cheese rind

clutterydrawer

Hello

I have a bit of goats cheese here...it has a sort of waxy rind layer round the outside, what is this? Is it edible? Was wondering if I could chop it up and put it in my pasta but don't want to if it will ruin it!

meanmarie

Cheese merchants will tell you that the rind is as edible as the rest of the cheese, just takes longer to melt....shouldn't do you or dish any harm

Marie

jacky_horn

Yes it is edible but sometimes a bit hard to chew so is best used for its flavour only. Try using it in cooking as a flavouring. If it hasn't melted by the end of cooking you can sling it. It will have done its job.

mgardner

Hi Yes it is edible but I would not risk using it in a specific receipe. Try grating it and making a sauce and use it if you like the taste

Seakay

cheese rind is edible but some cheeses are coated in wax so do make sure before you use it to cook with!
Some versions of some recipes (eg casoulet) actually suggest putting cheese rinds into the dish to add flavour and avoid waste - parmesan rinds are very hard to grate up but will melt into a slow cooked dish very well.

Patchwork_Quilt

Nigella advocates putting the cheese rind in the freezer until you have time to use it in your soup, or whatever. I'm sure I did this once but the freezer is now so full of green beans that I haven't seen it for ages

clutterydrawer

Interesting. I completely missed the post about checking if it was awxed and slung it all in my dinner this evening!

I heated it in a cheese and broccoli cup a soup with garlic, sage, pepper and veg, and used it as a pasta sauce. It didn't melt as such but it was very nice.

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*dies of wax poisoning*

Dr_DiNg_DoNg

Italians use cheese rind in some soups.

Primrose

I've often read that melting finished Parmesan cheese rinds in soups improves their flavour and have collected a number of rinds in plastic bags in my fridge for this purpose. But the rinds do taste a little stale and manky and now the soup making season is here, wonder if anybody actually does this and whether it really does improve the flavour?

rachbc

I put one in with minestrone soup but no others - I thinknit does add a savouriness and its not essential

Diflower

I save them in the freezer and add them when making pasta sauces like Bolognese, and some soups - when I remember:)