Your feta may develop a slightly melted or slimy feeling on its outer layer when stored in brine.
There are a number of ways to prevent this from happening, including;
- Use your whey, with the salt added, instead of water to make your brine. Your whey should have the correct pH and calcium balance for your cheese.
- Add a little calcium chloride to your brine to balance the calcium levels.
- Add vinegar or citric acid to your brine.
- Age your cheese at room temperature for at least 3 days after dry salting, so the surface of the cheese toughens and the acidity is high enough to withstand the brine.
- Ensure you change your brine every couple of days or so.
- Flip your cheese if the brine is not covering all sides so different sides are getting submerged instead of the same side becoming slimy.