I thought there was a thread on this already, because i recall having to look at a parmesan container to see how it is spelled, had to go look this time too.
There could be a thread, but this time I didn't even look, but looked now and didn't see it.
If you have ever looked at food items to store, you know that some things are pricey, such as cheese. I have some dried/dehydrated cheese, but I want and need more. I won't be spreading cheese on a tray and putting it in my dehydrator or even in my oven, which has dehydrating ranges.
I should have done some homework before I started this thread. I looked this morning and this is what I found:
https://www.thepurposefulpantry.com/do-not-dehydrate-list/
Dehydrating
AUTHOR:
DARCY BALDWIN • THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS.
THE ULTIMATE DO NOT DEHYDRATE LIST
Here is the
ultimate do not dehydrate list ... and ways that you may be able to do it anyway! Learn to dehydrate food safely for your pantry!
Have you ever wondered if there are foods that are not safe to dehydrate?
There are so many wonderful foods that are made shelf-stable with dehydrating. There are even some
unique dehydrating projects you may not have ever thought of before.
There are foods that are best to be preserved through canning, freezing, and
freeze-drying for a variety of reasons.
WHY ARE SOME FOODS NOT SAFE TO DEHYDRATE?
- Fat & Oil - not only can fat and oil inhibit efficient drying, they also create a problem with rancidity on the shelf, especially after they've been heated.
- No safe testing available - some items have had no testing to prove the safe dehydrating and/or storage of the foods. It's not that these foods are unsafe, but there is no proof that they are safe.
- Salmonella issues - sitting in temperatures that may or may not get to the required safe heat will be problematic. Dehydrators cycle heat, they are not a constant, so your food does not stay at a safe 165F for things like eggs, chicken, beef, etc.
While you may hear stories of people who dehydrate these things and are fine, start your dehydrating journey with safe procedures, learn about the basics of safe dehydrating and storage before moving to branch out.
CAN I DEHYDRATE CHEESE?
Like other dairy, cheese's fat content makes it hard to store safely for long-term unless you put it in the freezer (and then what's the real point of going through all that work?)
Plus you have to run into issues of bacterial issues with the way cheese is produced. The NCHFP has not tested the safety of dehydrating cheese, and because there are so many factors in the way cheese is made, do not recommend for dehydrating and long-term storage.
- Mid-range cheeses: While you can do softer cheese like cheddars, they require a lot of maintenance to blot away the fat that forms on the surface, both during the process, and after. And the powder that you make from it is not shelf-stable, either.
- Soft Cheeses should never be dehydrated. Cottage, ricotta, and brie all fall into this category.
- Hard Cheeses: You can dehydrate hard cheeses like parmesan for some great snacking chips, to put aside for storage. However, if you live in warm climates or have food storage that cannot be cooled sufficiently, I do recommend storing in the freezer.
A better alternative for long-term storage:
freeze-dried cheese,
cheese powder.
