Washed-rind cheese: the funky orange wheels

The make (in brief)

Make a moist, semi-soft wheel: ripen pasteurized whole milk with a mesophilic culture (many recipes add a touch of B. linens to the milk too), set with rennet, cut to ~½-inch, briefly warm, ladle or lightly press into forms, drain with flips over a day, then brine or dry-salt. The curd handling sits between a bloomy and a semi-soft — see the nine steps. Then comes the part that defines the style: the washing.

The wash schedule

1. Make the brine

   A light brine: ~2–3% salt in cool non-chlorinated water, optionally with a few drops of B. linens culture for the first washes, or a splash of beer/wine for flavor. Keep it refrigerated; make it fresh weekly — an old brine is a contamination risk.

2. Wash the rind

   In the cave at 52–56°F (11–13°C), ~90–95% humidity, wipe the entire surface with a brine-dampened clean cloth or sponge every 2–3 days, flipping the wheel each time. Use a dedicated cloth; don't reuse it between cheeses.

3. Watch the rind turn

   Over 1–2 weeks the surface goes from pale to yellow to a tacky pinkish-orange as B. linens establishes. Keep washing; the regular wiping is also what keeps unwanted mold in check.

4. Finish

   Ripen 4–8 weeks depending on size and how strong you want it. Wrap and refrigerate when it reaches the texture and pungency you like.