Andy Montoya
Cheese is made up of coagulated milk solids, or curd, and contains moisture, water and fats. When cheese is brought to room temperature, the protein chains that hold the fat together loosen, allowing the butterfat to leech out and bead on the surface of the cheese. This can also happen if the cheese is left out of the fridge for too long, or if it gets warm, for example during a long grocery store trip.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cheese is made up of | Coagulated milk solids or curd |
| Cheese is best enjoyed at | Room temperature |
| Cheese is wrapped | To absorb leeching butterfat |
| Cheese is unwrapped | Right before serving |
| Cheese is served | About an hour to an hour and a half after being unwrapped |
| Cheese is wet because | It has moisture in it |
| Cheese is wet because | It has fats in it |
| Cheese is wet because | It has been allowed to get warm |
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What You'll Learn
- Cheese is made up of milk solids, or curd, which contains moisture and fats
- When cheese is brought to room temperature, the protein chains loosen, allowing butterfat to escape?
- Cheese is best enjoyed at room temperature, but this can cause it to sweat
- To prevent sweating, keep cheese wrapped until right before serving
- If beading occurs, blot the surface with a paper towel
Cheese is made up of milk solids, or curd, which contains moisture and fats
If you want to avoid this, try to keep the cheese wrapped until you're ready to serve it. The cheese wrapper can absorb the leeching butterfat. Fresh cheeses and bloomies are also less prone to this issue, while hard cheeses, especially aged sheep milk cheeses, have the highest butterfat content and are therefore more likely to be affected.
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When cheese is brought to room temperature, the protein chains loosen, allowing butterfat to escape
Cheese is made up of coagulated milk solids, or curd. In solid form, the fat is held together within an interlocking web of protein chains, which loosen when brought to room temperature, allowing butterfat to escape and bead on the surface of the cheese. This is why cheese can look wet.
This is an aesthetic issue more than anything else. However, if you are turned off by the prospect of cheese tears, there are some options less prone to the condition. Try fresh cheeses and bloomies. Semi-soft cheeses, including washed rinds and blues, are less inclined to shine, as well. Stay away from hard cheeses, and especially aged sheep milk cheeses, which have the highest butterfat content of all.
If you want to avoid the cheese looking wet, keep it wrapped when you pull it out of the fridge, and only unwrap it right before serving. The cheese wrapper can more easily and preemptively absorb the leeching butterfat. If beading still occurs after you unwrap the cheese, blot its surface with a square of paper towel.
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Cheese is best enjoyed at room temperature, but this can cause it to sweat
If you want to avoid this, try fresh cheeses and bloomies. Semi-soft cheeses, including washed rinds and blues, are less inclined to shine, as well. Stay away from hard cheeses, and especially aged sheep milk cheeses, which have the highest butterfat content of all. If you're serving cheese at a party or event, don't pre-slice or portion it. Keep it wrapped until the first guest arrives, and place it on the cheese board with the appropriate knife at the ready. If beading still occurs after you unwrap the cheese, blot its surface with a square of paper towel.
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To prevent sweating, keep cheese wrapped until right before serving
Cheese is made up of coagulated milk solids, or curd. In solid form, the fat is held together within an interlocking web of protein chains, which loosen when brought to room temperature, allowing the butterfat to leech out and bead on the surface of the cheese. This is why cheese can sometimes look wet.
If you let a sealed bag of cheese get warm, it will begin to "sweat" and release moisture on its surface. This is because cheese contains moisture and water as well as fats.
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If beading occurs, blot the surface with a paper towel
Cheese is made up of coagulated milk solids, or curd. In solid form, the fat is held together within an interlocking web of protein chains, which loosen when brought to room temperature, thereby permitting that once-trapped butterfat to leech out and bead on the surface of the cheese. This can also happen if the cheese gets warm while it's still sealed in its bag.
If you want to avoid beading altogether, try fresh cheeses and bloomies. Semi-soft cheeses, including washed rinds and blues, are less inclined to shine, as well. Stay away from hard cheeses, and especially aged sheep milk cheeses, which have the highest butterfat content of all.
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Frequently asked questions
Cheese is made up of coagulated milk solids, or curd, and it contains moisture, water and fats. When brought to room temperature, the protein chains loosen, allowing the butterfat to leech out and bead on the surface of the cheese.
There's nothing wrong with a bit of dew on your cheese. It's an aesthetic issue more than anything else.
Keep the cheese wrapped when you pull it out of the fridge, and only unwrap it right before serving. The cheese wrapper can more easily and preemptively absorb the leeching butterfat.
Fresh cheeses and bloomies are less prone to beading. Semi-soft cheeses, including washed rinds and blues, are also less inclined to shine.
