Abbey Ryan
Most of us are aware that all cheese is mold in some way or another, and cheese is delicious despite its odd origins. But despite cheese being mold, what about when you find that new mold on your cheese? Can you just chop it off?
The good news is that yes, for most varieties, you can cut the mold off cheese, but it’s not always so simple.
None of the molds that grow on cheeses are likely to make you sick, but they can negatively impact the flavor, and mold isn’t easy to cut off all types of cheese. The first question you should ask is what type of cheese you’re dealing with.
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If it’s a fresh, soft cheese like goat, ricotta, or mascarpone, your best bet is to throw the whole thing out (as much as it pains you). The damp environment of the cheese likely means the unwanted mold has permeated the entire bit of cheese, ruining all the flavor.
With some soft cheeses though, like Brie, you can cut off any visible mold plus an extra quarter-inch of cheese near the growth. If you’re dealing with a hard cheese—like aged Cheddar or Parmesan—you can simply scrape off the unwanted mold and enjoy the rest of your cheese block.
Of course, the best course of action is to store cheese properly to ensure mold doesn’t occur. But no one is perfect, so if it does, just grab that knife or toss the cheese depending on the type.
