# Rinds of cheese - anything to be done with them?



## cave76 (Feb 23, 2014)

It seems to me, in the dark reaches of my memory, I've read about using cheese rinds for ----- er, something.

I just bought some delicious Gruyere cheese that has a large rind on it. Since the rind cost as much as the cheese  I was wondering if it can be used (or eaten). Doesn't look appetizing but hey------- Limburger doesn't smell appetizing but I love it.

Any ideas or thoughts would be appreciated, especially if you've used them yourself. (Not limited to Gruyere)


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## GB (Feb 23, 2014)

Throw it in a soup.


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## cave76 (Feb 23, 2014)

GB said:


> Throw it in a soup.



Really? Like a homemade veg. soup? Does that mean you've done this? Does the rind 'melt'  or do you dig it out and discard it? Or do you just eat it?

You can see I like details.


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## GB (Feb 23, 2014)

Yep it would be great in that homemade veg soup. It is also a great way to fix up a store bought soup. The rind never completely dissolves so there will be a chunk left, but it is easy to fish out. I do not eat it, but I don't see any reason you couldn't. Parm is the usual rind you will see used, but any cheese you have that you think would taste good in your soup will work, well harder cheeses at least.


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## cave76 (Feb 23, 2014)

GB----- thank you for more detail. Now I'm happy ---- but still look forward to other replies. (grin)


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## GB (Feb 23, 2014)

My pleasure. I am sure you will get many other replies on this one. I know many people here who love using rinds in this way.


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## GB (Feb 23, 2014)

Oh I thought of another thing. You can save a few different kinds then blend them up with a little white wine and whatever seasoning you feel like. It can make a good cheese spread for crackers.


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## Addie (Feb 23, 2014)

Hard cheeses such as Parm can be tossed into a pasta sauce.


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## Dawgluver (Feb 23, 2014)

Rachel Ray frequently extolls the virtues of cheese rinds.  She freezes them, then tosses them into anything hot, like soups and pasta sauce as mentioned, stews, any sauce or savory dish.


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## vitauta (Feb 23, 2014)

bake or fry some frico (cheese crisps)--quick, easy and delish!  hard cheese like parmesan, you can grate it up and use it that way.  i haven't done it, but hard cheese rinds can be used to infuse your olive oil.  when i buy cheese i look for pieces with the most rind, which are my favorite part.  my cheese rinds rarely make it to the soup or stew pot. i snack on these tasty ends, unless they are inedible, such as the waxy ones....


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## cave76 (Feb 23, 2014)

Thanks to all of you who have replied! Now I see I will have more 'stuff' saved in my fridge or freezer, as if I didn't already. LOL Lots of good ideas here.


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## lleechef (Feb 23, 2014)

I save my Parmigiana Reggiano rinds for _pasta e fagiole _and Italian wedding soup.  Those extremely hard rinds do not melt, but add a lot of taste to the soups.


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## 4meandthem (Feb 24, 2014)

I chop them up and add to my baked mac n cheese.


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## cave76 (Feb 24, 2014)

4meandthem said:


> I chop them up and add to my baked mac n cheese.



All kinds of rinds, from all kinds of cheese? How finely do you chop them?


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## 4meandthem (Feb 25, 2014)

Small dice with whatever you have. You get some chewy bits that work pretty well. They soften quite a bit.


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## cave76 (Feb 25, 2014)

Thanks, meandthem. I'll give that a try.


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## CatPat (Feb 25, 2014)

My cats like them!


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## Dawgluver (Feb 25, 2014)

CatPat said:


> My cats like them!



Beagle likes them too, but they're too good to share much!


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## larry_stewart (Feb 26, 2014)

I also throw my parmesan rinds in Minestrone or Tomato soup,  and also the sauce as well.  I then fish them out and eat them,  they get kind of a chewy ( in a giid way) consistency.


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## cave76 (Feb 27, 2014)

Seems like I've missed out on using my cheese rinds while everyone else has been doing it. Thanks.


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## Roll_Bones (Feb 27, 2014)

I grind it to almost nothing. I know my knuckles could be severely scrubbed, but I am cheap/thrifty that way.


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## Mad Cook (Feb 27, 2014)

cave76 said:


> Really? Like a homemade veg. soup? Does that mean you've done this? Does the rind 'melt' or do you dig it out and discard it? Or do you just eat it?
> 
> You can see I like details.


Ina Garten covered this on Food Network. She chucked the rind of a piece of parmesan cheese into the soup when she was cooking itand fished it out and threw it away when the soup was served. Supposed to improve the soup.


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Mar 15, 2014)

I use parmesan rinds for making pesto. Works well. I would think you could do something similar with any hard cheese rind.


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Mar 15, 2014)

Also, there is more talk about this on http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f22/leftover-cheese-rinds-83238-3.html


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Mar 15, 2014)

I'd like to throw 'em at my daughters.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Mar 15, 2014)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> I'd like to throw 'em at my daughters.
> 
> Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North



Didn't you always teach us not to waste food?


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Mar 15, 2014)

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> Didn't you always teach us not to waste food?



Hey! It's a parent's job to throw what a child says back at them, to make them think about what they're doing, not the offspring's.

Naw, I wouldn't really throw them at my daughters.  I have been known to put them in soup though.  They do add a bit of cheesy flavor, and make the broth a bit more complex.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Addie (Mar 15, 2014)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> Hey! It's a parent's job to throw what a child says back at them, to make them think about what they're doing, not the offspring's.
> 
> Naw, I wouldn't really throw them at my daughters.  I have been known to put them in soup though.  They do add a bit of cheesy flavor, and make the broth a bit more complex.
> 
> Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North



 I thought that is what the dirty sock is for.


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Mar 15, 2014)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> Hey! It's a parent's job to throw what a child says back at them, to make them think about what they're doing, not the offspring's...



If you didn't want us teaching you with your own words then maybe you should have used fewer of them in your lectures.


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## taxlady (Mar 15, 2014)

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> If you didn't want us teaching you with your own words then maybe you should have used fewer of them in your lectures.


Touché!


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## lyndalou (Mar 16, 2014)

Addie said:


> Hard cheeses such as Parm can be tossed into a pasta sauce.



Yes!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Mar 16, 2014)

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> If you didn't want us teaching you with your own words then maybe you should have used fewer of them in your lectures.



Wow!  Tough crowd.  

And yes, the dirty socks do add complexity to the broth.  You're just as bad as P.A.G.  Are you sure that you're not one of my kids?

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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