I wanted to take some cheese for lunches on my upcoming late june trip. After doing some reading and searching I'm still a little puzzled. I understand the harder the cheese the longer it will last. You can wrap your cheese in cheese cloth with some vinegar. But how long does the store bought small 8oz blocks of cheese in a vacume sealed package last unrefrigerated. It's the wrong time of year to find the cheese you see in x-mas baskets where the cheese is shipped non-refrigerated and seems to last awhile. What is everybody else doing.

How are you carrying the cheese?

On my last trip we carried cheese (PC cheddar) and it lasted 6 days in a large barrel

I have a 30L barrel for food and another 30L barrel for other gear.

depending on the weather, and how well you pack it, you should be ok for close to a week...I've had some last 5 days in the middle of august by just keeping the barrel out of the sun as much as possible, and pack it close to the meat or anything else that's cold...

happy tripping!

That's pretty much what I was thinking. If it doesn't look like a science experiment then it's good to eat!!!

In my experience it depends on when you open it. As a result, I bring smaller individually wrapped pieces rather than one large piece for the whole trip. Alternatively, if you want some for later in your trip as a treat, don't open it until then.
I have had small and large wax covered Babybel in my pack for up to seven days without effect. I also bring cheese strings which are very convenient, wrapped by portion so easy to ration, and seem to last forever. I have had a wedge of Romano in my pack for a full week and brought it home because it wasn't opened at all during the trip.

I agree with the previous post. We taken regular vac packed cheddar into Algonquin in a heatwave in August and it lasted the whole 6 day trip. There is a brand of Brie that comes in a carboard box that does not require refrigeration until its opened. It's made by a Danish company and is carried by Lowblaws. You could also try the Gouda cheeses that are covered in wax, they last well and you can buy them in large or small formats. Another thing I've done is to buy two vac sealed pieces, and freeze one. The unfrozen gets used up first as the other thaws.

Enjoy your trip!

Michael

We have had no problem with hard cheeses lasting a considerable time. We have enjoyed romano and parmesan throughout a two week August trip, with lots of heat, without any problems, just puckered up in a zip-lock after each use. We bring along a small grater and grate fresh cheese to our hearts content on almost everything. Bon Appetit!

Mark S.

http://www.ABRweb.ca .. Algonquin Backcountry Recreationalists - Caring for Algonquin's Backcountry

Hmmm.. I just check and it does say keep refrigerated

But we have had no problems with the two or three
bundles of the individually sealed 1.5" cheese rounds.
( now avail in a variety of cheese and not just mozzerella )

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babybel

Racoon

*Rac n*

I have never had a problem with your basic cheddar/jack/swiss firmness of cheese upwards to 5 days. It would likely last more, but I eat it early. In hot weather it goes squishy. All part of camping.

BabyBels are awesome and it's fun to burn the wax in the fire.

Some folks go the vinegar wrap route. I've never tried it.

You can buy those individually wrapped cheese slices that pretend
to be cheese . I'm not talking about the real cheddar or processed
Velvetta slices ( my favotite and I know it's not real cheese)

I'm talking about the 10 slice package for not more than a buck and change
that my buddies tends to buy and then tries really hard to melt them
on hamburgs ( with no success because even his kids tell him they won't
melt but he still tries )

Mind you he makes KD without milk or butter as well and they won't eat his
KD and dogs. He found out last year that by adding some powdered milk,
salt/pepper and butter that I sneaked into the triaged food pack
that this does make a difference..

Now powdered milk/creamers and butter always is in the food list
as well as some catsup and beef dogs ( forget chicken or tofu)

P.S.
I'm working on the macaroni elbows and real velvetta cheese (small package
that would be gone the day its opened ) and some dehydrated tomaotoes
and beef for the next culinary eye opener !!
Not to mention..
some of those meals that I just saw Laurie Ann post ( Ymm..Ymm _

And of course the velvetta does melt .



*Rac n*

Several ways to keep it.

1. Cut into the size piece you need for any day and wrap that in cheesecloth
2. Sprinkle with white vinegar
3. Vacuum bag it either with a Food Saver or tne new Zip Loc Vacuum seal bags..the whole kit with pump and a few bags costs about five bucks.


Go on trip.

Or
Use the principle of evaporative cooling..this is your faux refrigerator. Wrap cheese in cotton dishtowel that is wet but not sopping.. put in soft side cooler. A small one will fit well in a barrel

Seen cheese this way last for more than six weeks.

Check out this site.. I guess Canadians are easily bribed with cheese..
http://www.cruisingworld.com/cruising-life/people-and-food/cheese-glorious-cheese-1000058651.html

Several ways to keep it.

1. Cut into the size piece you need for any day and wrap that in cheesecloth
2. Sprinkle with white vinegar
3. Vacuum bag it either with a Food Saver or tne new Zip Loc Vacuum seal bags..the whole kit with pump and a few bags costs about five bucks.


Go on trip.

Or
Use the principle of evaporative cooling..this is your faux refrigerator. Wrap cheese in cotton dishtowel that is wet but not sopping.. put in soft side cooler. A small one will fit well in a barrel

Seen cheese this way last for more than six weeks.

Check out this site.. I guess Canadians are easily bribed with cheese..
http://www.cruisingworld.com/cruising-life/people-and-food/cheese-glorious-cheese-1000058651.html

sorry for the double post. IE said the operation was aborted. It lied.

I do the same as Fred F and M Scarlett. I divide up the mild and medium cheeses (cut from a brick) and place in their own ziplock, sized for the meal. The less u handle them the better. We use up the mild/medium cheddar within the first 6 days of any trip, regardless of time of year. Should the trips be longer we bring Old Cheese and package it the same way. The Old Cheese (cheddar again, orange or white) lasts for 10 days or more (e.g. mold free). We also bring chunks (2 or 3 1" cubes) of parmesan and grate/shave as necessary on pasta dishes, bread or tomatoes. Should mold develop just shave it off, and I haven't yet had mold develop on the parmesan cheese we bring - it's lasted at least 14 days - again regardless of time of year.

I've known of the vinegar and cheesecloth method but never used it. Never brought the wax covered cheeses nor the processed type - not a HUGE cheese fan. I wish goat cheese would last though, lol.

SM

AS others have stated the older and harder the cheese the longer it will last. Also the stronger the cheese the less you need to add flavour to a meal - therefore less weight.
In addition to the vinegar and cheese cloth trick you can also dip the cheese in parafin wax to seal it and this will help to extend the shelf life.
The evaporative cooling mthod works well. I use a cotton pack - dunk it in toe lake and make it completely soaking wet and dripping. Perishables are packed in plastic so they are water and air tight then put in this pack. The the pack is hung in the shade in an area that will be shaded throughout the day. Periodically through the day it is re-wetted to keep it soaked.
This keeps cheese and cured sausage cool and has been succesful for periods up to one week.

Think of how cool you would be if you were soaking wet in the shade all day!

Chemist's cooling method also works nicely on bag wine, white or red, the perfect complement to that cheese you've kept so tasty. Just drop it in a water absorbing stuff sack, dip it in the drink to soak, then keep it damp in the shade until happy hour. Even on a hot July day, it'll keep at just about the temperature of a nice cool wine cellar. Hmmm, mmm, mmm . . . .

Mark S.

http://www.ABRweb.ca .. Algonquin Backcountry Recreationalists - Caring for Algonquin's Backcountry

Here is something you can try . what I do is I wrap it in tin foil shiny side in.. it has lasted as long as 9 days in the woods in july .. But I always buy the no name old cheese...good luck..