the cheese is used.

Cubes

Cheese cubes make a wonderfully decorative display on a buffet table. Who can resist the retro appeal of hard cheddar and pineapple sticks? Or cheese skewers with salami and olives? Both score top marks for taste and are easy for your guests to handle.

If you have an air fryer, you could coat cheese cubes in egg and season with flour for crunchy cubes to serve with dip.

Cheese cubes add flavour to a salad or can be melted into soup for extra savoury creaminess.

Remember to remove the wax coating before you cook your cheese.

Slices

Simply cut the cheese into thin slices and serve with crackers and accompaniments of your choice.

Wedges

Wedges are ideal for a cheese board. Cut your truckle into quarters and leave your guests to cut off as much as they wish.

Preserving your cheese once the wax coating has been cut

Once you have breached the cheese's protective wax coating, you must preserve it from dehydration and mould. The best way is to wrap your remaining pieces of cheese in cling film and store them in the fridge in an airtight container.