Introduction to Cheese
Cheese is a main component of many of our menu offerings. It is critical
to make sure that cheese is thawed correctly and thoroughly before use.
This will make sure the product cooks at the appropriate temperature. Using
frozen product can also result in over portioning of cheese and therefore
negatively impact our food cost controls. Using frozen cheese can also have
a dramatic impact on product appearance, when cooked the appearance is
burnt.
to make sure that cheese is thawed correctly and thoroughly before use.
This will make sure the product cooks at the appropriate temperature. Using
frozen product can also result in over portioning of cheese and therefore
negatively impact our food cost controls. Using frozen cheese can also have
a dramatic impact on product appearance, when cooked the appearance is
burnt.
All thawing product must have MRD (made, ready,
discard) labels.
Ingredients
• Frozen cheese
Equipment / Smallwares
• MRD label's
• Food safe pen
• Cheese Dating Chart
Standards
Select Frozen Product
All frozen products must be stored at -18°C +/- 5°C.• Use FIFO.
FIFO is a, first in, first out procedure that will help to minimise waste
and make sure we use old products first.
If you find a product out of date, inform the manager on duty, discard and record the waste.
If you find a product out of date, inform the manager on duty, discard and record the waste.
• Make sure product is in date by checking the use-by date and / or made, ready, discard (MRD) label, on original packaging.
• Make sure that the packaging is sealed.
• Store on a flat shelf
Store Cheese Correctly
• Remove frozen cheese from box.
• Store in a cooler at 2°C - 5°C.
• Use FIFO
centimetres off the floor.
There are 4 methods of thawing cheese. Any of the
following are acceptable.
• Store cheese one bag high for option A.
- Place on shelf approximately 5 centimetres apart.
- Leave a gap of 5 - 10 centimetres between bags and surrounding walls.
The total shelf life from freezer is 8 days. One day
(24 hours) to thaw and 7 days usable.
• Store cheese 2 bags high for option B.
- Place 2 bags on top of each other, on a shelf, with approximately 5
centimetres apart.
- Leave a gap of 5 - 10 centimetres between bags and surrounding walls.
(48 hours) to thaw and 7 days usable.
• Store cheese 3 bags high for option C.
- Place 3 bags on top of each other, on a shelf.
- Do not leave any gaps between bags and surrounding walls.
The total shelf life from the freezer is 10 days. 3days to thaw and 7 days usable.
• Store cheese in the box for option D.
This is not the most efficient or recommended
practice for thawing cheese. The box acts as an
insulator and uneven thawing will occur. After the
6 days thawing, the cheese must be removed from
the box to avoid possible flattening of the bottom
bags in the box.
• Place frozen box of cheese on shelf.
The total shelf life from freezer is 13 days. 6 days tothaw and 7 days usable
• Alter thawing times if you remove bags part way through box thawing.
Store bags 3 high and alter thawing times as follows:
• 2/3 days in box + 3 days thaw on shelf
• 4 days in box + 2 days thaw on shelf
• 5 days in box + one day thaw on shelf
If you remove bags part way through thawing and
thaw as one bag high, thawing time is reduced to
24 hours.
Complete MRD's for Each Bag
• Use a food safe pen.
• Include the following on the MRD:
• Name of product
• Made - date and time
• Ready - date and time
• Discard - date and time
Use the appropriate shelf life according to thespecific storage.
Complete MRD Using a Colour Dating System
• Assign a colour/symbol to all bags of cheese that have the same thawing times.
• Use a food safe pen.
• Place a colour/symbol mark on each MRD sticker.
• Record the date made (thawed), date ready, date discard and time
on the Cheese Dating Chart.
• Make sure the Cheese Dating Chart is placed on the cooler door
where the cheese is thawing.