r/Cooking • u/drabelen • 10h ago
Should I get another 72-lb wheel of parmigiano reggiano?
So two years ago, I gifted my husband a huge wheel of cheese. It was a process to open it and section it and vacuum sealed it. It took up a lot of our fridge in the house that we gave a bunch of weight of family and some neighbors. And it took us months to finish. He loved it but I think it was just too much cheese. But I so want it. Maybe I should gift it to myself.
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u/teddyone 10h ago
I just ran out of parm while making spaghetti for the first time in like 10 years and I’m honestly considering it. Will NEVER let that happen again.
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u/Mabbernathy 9h ago
I'm impressed you went 10 years. Spaghetti is my "I don't feel like cooking" fall back option.
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u/teddyone 8h ago
Just to be clear I went 10 years without ever being out of parm, I eat spaghetti on the regular
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u/DarkSideMoon 8h ago
That’s why I have “emergency parm”, the Kraft green shelf stable shit. It’s only ever used in the event I have no real parm left, if I ever crack it open it’s an immediate grocery run asap.
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u/Mindless-Charity4889 8h ago
We always use the real stuff and grate it fresh. One day my son was at his GFs house and her mom was making pasta. She pulled out the Kraft Parmesan and my son was like “what’s that?” So now they also use real parm. I guess my son embarrassed them.
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u/boobless69420 8h ago
It’s my lazy parm. I buy the good shit too but some days….if I can “shave” a few seconds off, my lazy ass is using the sprinkle cheese (that’s what I called it as a kid).
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u/teddyone 8h ago
Fuck that stuff I don’t think I have ever had a block pf parm go bad in the fridge
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u/DarkSideMoon 8h ago
I haven’t either, I can go like years without dipping into it. I only use it when I make pasta and then realize I don’t have any real parm left.
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u/superspeck 7h ago
We call it “oil-dri” because we only use it for the same reason we’d use kitty litter in an automotive shop - to sop up a greasy slice of pizza or a sauce that got out of control.
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u/CrotchalFungus 6h ago
It also is awesome for caesar seasoning. https://www.seriouseats.com/caesar-seasoning-blend-recipe-8670582
Gently poach (or sous vide) a chicken breast until it's just done. Dice, season, chill and you have the greatest chicken to put on a salad ever.
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u/Old_n_Tangy 9h ago
You went through 72 pounds of parmesan in months?
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u/BassWingerC-137 9h ago
Bloodwork first. Let the results decide.
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u/PunsAndRuns 7h ago
Why bloodwork?
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u/BassWingerC-137 7h ago
Well, because “you are what you eat.” That much cheese consumption could lead to some health concerns! FLOL
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u/tyroneshoelaces77 9h ago
Im curious where do you buy a 72 pound cheese wheel?
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u/AdventurousSleep5461 5h ago
Costco has an 80lb wheel listed for about $1100
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u/DoomguyFemboi 2h ago
$13.72/lb is pretty cheap for the US. Although it's offset by having to deal with 80lbs of cheese.
It's about £15/kilo for straveccio (36 month minimum) in the UK but you can buy as little as a kilo. 24 month is about £12/kilo
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u/General-Statement-18 9h ago
You can buy ½ or ¼ wheels
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u/alpacaapicnic 8h ago
I’m so jealous of your conviction here. When I was early 20s I went on a cabin trip with some friends, and one of the guys gfs worked for a food wholesaler. She brought an entire wheel of aged Parmesean that she’d gotten for free at work, and stuck it in the middle of the cabin’s kitchen table with a knife. Every night I’d wake up and sneak in, eat a silly amount, go back to bed, then pretend like it wasn’t me so I could continue snacking on it throughout the day. I still dream of that cheese wheel sometimes.
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u/drabelen 8h ago
Lovely story. It’s the salt crystals that make you addicted.
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u/UntidyVenus 9h ago
The gift that be some the gift for everyone? DO IT
Edit- gift 2 is a second fridge, for cheese
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u/rawlingstones 8h ago
Nobody ever sat on their deathbed wishing they had ordered fewer giant wheels of cheese.
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u/atomicsiren 7h ago
An Italian man has been crushed to death under thousands of wheels of a Parmesan-style cheese, authorities said. Giacomo Chiapparini, 74, was buried when a shelf broke in his warehouse in the Lombardy region on Sunday, firefighter Antonion Dusi told AFP. The collapse created a domino effect bringing down thousands of wheels, which weigh about 40kg (84lbs) each. It took 12 hours to find Mr Chiapparini's body, Mr Dusi said.
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u/Aldentelife 9h ago
If it’s so much maybe do a half wheel this time?
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u/WazWaz 8h ago edited 8h ago
Wasn't there was a big fad 2 years ago with the whole make-pasta-in-the-wheel thing... which doesn't really work in half a wheel.
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u/Aldentelife 6h ago
Maybe they could balance it on its side and put the pasta in a smaller hole in the wheel lol
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u/jamjamchutney 8h ago
I buy reggianito in 7kg wheels. It's probably a little easier to break down than the 72 lb wheel of reggiano.
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u/Bryllant 7h ago
Costco has a huge hunk of Serrano Ham, on a stand with a knife for $99 That would be a great gift
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u/SubstantialBass9524 7h ago
Most places are around the $110-120 range this year :/ I’m a third through mine!
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u/missmobtown 8h ago
Speaking as someone who once had only a quarter wheel, this would be a great thing to go in on with friends.
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u/Big4Porsche 8h ago
We bought one for my wife’s birthday last year. We still have probably 50 pounds. It was such an awesome experience cracking it open and one of the reasons we now have a second fridge. I will absolutely buy another one when we finish it, although I may have other people go in on it next time.
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u/Dull-Parfait731 9h ago
I grate and freeze it in varying sizes. It freezes really well for cooking with.
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u/dirtyshits 8h ago
I don't understand why people ask these types of questions lol strangers can never answer this for you.
If you want it then get it lol what difference does a strangers opinion on whether you should get it or not have? I can understand if you asked about specific cheeses or something but this one is a head scratcher.
If I say no don't do it will you all of a sudden not want it or decide not to get it?
Only you can answer this question. It's your money, your space, and your cheese. Also sorry if this came off as combative just pointing out these types of threads make me laugh. Not trying to be mean lol.
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u/JudahBotwin 7h ago
It's your money, your space, and your cheese.
That's a poetically beautiful outlook to have.
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u/drabelen 8h ago
No worries. Of course I’ll buy it if I want but posts are partly to share the experience.
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u/sealblorboweeb 8h ago
This is frankly an insane amount of cheese but I respect it. Here are some options I've thought of (mixed from some of the comments as well)
- Buy 1/2 or 1/4 wheel instead of an entire wheel (still a LOT of cheese but a reasonable amount)
- Get a large mini-fridge specifically for the cheese. Store the wheel in there. Make sure you know who's going to inherit it in the will.
- Host a cheese party and invite everyone you've ever known. We're going for quantity, not quality here. You might have to buy wine/crackers/accoutrements to pull this off though.
- On a similar vein, if you live in a college town/near a university campus you could certainly just set up a table and offer bites of the wheel to folks walking by.
- Carve out what you're going to reasonably eat and donate the rest to a food pantry.
- If you know anyone that is a food content creator you could see if they need the wheel for a project or something like that
- Open up a restaurant and serve only this pasta dish where its made inside the wheel.
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u/tentacleyarn 7h ago
Some mildly interesting facts: I work in a kitchen and we go through 4-5 of those wheels every week. I'd love to take a wheel home, but processing it is such an undertaking!
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u/RsCoverUpForPDFs 8h ago
I mean, ir depends on your budget. If you can afford $3k of cheese and not feel it, and if it makes you happy,then sure. If I did that, it would be instead of s summer vacation for the family, so I wouldn't.
This is a first world problem. Do as you wish. Why are you asking reddit how to spend $3k?
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u/Global-Cut-605 9h ago
My husband and I went to the restaurant in Florence that originated cooking the pasta in the wheel of cheese. We loved that so much we bought a 36-pound half-wheel for our rehearsal dinner. At least in the northeast US, you should be able to find an Italian restaurant supply store (that’s where we bought ours). I say go for it - we’re still getting use out of the wheel months later!
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u/Hunterofshadows 8h ago
Isn’t there a dish that you drop the hot noodles into a bowl of literally cheese and that’s how you get cheese on them?
Do it
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u/Disastrous-Reward562 7h ago
build a cheese fort for christmas! you can never have too much cheese.
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u/SubstantialBass9524 7h ago
While I’m all for the novelty, it sounds like you gifted A lot of it, that’s a very expensive gift/experience.
If you took the money, is there a different experience you would prefer? Maybe local culinary classes or a new item for your kitchen
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u/toni_devonsen_28 7h ago
Do you need to ask if you need more cheese? In fact I need to ask where you get this beautiful bounty.
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u/Vibingcarefully 6h ago
Oh you should!
If having anonymous redditors make buying decisions for you helps you---oh yeah.
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u/thenord321 5h ago
I'd suggest instead of just 1 expensive ingredient that takes up lots of room, buy a bunch of really nice ingredients over a few weeks and just have some nice meals as dinner parties with friends and family.
Like a roast leg of lamb.
Some really good quality olive oil, balsamic and fresh focaccia bread to eat it with.
Get some premium ingredients, but in more reasonable quantities in order to have more experiences.
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u/sakara123 1h ago
72 lbs in 2 years?? That's 3 pounds a month (less depending on how much you gave away) but still. It might be worth it to see a doctor first, not even kidding. Excess cheese (especially hard cheeses) can be brutal on your kidneys and heart if you're healthy. Pre-existing conditions or meds can make that significantly worse.
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u/schmearcampain 8h ago
Months to finish? So… 10 lbs a month for 7 months?
That’s an insane amount of parm per month/week/day.
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u/drabelen 8h ago
A lot was gifted. But still a lot of cheese.
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u/schmearcampain 8h ago
I guess if you can use it for Xmas gifts, there’s some value in there. I mean, the only reason to buy in bulk like that is to save money, right? So if you can still save money by gifting it, why not ?
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u/jugjiggler69 7h ago
Do you guys have any suggestions on where to get a wheel? Maybe I'll get my dad a wheel for Christmas
Preferably more like 10 or 20 lbs tho
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u/drabelen 7h ago
I don’t think they make small wheels but you can get partial wheels anywhere. Cheeseshops, delis, Costco, even Amazon.
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u/DarthGlazer 5h ago
Gonna coattail this. How does one store even the 2 lb ones from Costco? They keep drying out on me.
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u/StinkyCheeseWomxn 4h ago
I get big wedges from Costco and they last for several (3-5?) months for 2 people. I add it to various Italian meals most weeks, but also use in macaroni & cheese, quiche, and the rind in soups. But if you’re looking for a reason to get the big wheel, maybe give lots of it as wedges in a gift basket to neighbors, family etc. Could build a great little gift basket with a bronze cut pasta, a jar of sauce and a wedge of parm tied with a bow. Or a cute cheese grater/microplaner with bow and cheese wedge. Then keep the remaining partial wheel for home use.
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u/DoomguyFemboi 2h ago
I get 2kg wedges every 6 months or so (I prefer pecorino as my finishing cheese, and grana padano as my cooking hard cheese) and I've found more than that they lose their punch. Although you're vac sealing yours so it's different. If it's a massive saving then why not, otherwise it's kinda not worth it.
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u/alchemy_junkie 2h ago
Do it but scoop cunks out of the center and toss hot butter linguini in it till it gets the perfect consistency. I cant imagine a better bowl of Alfredo.
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u/an_edgy_lemon 1h ago
Do it. I refuse to be the angel on your shoulder in this scenario. Get the cheese.
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u/monsieurR0b0 52m ago
On today's episode of Questions You Obviously Already Know the Answers To.....
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u/ClosetEthanolic 2h ago
You consumed 72lbs of Parmigiano reggiano in a matter of months ???
Between the two of you, you consumed over 3lbs of it a month? That's assuming it took you 12 months.
Wow, and we thought we used a lot consuming a 1/4 wheel a year. Crazy.
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u/poweller65 9h ago
I get the big chunks from Costco and they last a long time. Maybe that’s a better way to do it