Patrick Oconnell
Brie is one of the world's most popular cheeses, renowned for its rich flavour and simple versatility. It can be enjoyed baked in the oven, on a sandwich, or simply on a plate with crackers. However, selecting the perfect Brie can be challenging, as the cheese can quickly become overripe or underripe. Knowing how to spot bad Brie is essential to ensuring a pleasant dining experience.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Rind colour | Overripe brie will have a brownish rind |
| Rind texture | Overripe brie will have a gummy rind |
| Smell | Overripe brie will smell like ammonia |
| Interior texture | Underripe brie will feel hard, overripe brie will feel too soft and runny |
| Exterior texture | The exterior should be firm |
| Centre texture | The centre should be springy but not watery |
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What You'll Learn
An overripe rind
When buying Brie, it is important to inspect the cheese and look out for any signs of discolouration or changes in texture. Pick up the cheese and poke it to test its firmness. Overripe Brie will feel too soft and runny to the touch. The cheese should also have a sweet odour. If it smells like ammonia, it has gone bad and should be discarded.
It is worth noting that Brie rounds should be no more than 1-inch thick. Thicker rounds will result in uneven ripeness, with the edges becoming overripe while the centre remains underripe. Therefore, when purchasing Brie, it is best to choose thinner rounds or slices to ensure even ripeness.
To prevent Brie from going bad, proper storage is essential. Brie should be wrapped tightly and stored in the refrigerator. It is also important to bring Brie to room temperature or warm it slightly before serving to unlock its true flavours and richness. However, if the cheese has gone past its prime, it is best to discard it, as consuming spoiled cheese can potentially lead to foodborne illnesses.
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Softness
When it comes to softness, Brie is a soft-ripened cow's milk cheese. It has a soft interior and a white, powdery, and edible rind. The cheese should be soft with a satiny sheen, while the exterior should be firm, and the centre should be springy but not watery. The rind, however, should not be too soft and runny. An overripe Brie will have a brownish, gummy rind and will be too soft and runny to the touch.
Brie is a soft cheese, and soft cheeses tend to go bad more quickly than hard ones. Brie can go bad after about a week. If stored properly in the fridge, it should last about a week. After opening it, wrap the cheese in parchment or wax paper and refrigerate it.
When Brie is brought to room temperature or warmed, it reaches its optimal level of "ooziness". This is the best way to serve Brie, no matter how you plan to eat it.
If you are allergic to mould, it is best to avoid soft cheeses like Brie. Brie is made with mould, specifically Penicillium candidum, and while this type of mould is safe to consume, other types of mould may develop on the cheese, which can be dangerous. If you are not allergic to mould, it is generally safe to eat mild mouldy Brie. However, if the Brie has developed an ammonia-like smell or has discoloured with blue, green, or grey mould, it should be discarded.
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Colour
As Brie ages, the mould grows and can change colour, so you may notice brown, orange, or grey patches on the rind. This is a natural part of the ageing process and does not necessarily mean the cheese has gone bad. However, if the Brie has large areas of brown or spots of red, it may be overripe and could taste bad due to too much ammonia.
Black Brie is a type of French cheese that has been aged longer, resulting in a greyish rind and a crumbly, Parmesan-like texture. It has a strong taste that some may find strange. This type of Brie is difficult to find outside of the Seine-et-Marne region of France.
If the Brie has an orange or grey colour and a slimy texture, it has likely gone bad and should be discarded. Trust your senses and avoid eating any cheese that looks, smells, or tastes suspicious.
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Smell
While some people enjoy the smell of cheese, others find it off-putting. The smell of Brie is often described as "farty", with an ammonia aftertaste. This is due to the cheese-making process, where a mold culture is introduced, which becomes the white-colored rind of the cheese. The mold culture, while feeding on the cheese proteins, produces ammonia and the associated smell. If the cheese is wrapped tightly in plastic and not allowed to breathe, or stored at very cold temperatures, the ammonia smell can become overwhelming.
Some people describe the smell of Brie as earthy, vegetal, and mushroomy, with hints of cauliflower or other brassica vegetables such as broccoli. Others have compared the smell to horse manure, or a mixture of dirt, chalk, and sweat.
A bad Brie will have an overwhelmingly strong ammonia smell, with the taste of ammonia overpowering any other flavors. If the Brie has an ammonia smell but is still edible, some people recommend cutting off the outer rind, which is usually the source of the strong smell, and consuming the inner part of the cheese.
It's important to note that the smell of Brie can be quite strong even when the cheese is not spoiled, and some people prefer their Brie to have a strong aroma. However, if the ammonia smell is accompanied by a change in appearance, such as a caramel brown color instead of a creamy white, it is likely that the Brie has gone bad and should be discarded.
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Thickness
When it comes to thickness, it is recommended that you purchase brie rounds that are no thicker than 1 inch. Rounds that are thicker than 1 inch will be overripe on the edges and underripe in the centre. This is because oxygen will penetrate the edges of the cheese more quickly, causing it to ripen faster than the centre. Therefore, a thicker round of brie will likely have inconsistencies in its texture and taste.
To avoid inconsistencies in the ripeness of your brie, it is best to buy a round that adheres to the 1-inch thickness rule. If you are unable to find a round that is the correct thickness, you can also purchase a slice of brie. A single slice should have a soft interior with a satiny sheen and a firm exterior, while the centre should be springy but not watery.
If you are serving brie as part of a cheeseboard, it is important to bring the cheese to room temperature or warm it before eating. This will allow the true flavours and richness of the cheese to shine through, as well as bring the cheese to its optimal level of "ooziness". Brie can be enjoyed on its own, paired with crackers or bread, or used in various recipes such as sandwiches, salads, and pasta dishes.
It is worth noting that freezing brie cheese is not recommended, as it can alter its texture and flavour. Additionally, consuming spoiled brie cheese can lead to foodborne illnesses, causing symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Therefore, if you are unsure whether your brie cheese is still good, it is best to discard it.
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Frequently asked questions
If the Brie has a brownish, gummy rind, it has gone bad.
If the cheese is thicker than 1 inch, it will likely be overripe on the edges and underripe in the centre.
Bad Brie will smell like ammonia. Fresh Brie should have a sweet odour.
The exterior of the cheese should be firm, while the centre should be springy but not watery.
