There is something undeniably impressive about a whole wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano. Known for its rich and nutty flavour, the cheese is often the star of tableside pasta dishes, where hot pasta is tossed directly inside the hollowed-out wheel for an indulgent finish. However, once you bring a large wheel or even half a wheel home, keeping it fresh can be a challenge.
Sharing a video on Instagram, Chef Em showed a simple storage method using cheesecloth and a jumbo storage bag to help prevent the cheese from drying out and limit unwanted bacterial growth. “We are all done eating for the night, and everyone has been asking how we clean this out. So I’m going to show you how we clean it,” the chef said, showing a large wheel of parmesan.
Take a look at the video:
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“The highly requested video of how we clean and store the half of our parmesan wheel that we cook in! It’s really simple! This keeps it nice and clean for many, many uses,” she wrote in the caption.
Step 1: Scraping the Interior
The chef used a slotted spoon to scrape the inner walls of the hollowed-out parmesan wheel. She collected the loose cheese bits in the centre so that nothing goes to waste, noting that she is going to use the cheese bits for salads. After the scraping is done, the inside of the wheel should look clean and smooth. She also mentioned in the caption that one can wipe the inside with vinegar to kill bacteria.
Step 2: Wrapping in Cheesecloth
After the scraping was done, the chef covered the whole wheel with a large white cheesecloth to help manage moisture and keep the rind from drying out.
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Step 3: Bagging and Storing
Lastly, the chef wrapped the cheese wheel into a jumbo-sized plastic zip-lock storage bag and sealed it up. She put the bagged wheel into the refrigerator. She kept it in what she calls her “Parmesan cheese garage” along with other cheese portions.
And the wheel is ready to go back in the fridge until it is time for another round of pasta.
