You Should Only Buy Feta Cheese In Brine. Here’s Why
Why bother brining feta in the first place? After all, you don’t see blue cheese, gouda, or chevre (or any other cheese, for that matter) floating in a tub of saltwater. Well, feta is a unique cheese that requires unique treatment, and keeping it in a saltwater brine accomplishes a few important things in regard to taste, texture, and longevity.
Epicurious explains that feta dries out quickly when it’s exposed to air. As this happens, the flavor becomes increasingly sour. Submerging the cheese in brine protects it from the air, keeping it moist and balancing the flavor profile.
Buying feta in brine also ensures that it will keep for longer, similar to the way a saline brine preserves pickled foods. According to Does It Go Bad, brined feta has a substantially longer shelf life than the dry variety. Let’s say you open a container of crumbled feta and only use a small handful on your salad. If you put the leftovers in your fridge, they will last around five to seven days, so you’d better find another use for them fast. On the other hand, leftover feta stored in brine will keep for about a month, so you don’t have to race as quickly to use it up.
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