Cheese's You Can Take on a Hike

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We are planning a 6 day trip with temperatures of 40-80's.

What types of cheese might keep for 6 days. Someone told me velveeta keeps forever if not opened but I was hoping for some other options.

Thanks.

Ron L

Most cheeses will handle a number of days out-though the harder it is, the better the storage. So hence, go for real cheese, not processed junk. Cheddar, Swiss, Sharp cheddar, Parmesan and it's cousins, etc-lots of choices!
It does get soft after awhile, but it is still edible.

One rule to watch is this: handle the cheese as little as you can. Your grimy mitts will do more to it than not being kept cold! ;-)

Also, you can cut cheese at home, and dip it in paraffin in serving size chunks. Helps keep it fresher. Just peel off the paraffin when you are ready to use it! (for instance, 1 ounce is about right)

Cheese, Cheese, Cheese….Yummm!

Hard cheeses keep the best as mentioned. There are some really nice european hard cheeses like grana padana and many parmesans. In europe some cheeses are purposely kept unrefrigerated. Try the gourmet cheese section for the best selection. Watch out for too much heat or compression/squashing in your pack. I usually try to eat my cheese early on a trip rather than risk it gong bad.

I prefer to wrap my cheese in cheese clothe soaked in vinegar and stored in a zip-lock bag. The vinegar will retard mold growth and the clothe will absorb any oils the cheese may extrude. The vinegar will change the color of the cheese but not alter its flavor. I routinely use this method on trips lasting 14 days or more.

Hard aged cheeses are better. I don't know about over there but here in Australia the local versions of the Italian Parmigiano/Grana Padano are nothing like the original as far as longevity on the trail goes. Pretty much the same applies to the taste.
Franco

I have used Gruyere cheese on trips that length and it has been great. I ate it with pepperoni. Tasty!

Anonymous

Inactive

Have you tried "Just the Cheese"? It was carried on the BPL website for a while, but was pretty pricy. If you Google it up you can get the manufacturer's URL and find it at pretty reasonable prices. Good points: Wide variety of flavors; Very light(liquid removed); Keeps well(comes in sealed 2 oz. pouches; Nice crunchy texture; Good calorie density(150 cal/oz.). Maybe worth a try?

Cheddar cheese, sharp seems best, has often lasted 9-10 days in the Sierra for me.

There are some cheeses and cheese products packed in foil or sometimes dipped in wax. These will keep unrefrigerated for months at room temperature, and weeks in a pack.

The only one the comes to mind, because I buy it, is Laughing Cow which you would think is a European Import but is made on the East Coast. Typically, a round cardboard container with wedge shaped cheese pieces each hermetically sealed in an aluminum foil wedge.

A long time ago, at Christmas it was common for small balls of cheese spheres or rounds all coated with wax to be given to us by relatives. I have heard that it is still around, but have no idea where.

john Tier

Spectator

@peter_pan
Locale: Co-Owner Jacks 'R' Better, LLC, VA

Kraft Philidelpia cream cheese comes in individual foil packs….50 to a bag at Sams Club…. used it on two hike late last fall… worked great.

Pan

I have had good luck with Baby-Bel cheese. It comes in small packs with a wax covering. Several flavors to choose from. The 365 butter crackers from whole foods sure taste good with the cheese. Although they are a little more prone to breaking than ritz crackers. Good luck.

Ron,

At 6 days and temps you have mentioned, there are more cheeses you can take than you would have to leave behind.

I suggest going to a gourmet market/cheese shop and locating those cheeses with a harder consistency. In my opinion, Asiago tastes way better than Phili cream cheese or some of the other "pre-packed" cheeses mentioned above and is very resiliant on the trail. There are many others like Asiago and Parm., but most of the ones that will retain their texture and flavor while traveling have less coloration…so my suggestion is to stay away from the dark yellow/orange varieties.

BTW, Just the Cheese is nothing like cheese and will not give you satisfaction if that is what you want. I would rather have "cheese" flavored Pringles than the awful/dry taste of Just the Cheese.

I have also had good luck with Baby-bel.
They are about 1 inch cubed and wraped in wax.

Doug

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If you haven't seen it already, read the thread "make your own candle" in the "reader tips" forum. It gives an extra reason to carry Baby-Bel.

you can take almost any cheese for up to a month (6 weeks for harder cheeses) on the trail (excluding things like Ricotta, Marscapone and cream cheese).

all you do is cut the cheese in servings, wrap it in cheesecloth and dip it in melted parrafin repeatedly until you have a good coating.

also you can find shelf stable brie and camembert that does not require refrigeration (under the Danesborg brand) and it keeps for months.

velveeta isn't a very good option if you are looking for something with good texture and flavor

I've had excellent luck w/ the hard "Dry Jack" cheese, which apart from a little "sweating" in hot weather, just lasts and lasts. It's tasty ( somewhat nutty flavor and not to be confused w/ Monterey Jack) and for a pleasent change, is great for toasting over a fire (or stove flame). Kerrygold Vintage Irish Chedder is another personal favorite on trips both long and short. I just store them in a ziplock and keep in a dark corner of the pack away from my back.

Baby-bel is OK but I find it sort of the Velveeta of French Cheeses—-when in France, enquire after "Tomme d'Savoie"—it is long lasting (very thick rind) and has charactor up the wazoo. Wish it were easier to find stateside.

What about string cheese? Will it stay good?

String cheese gets soft and oily, but stays fine. Just carry individual packaged ones for best results.

My local Cost Plus Imports has a variety of shelf stable cheeses and sausages/salamis as well.
Tom

Jun 27, 2007 at 10:23 pm #1393708

Holland Farms makes a 7oz Gouda cheese wheel that comes in a wax coating. It's perfect for a 3-5 day trip, and because of the wax, only the last surface you cut is exposed. I try lots of different cheeses at home and Gouda is one of the few cheeses I have problem with mold. Pepper Jack is another good cheese — I think the peppers make the cheese acidic and prevent mold from forming as fast. I don't know how true that is, but Pepper Jack also seems to last longer than the other cheese I try.

If you have a Whole Foods near you, they have a tremendous selection of cheeses.

Rob Blazoff

Member

@genetic
Locale: Out back, brewing beer in BPA.

You can also seek out a local cheesemaker for a firm cheese. We get Raclette from Black Star Farms (along with a liter of wine) when we visit the Sleeping Bear Dunes. I like a salty cheese like Raclette or Parm when I've been backpacking or paddling all day.
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