I've heard that it's OK to eat this, but I think it tastes gross. Are you really supposed to?
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24If you don't, the brie police will break down your door and beat you with the rind until, broken and smelling faintly of ammonia, you give in and eat it.– Shog9Commented Jul 24, 2010 at 0:01
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1@Knives You're absolutely right. I'm still in hospital from the last time I threw out the rind.– Ritwik BoseCommented Jul 24, 2010 at 0:29
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4 Answers
It's a personal preference. It's certainly edible, and it won't hurt you. I find the texture a little weird. Generally you can eat the rind of almost any cheese. However, make sure you're not mistaking a wax coating for rind.
answered Jul 24, 2010 at 0:05
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1I think it is considered
unculturedto not eat the rind, in some circles at least.– Aaron SCommented Aug 8, 2016 at 2:03
I like it fine; on good cheeses it seems like that outer layer has a lot of interesting flavor. I love it when at things like industry conference buffets thrown by giant rich corporations the good (or great) brie rinds gets mostly left behind for me :-)
If you don't like the taste of it, don't eat it. I suggest adopting that policy as a general rule. You might consider using the rinds with other old cheese nubs from your fridge to make cheese spreads/dips (food-processored with some white wine, a little salt, maybe mustard, etc).
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1Great rule! That's how I got through two months in China, with the added caveat, "Stop asking what you're eating." Commented Jul 24, 2010 at 12:23
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1I like the rind, but only on fresh Brie. If it has been in the fridge for a week or so, the rind will develop a pungent flavor that I don't like, even though the cheese itself is fine. Any longer than that, and all the cheese starts to take on the strong rind flavor. Not good eats.– JSMCommented Jun 6, 2014 at 23:04
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2@JSM the trick is not to keep the cheese in the fridge. In my experience it will ripen not well but only the rind deriorates. Outside it ripens throughout.– gschenkCommented Feb 3, 2020 at 20:31
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Such spreads are how a very typical Munich dish was developed. [Obatzter][en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obatzda] over-ripe Camembert rests mushed with spices and condiments. Eaten throught summer along with Bretzn in Biergarten. The worse the cheese, the better the Obatzte.– gschenkCommented Feb 3, 2020 at 20:35
You don't have to, but I think it adds to the texture and gives an interesting counterpoint to the cheese.
If you're doing baked brie in puff pastry, however, I'd recommend shaving it down so that its thinner...the extra layer gets a little weird, makes people struggle with it.
It is edible, but there's definitely mold on the rind of brie. (Much like a lot of cheeses). Personally I don't like the taste; so I cut through the rind and eat the nice creamy part of brie. Most every cheese that smells (limburger cheese, etc), smells the way it does because of the rind.
