Remove the Rind from Brie Cheese
Lots of people eat brie with the rind intact, but many find its taste and texture unappetizing. The trouble is, the soft, gooey cheese sticks to the rind like glue, making it difficult to remove the rind without taking half the cheese with it. The solution? Freeze the brie before slicing off the top, bottom and sides with a serrated knife, then let it come to room temperature (or bake it) and serve.
Steps
Removing the Whole Rind
- Wrap the brie tightly in plastic wrap. This will protect it from freezer burn and keep the texture and flavor fresh. Use several pieces of plastic wrap and make sure the entire rind is covered.
- Place the brie in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. During this time the brie will harden, which will make it easier to remove the rind.
- 30 minutes is the minimum amount of time necessary to give the brie the chance to firm up. If you have more time, it's fine to freeze the brie for a few hours or even overnight.
- Take the brie out of the freezer and remove the plastic wrap. If the brie still feels soft, put it back in the freezer for another half hour. This method only works if the brie is completely firm. If it feels stiff to the touch, place the brie on a cutting board.
- Slice off the top and bottom. Stand the brie on its side and use a serrated knife to slice both circular ends off of the brie. Once you've made the cut, use your fingers to pry off the rind. If the brie is sufficiently firm, the top and bottom should be easy to cut off.
- If it's difficult to slice through the brie or remove the rind from the cheese, wrap the brie in plastic and place it in the freezer for an additional 30 minutes, then try again.
- Slice off the sides. Lay the brie flat against the cutting board. Use the serrated knife to cut along the edge of the brie to slice off the sides. As you cut, start pulling the sides of the rind away from the brie, bit by bit. Continue until you've completely removed the rind from the brie.
- In order to keep the brie from sticking to the cutting board, you might want to lay a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper on the board before setting down the wheel of cheese.
- If the cheese seems to be sticking to the rind, wrap the wheel in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer to harden before trying again.
- Discard the rind and serve the cheese. Allow the cold cheese to come to room temperature before serving.
Making a Brie Bowl
- Wrap the brie tightly in plastic wrap. This will protect it from freezer burn and keep the texture and flavor fresh. Use several pieces of plastic wrap and make sure the entire rind is covered.
- Place the brie in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. During this time the brie will harden, which will make it easier to remove the rind.
- 30 minutes is the minimum amount of time necessary to give the brie the chance to firm up. If you have more time, it's fine to freeze the brie for a few hours or even overnight.
- Take the brie out of the freezer and remove the plastic wrap. If the brie still feels soft, put it back in the freezer for another half hour. This method only works if the brie is completely firm. If it feels stiff to the touch, place the brie on a cutting board.
- Slice off the top. Place the brie on a cutting board and use a serrated knife to slice the top off of the brie. Once you've made the cut, use your fingers to pry off the rind. If the brie is sufficiently firm, the top should be easy to cut off.
- Slicing off just the top leaves a "bowl" for the creamy cheese to be scooped from when eating or preparing to serve. This same method can be used for a pie slice of brie as well. If preferred all the rind can be removed before cooking or serving.
- Use caution to remove as little of the creamy cheese as possible and only remove the white dry rind.
- Bake the brie bowl. Put the brie in a baking dish and bake it for 15 to 20 minutes at 300 degrees. It should be shiny and creamy when done.
- Top it with preserves or marmalade. Tart, sweet berry or orange jam perfectly complements the creamy, salty brie.
- Serve with crackers. Whole wheat or water crackers are both excellent with baked brie.
