How to Open Wax Cheese

A lot of our cheese products come in the form of truckles, small wheels coated in wax to keep them fresh. These look great, and make a cheese board display more colourful.

But when the time comes to open up your cheese, wax coatings can be a challenge to cut through. Today we’re going to teach you the correct method, so you look like a pro when it’s time to start dishing it out to your loved ones, or enjoying on your own.

First, the basics.

Why is Cheese Sealed in Wax?

We produce cheese in truckles (the correct term for wax sealed cheese) for three main reasons.

• Freshness – Sealed cheese isn’t exposed to air, and therefore has a longer use-by date. It also creates a barrier against contamination, so your cheese can be kept in the fridge alongside other foods, without it picking up other flavours or odours.
• Locking in Moisture – Hard and semi-hard cheeses contain water that can evaporate quickly when exposed to cold air; the wax seal prevents this and ensures it will be nice and moist when opened.
• Visual Appeal – Brightly coloured truckles look great in a hamper, subscription box, or when laid out on a cheese board. Their shape also makes them stackable and easier to store than wedges and large cheese wheels.

They aren’t just for looking good, and after years of research we’ve concluded that wax seals are the best way to package cheese. But that isn’t the only reason we do it.

Why we Use Cheese Truckles

At Hartington Creamery, we put a strong emphasis on traditional values. This affects all aspects of the cheese making process; we use traditional methods that use less automation, a practiced eye and steady hand is better at unlocking flavour!

This approach also applies to how we package cheese. We try to avoid plastic wherever possible, using wax paper and the aforementioned wax seals to keep cheese fresh. The only plastic you’ll find in our cheese hampers are the stickers and labels; we’re doing our part to stay sustainable without sacrificing quality of packaging.

How to Open Wax Cheese Guide

Wax truckles are tough, that’s why they’re so effective at keeping cheese fresh and protected during transport. If you’ve picked up your first truckles, you’ll likely have battled with the coating before you could get at the delicious cheese inside.

Next time, be sure to follow our cheese truckle opening guide.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Chopping Board
• Sharp Knife
• Clean hands

The latter sounds obvious, but you should always make sure your hands, board, and knife are clean before you get started.

Step One – Prepare your Cheese

If you store cheese in the fridge, make sure you take it out beforehand so it can return to room temperature. This will soften the wax a little and will save some effort. Just make sure you don’t leave it out for too long; it’s a dairy product after all!

Step Two – Remove the Top of the Truckle

The top of your truckle will have a sticker attached, telling you the name of the cheese and the flavour. By removing this first, the rest of the wax seal will be easier to take off.

Slice the top off as cleanly as possible.

Remember that the wax seal is quite thin, so no need to go overboard and waste any cheese.

Remove the top and you should see pure cheese underneath. If there is still some wax, you may have to cut away more, but our waxing methods prevent this 9 times out of 10.

Step Three – Remove the Sides

With the top gone, it becomes much easier to remove the rest of the wax.

Slice deeply into the side of the cheese, from top to bottom, to score it. Repeat this in multiple intervals so that you can remove the sides in three even pieces.

The sides should come away cleanly, and so will the base. Slice a little more if it’s being stubborn, but watch your fingers!

Step Four – Enjoy your Cheese

Once the wax comes away, you’ll be able to tuck into your chosen cheese. Check all sides carefully before you serve, picking out any bits of wax that remain, but then it’s good to go!

Repeat steps 1-3 for each truckle and you’ll have a fantastic selection to enjoy. Whether you’ve gone for our bolder flavours or classic favourites, you’ll soon see why our cheese has won so many awards over the years.

More Cheesy Tips and Tricks

As well as being one of the UK’s best cheese producers, we’re proud to support the community with help and advice. Whether it’s the best accompaniments to go with a specific cheese, to storage, and what you’ve read today, we’re here to help people enjoy their cheese any way we can.

If you’d like to learn more about our cheese or cheese accompaniments, please don’t hesitate to get in touch, or check out our other blogs for more information.