# The Velveeta Project



## Back Pack Hack

On a lark yesterday, I decided to see if I could successfully can ordinary Velveeta cheese. And if so, would it last long-term when stored at room temperature? So I went to the store, bought a 2-lb brick of Velveeta and started my test.

I took three ½-pint mason jars and dropped cut-up chunks into each while they were sitting in a large pot of boiling water. This was to melt the cheese and allow me to fill each jar as much as possible and avoid air pockets during the canning step. Once each jar had been sufficiently filled with melted cheese, on went a lid and a ring and into the pressure cooker.

The three jars were placed in the pressure cooker with about 3 cups of water. I turned the stove on at brought it up to temperature. I let the jiggler do it's thing for about 5 minutes to (hopefully) bring all the cheese in the jars up to temperature. Once the pressure had been relieved after turning off the stove, I removed the jars and let them cool on the countertop.

The result:









Three half-pint jars of canned Velveeta with properly-sealed lids. :vs_rocking_banana:

Now to let them set and see how long they will last. They will be stored right in my pantry, not in a dark/cool place, and at room temperature. I plan on opening one in three, six and twelve months to see how they fare. I already have the three dates written on my calendar to remind me to open them up at the appointed times and check them.

I chose small jars for two reasons. One, to give me more than one test jar.

And two, if I am going to consume it in a SHTF situation, I may not have reliable refrigeration to store an opened jar. So by using a smaller jar I will be better able to consume it all without a large portion of it going bad without refrigeration.


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## Smitty901

Please, I live in Wisconsin do not refer to that stuff as Cheese. keep us posted


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## Back Pack Hack

Smitty901 said:


> Please, I live in Wisconsin do not refer to that stuff as Cheese. keep us posted


Ah, yes, Wisconsin. I've been there. Dairy to the World..... and Land of the Most Expensive Milk in the U.S. :devil:


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## Smitty901

Back Pack Hack said:


> Ah, yes, Wisconsin. I've been there. Dairy to the World..... and Land of the Most Expensive Milk in the U.S. :devil:


 And some fine cheese products.


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## hawgrider

I would question what is the proper head space?

Every canning recipe normally requires head space in the jar. For instance 1/2" to 1" depending on whats being canned.

Did you fill the jars completely to the rim? 

So in a sense the melted cheese would be somewhat similar to jam or jelly right? Even jams and jelly have a head space right? When grandma did jams she would top off the head space with paraffin wax Although Im pretty sure that method for jams is no longer considered safe by "Ball" the food Nazi's.

So any way the main concern I would be worried about would be botulism which you cannot see, taste or smell. 

No despite all that I'm sure Velveta is loaded with preservatives so maybe... maybe you'll be OK

But I'm not so sure I would want to be the guinna pig.


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## Back Pack Hack

hawgrider said:


> I would question what is the proper head space?
> 
> Every canning recipe normally requires head space in the jar. For instance 1/2" to 1" depending on whats being canned.
> 
> Did you fill the jars completely to the rim?
> 
> So in a sense the melted cheese would be somewhat similar to jam or jelly right? Even jams and jelly have a head space right? When grandma did jams she would top off the head space with paraffin wax Although Im pretty sure that method for jams is no longer considered safe by "Ball" the food Nazi's..........


I went with ¾".



hawgrider said:


> ...........So any way the main concern I would be worried about would be botulism which you cannot see, taste or smell........


Wouldn't that be a concern with just about any food?



hawgrider said:


> .........No despite all that I'm sure Velveta is loaded with preservatives so maybe... maybe you'll be OK
> 
> But I'm not so sure I would want to be the guinna pig.


Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Using a pressure cooker radically reduces the risk of botulism due to it's higher temperature.


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## paraquack

I am very curious to hear how the cheeze product lasts. Since there is a lot of fat involved I would 
guess not so well but hope springs eternal. But then again, come to think of it I've used Cheese Wiz 
that had gotten out of rotation in my supplies, by 2-3 years. It was fine, I didn't notice any change 
in consistency, or flavor. Please keep us posted. I'd appreciate any news.


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## hawgrider

Back Pack [Hack;1526809 said:


> I went with ¾".
> 
> Good because without some headspace you can run in to issues.
> 
> Wouldn't that be a concern with just about any food?
> Yes thats why its important to use proven known safe recipes
> 
> Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Using a pressure cooker radically reduces the risk of botulism due to it's higher temperature.


True but it can still happen under the right conditions


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## Back Pack Hack

hawgrider said:


> Yes thats why its important to use proven known safe recipes


Just remember that every proven 'known safe' recipe started out as an unproven one.


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## hawgrider

Back Pack Hack said:


> Just remember that every proven 'known safe' recipe started out as an unproven one.


And thats true as well. 
But in modern times its done in a lab by the food Nazi's.

I'm not saying it won't work but those are the thoughts that enter my head with uproven experimentation.

Keep us posted on the results.


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## Chiefster23

How did you arrive at 5 min. Processing time? 5 min will certainly cause the jars to seal but probably isn’t long enough to bring the cheese product up to temperature. Usually time in the pressure cooker is much longer, in order to allow all the jared food product to heat up enough to kill the bad stuff.


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## hawgrider

Chiefster23 said:


> How did you arrive at 5 min. Processing time? 5 min will certainly cause the jars to seal but probably isn't long enough to bring the cheese product up to temperature. Usually time in the pressure cooker is much longer, in order to allow all the jared food product to heat up enough to kill the bad stuff.


Yeah that was another concern is the time. I also feel 5 minutes is not enough to bring the product to a safe temp. And here is the last concern is how much pressure was used. 15 lbs will bring the product to 240° if the time is long enough. At 10 Lbs the temp is lower than 240° and at 5 lbs pressure is even less.


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## Back Pack Hack

Chiefster23 said:


> How did you arrive at 5 min. Processing time? 5 min will certainly cause the jars to seal but probably isn't long enough to bring the cheese product up to temperature. Usually time in the pressure cooker is much longer, in order to allow all the jared food product to heat up enough to kill the bad stuff.


They were already hot enough to melt the cheese. I wasn't starting with room temperature.


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## 1skrewsloose

Not looking to steal your thunder or derail the thread but here's a link. https://www.newlifeonahomestead.com/how-to-can-cheese-and-butter/


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## bigwheel

1skrewsloose said:


> Not looking to steal your thunder or derail the thread but here's a link. https://www.newlifeonahomestead.com/how-to-can-cheese-and-butter/


Great link thanks. I likes a bit of sharp cheddar in with my Vevetter...up to about the 50% level. Makes it tastes like that good Wisconisn Cheeze President Reagan gave my Mama when he cut off food stamps to all the old folks. That is Called Land o Lakes..sharp american extra melt. Mighty good stuff.


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## Annie

@Back Pack Hack : If it works, that's awesome. I'm always afraid to try anything that doesn't come straight out of the Ball Book of Canning. Be safe and please keep us updated.


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## Slippy

I like to take Velveeta and add a can or two of Ro-Tel Chili Peppers and melt the sumbitch up and then dip some chips up in it. But other than that, Velveeta scares the crap out of me! Or more precisely, scares the CRAP to stay in ME! HA!

But, Hey!, that's just me...:vs_wave:


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## Smitty901

It started out as real cheese recovered from rolls. ,bricks that were damaged. But latter on it was changed.
"Originally Velveeta was made from real cheese. Today, it's mainly whey protein concentrate, milk protein concentrate, milk, fat, and preservatives. By the Food and Drink Administration's standards, that's not real cheese-which is why the FDA forced Kraft to change its label from "cheese spread" to "cheese product."

"In 2002, the FDA issued a Warning Letter to Kraft that Velveeta was being sold with packaging that described it as a "Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread",[8] which the FDA claimed was false because the product listed milk protein concentrate (MPC) in its ingredients. Velveeta is now sold in the US as a "Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product",[9] a term for which the FDA does not maintain a standard of identity, and which therefore may contain milk protein concentrate."

When you make real cheese whey protein is what is a left over product. They use to have a hard time getting rid of it. Now they concentrate it and put it back in food or feed.


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## rice paddy daddy

Smitty901 said:


> It started out as real cheese recovered from rolls. ,bricks that were damaged. But latter on it was changed.
> "Originally Velveeta was made from real cheese. Today, it's mainly whey protein concentrate, milk protein concentrate, milk, fat, and preservatives. By the Food and Drink Administration's standards, that's not real cheese-which is why the FDA forced Kraft to change its label from "cheese spread" to "cheese product."
> 
> "In 2002, the FDA issued a Warning Letter to Kraft that Velveeta was being sold with packaging that described it as a "Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread",[8] which the FDA claimed was false because the product listed milk protein concentrate (MPC) in its ingredients. Velveeta is now sold in the US as a "Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product",[9] a term for which the FDA does not maintain a standard of identity, and which therefore may contain milk protein concentrate."
> 
> When you make real cheese whey protein is what is a left over product. They use to have a hard time getting rid of it. Now they concentrate it and put it back in food or feed.


The average American does not understand that a lot of what they think is cheese, is really not.
It is required to be on the label, but not everybody reads it.
For example: Kraft American Slices. You see it in the case, and buy it, thinking it's cheese. (It's not)

There is cheese. This is all I buy. This is the real thing.
Then there is cheese product. This is not "real."
There is also cheese food. Neither is this.
Then there is imitation cheese food. I don't even want to know what this is.


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## BlackDog

Yeah, white American is one of those. When I was a kid it was just called white American cheese and where I grew up it was white not yellow. Or orange.. Now it's pasteurized cheese food. 

I still like a good American cheese even though I know now that it's not cheese. Most of them are pretty bad, though. Especially the singles.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk


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## Kauboy

If you can successfully can Velveeta, you may have just sold me on canning. :vs_OMG:

As to the botulism concern, isn't that the reason that the lids are pressed down? If they pop, it's due to either the vacuum being lost or the interior generating a gas. In either case, I thought it was protocol to cull those jars for content disposal. Botulism, being a living thing, must produce waste. Does that manifest in any way, like expanding gas?


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## Denton

Kauboy said:


> If you can successfully can Velveeta, you may have just sold me on canning. :vs_OMG:
> 
> As to the botulism concern, isn't that the reason that the lids are pressed down? If they pop, it's due to either the vacuum being lost or the interior generating a gas. In either case, I thought it was protocol to cull those jars for content disposal. Botulism, being a living thing, must produce waste. Does that manifest in any way, like expanding gas?


I ate a crap ton of smoked meats a couple days ago. My system ain't used to such meat eating. Were I canned, I'd blow the lid off the jar. Just call me botulism!
Sorry. Going to bed, now. See y'all tomorrow.


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## The Tourist

Smitty901 said:


> Please, I live in Wisconsin do not refer to that stuff as Cheese. keep us posted


I, too, was born, bred and bought my first switchblade knife in Wisconsin. However, in my home, Velveeta was cheese. I think I was 12 before I found out there were other types. We watched a lot of TV in the 1950s, and Kraft was a sponsor for numerous shows.


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## Back Pack Hack

Kauboy said:


> If you can successfully can Velveeta, you may have just sold me on canning. :vs_OMG:
> 
> As to the botulism concern, isn't that the reason that the lids are pressed down? If they pop, it's due to either the vacuum being lost or the interior generating a gas. In either case, I thought it was protocol to cull those jars for content disposal. Botulism, being a living thing, must produce waste. Does that manifest in any way, like expanding gas?


Yes, a popped-up lid is a huge red flag. I'm not aware of any sure-fire home-based method to detect botulism. So goes the old adage, _When in doubt, throw it out._


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## Back Pack Hack

Well, it's been three months with three jars of Velveeta just sitting on the kitchen counter. No freezing, no refrigeration. Nothing save the house not being all too hot due to the winter weather.









From the outside, they still look OK. A bit brown at the top where it got 'cooked' during the canning process. But no visible science-experiments-with-legs, no strange fluids and no discoloration. So, I grabbed the one closest to me and off came the lid.

Looks OK. Smells OK. Tastes OK. Seems a _tiny_ bit grittier than Velveeta normally does, but not so much as to be unpalatable.









Cooked up a cup of macaroni for supper and tried it out. Melts as normal, and nothing unusual. So far, no call to 911. The rest is in the fridge with a lid and ring until the jar is empty.

So the clock is reset for June 10th. Only time will tell.


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## Sasquatch

Thanks for taking one for the team, as it were. ::clapping::


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## 0rocky

rice paddy daddy said:


> The average American does not understand that a lot of what they think is cheese, is really not.
> It is required to be on the label, but not everybody reads it.
> For example: Kraft American Slices. You see it in the case, and buy it, thinking it's cheese. (It's not)
> 
> There is cheese. This is all I buy. This is the real thing.
> Then there is cheese product. This is not "real."
> There is also cheese food. Neither is this.
> Then there is imitation cheese food. I don't even want to know what this is.


Wow @rice paddy daddy, thanks for the education! I make enough cholesterol for any 3 people and the doc says "no cheese", which I miss but I do like to learn about a ton of different topics. Had no idea there were so many cheese classifications.


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## The Tourist

Well, my last redheaded girl friend was a brunette. To that, do you know how they make a black Harley-Davidson?

The Q/C department separates the flawless colored tanks from the one with drip marks or chips. Those defective tanks are sent back to the paint department and sprayed black.

Nothing is as something was.


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## RJAMES

Velveeta is shelf stable if unopened. Not sure I understand why the desire to can it. I think the oldest I have eaten was 6 years it was affected by extreme heat while in storage so it had a darker brownish color and was drier / firmer than fresh. 

Once open I would not keep it above 45 degrees for more than 7 days. 

You can purchase "cheese" sauce in flexible packaging or canned .


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## Back Pack Hack

RJAMES said:


> Velveeta is shelf stable if unopened.............


For a couple of years, yes. But after that?

ETA: And then there's this:



Back Pack Hack said:


> ......... if I am going to consume it in a SHTF situation, I may not have reliable refrigeration to store an opened jar. So by using a smaller jar I will be better able to consume it all without a large portion of it going bad without refrigeration.


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## rice paddy daddy

0rocky said:


> Wow @rice paddy daddy, thanks for the education! I make enough cholesterol for any 3 people and the doc says "no cheese", which I miss but I do like to learn about a ton of different topics. Had no idea there were so many cheese classifications.


Sometimes you have to look at the front label on the package carefully.
Sometimes the identifier, such as "cheese food", is in much smaller letters than the brand name. But it has to be there. Right on the front, so you shouldn't have to hunt for it.


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## Back Pack Hack

Update:

I opened jar #2 today and tried it out. Although a tad 'tougher' than fresh, and a bit grittier, it seemed fine.


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## Sasquatch

Nothin' says 4th of July like old Velvetta.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## SGT E

Smitty901 said:


> And some fine cheese products.


Went through the Dells once hauling steel beams....Stopped at a truckstop and got some fried cheese curds and 100 gallons of Diesel....Those curds are good eating!


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## JustAnotherNut

Back Pack Hack said:


> On a lark yesterday, I decided to see if I could successfully can ordinary Velveeta cheese. And if so, would it last long-term when stored at room temperature? So I went to the store, bought a 2-lb brick of Velveeta and started my test.
> 
> I took three ½-pint mason jars and dropped cut-up chunks into each while they were sitting in a large pot of boiling water. This was to melt the cheese and allow me to fill each jar as much as possible and avoid air pockets during the canning step. Once each jar had been sufficiently filled with melted cheese, on went a lid and a ring and into the pressure cooker.
> 
> The three jars were placed in the pressure cooker with about 3 cups of water. I turned the stove on at brought it up to temperature. I let the jiggler do it's thing for about 5 minutes to (hopefully) bring all the cheese in the jars up to temperature. Once the pressure had been relieved after turning off the stove, I removed the jars and let them cool on the countertop.
> 
> The result:
> 
> View attachment 62785
> 
> 
> Three half-pint jars of canned Velveeta with properly-sealed lids. :vs_rocking_banana:
> 
> Now to let them set and see how long they will last. They will be stored right in my pantry, not in a dark/cool place, and at room temperature. I plan on opening one in three, six and twelve months to see how they fare. I already have the three dates written on my calendar to remind me to open them up at the appointed times and check them.
> 
> I chose small jars for two reasons. One, to give me more than one test jar.
> 
> And two, if I am going to consume it in a SHTF situation, I may not have reliable refrigeration to store an opened jar. So by using a smaller jar I will be better able to consume it all without a large portion of it going bad without refrigeration.


Just curious, but what kind of lids are those?


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## Back Pack Hack

JustAnotherNut said:


> Just curious, but what kind of lids are those?


Normal canning lids.


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## agmccall

why not just buy that powdered cheese crap

https://amzn.to/2NsWSdf

al


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## Back Pack Hack

agmccall said:


> why not just buy that powdered cheese _*crap*_
> 
> https://amzn.to/2NsWSdf
> 
> al


Let's see you make a grilled cheese sammich.

Nuf said.


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## agmccall

Back Pack Hack said:


> Let's see you make a grilled cheese sammich.
> 
> Nuf said.


same challenge with velveeta type cheese.

nuf said


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## Back Pack Hack

agmccall said:


> same challenge with velveeta type cheese.
> 
> nuf said


What? You don't have one of these?










They work on Velveeta just like they do cheese.


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## agmccall

From the original post



Back Pack Hack said:


> The result:
> 
> View attachment 62785
> 
> 
> Three half-pint jars of canned Velveeta with properly-sealed lids. :vs_rocking_banana:





Back Pack Hack said:


> What? You don't have one of these?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They work on Velveeta just like they do cheese.


Maybe you could make a video showing us how to use your neat little kitchen gadget on those jars of liquid cheese

al


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## Smitty901

agmccall said:


> From the original post
> 
> Maybe you could make a video showing us how to use your neat little kitchen gadget on those jars of liquid cheese
> 
> al


 Liquid Cheese yall are sick man really sick Velveeta is not cheese.


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## Back Pack Hack

agmccall said:


> From the original post
> 
> Maybe you could make a video showing us how to use your neat little kitchen gadget on those jars of liquid cheese
> 
> al


If you ain't smart enough to figure out how to get cheese out of a jar to make a simple grilled-cheese sandwich, I ain't gonna waste any more of my time (and forum bandwidth) with you.


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## Back Pack Hack

OK, twelve months has passed. The third jar is up for testing.

Looks good. Smells good. Tastes fine. Made lunch with some and I'm not in the ER.


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## Sasquatch

I think I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## bigwheel

Smitty901 said:


> Liquid Cheese yall are sick man really sick Velveeta is not cheese.


Now how does a subtance that aint cheese get to be the National Cheese of Texas? Thanks. Guess next thing we know somebody will allege MD 20/20 aint really wine?


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## Annie

Velveeta would be a welcome sight several weeks into the disaster... As would Twinkies. Fine dining.


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## Back Pack Hack

Annie said:


> Velveeta would be a welcome sight several weeks into the disaster... As would Twinkies. Fine dining.


*Banana *Twinkies.


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## Annie

Back Pack Hack said:


> *Banana *Twinkies.


Banana? I've never had those. As a kid I used to like getting those Ring Dings in my lunch box. It was a good day when I got that.


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## Back Pack Hack

Annie said:


> Banana? I've never had those. As a kid I used to like getting those Ring Dings in my lunch box. It was a good day when I got that.


Banana was the original flavor of Twinkies, sweetie! Well, banana filling, that is. It was removed during WWII due to a shortage of actual bananas and replaced with the more common (now) cream filling. Banana-flavored was re-introduced about 10 years ago.


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## Elvis

Who here wouldn't want the ability to preserve cheese and chocolate? 
I for one applauded @BackPackHack :vs_rocking_banana:


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