Red Wax -5 pounds

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RW5 Price: $20.00

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Cheese Wax is especially made for coating cheeses. It helps prevent unwanted mold growth while retaining moisture in the aging cheese. This wax is pliable and will not become brittle as will pure paraffin wax.

For more information on the waxing process and wax safety, please click here.

CONTAINS: A formulation of paraffin and microcrystalline wax, food grade coloring

YIELD: One pound will wax approximately 12-20 cheeses when brushed on. If dipping method is used you will need at least a 5 pound block. If you are waxing all the time, 10 pounds will save you some money.

DIRECTIONS: It is safest to melt wax in a double boiler so that it is not subject to direct flame. NEVER leave melting wax unattended. Wax can explode at high temperatures.
Heat wax to 120ºF. Wax can be brushed onto a dried and chilled cheese with a natural bristle brush (anything synthetic will melt), or you can very carefully dip your cheese into the wax pot one side at a time (it can get very slippery). Two thin coats are preferable to one thick coat. Be sure to fill up any air spaces as mold needs air to grow.
When you are ready to eat your cheese, the wax is simply peeled off and can be strained through Butter Muslin (U2) to be reused over and over again.

STORAGE: Store in cool place, away from any high heat. Will keep indefinitely.

!A WARNING ON HEATING WAX!

Wax when heated will reach a point where vapors accumulate and may ignite with life threatening results.

A wax fire is EXTREMELY dangerous and CANNOT be put out with water.
NEVER let your wax exceed 250F. NEVER leave the wax unattended on the stove

I am aware that Ricki says in her book to melt the wax in a double boiler, but in effect, there is a problem with that. The wax will not be hot enough to destroy the mold on the cheese surface and enough air can get through for this mold to grow under the wax. I think she is most concerned with the safety of her customers.

To be most successful at preventing mold the wax needs to reach a temp of 225-240F and the cheese dipped for at least 6 seconds. The BIG PROBLEM here is that you really need to control the temperature because if the wax gets hotter it might reach it's flash point and catch on fire. Our supplier gives the flash point as 400F, but I would err on the side of caution and keep it in the range described above.

To limit the potential danger here, I use a heavy pot with a candy thermometer and control the wax temps carefully. Others simply get an old electric fry pan, get the wax up to this temp, and tape the temp control dial in place. It may seem to take a long time to get the wax to go from solid to liquid, but once it has liquefied, the temperature will rise sharply. Make it a habit to constantly monitor the temperature of your wax. If that wax reaches the flash point, then the vapors produced are extremely flammable. The flash point of wax is typically above 300° F.