Finding out that your cheese went terribly and you need to discard it can be heartbreaking! But can that be avoided?
My family consumes cheese a lot! So I often anticipated my local supermarket to run special discounts so that I would buy cheese in large quantities.
The problem of how to store large quantities of cheese became a concern for me as well. I had to throw away moldy cheese every time it went terribly inside the fridge until I thought about freezing it.
Have you ever thought about the freezing method? Can you freeze cheese to make it last longer? If you had never frozen cheese before or did but failed, this article is for you because I am here to tell you how you can freeze cheese and how you can decide if you should or you should not.
Can You Freeze Cheese?
Do you have some extra cheese in your refrigerator that you are not planning to use immediately? Can you freeze the cheese for future recipes?
Yes, you can! In fact, freezing cheese is actually a great way to save it for later use, as the freezer preserves cheese really well.
This way, you can also save a lot of money, as cheese is always cheaper when bought in bulk! Yes, you can freeze cheese; however, many factors may make you question if you want to freeze cheese or not.
Cheese can, in theory, be frozen but remember that its texture is everything, and freezing will change the texture of your cheese. Frozen cheese is only good when you plan to bake or cook it.
Is It Safe To Freeze Cheese?
Frozen cheese is safe to consume, and no health risks are associated. You will notice a big difference in cheese texture after being frozen. You might not melt it properly, or the cheese may lose stretchiness.
Several things may make the cheese taste unpleasant when thawed, but that does not mean it is no longer safe to eat. It will still be very much edible.
However, if your cheese tastes extremely sour or bitter and develops a slimy texture, you should throw the cheese away.
How To Freeze Cheese?
It is impractical to freeze an entire block of cheese just like that because you will need to take out the whole thing whenever you need cheese.
Slicing frozen cheese can be really frustrating, and frequent temperature changes will make all of the cheese go bad.
To get the best texture and taste out of your frozen cheese, you must freeze it correctly; here’s how you can freeze cheese.
For semi-soft and hard cheeses like Mozzarella, Gouda, Cheddar, and Swiss, shred and portion them into Ziploc bags, then place them inside your freezer.
By doing so, you won’t need to thaw all of the cheese, and you can take as much cheese as you require.
If the block of cheese is still in its proper original packaging, you can throw it inside the freezer just like that too. I recommend you chop up the block into cubes and wrap it in plastic film and a layer of foil for protection from freezer burns.
Related readings:
- Can you freeze rice and red beans
- Can you freeze tomatoes
- Can you freeze potatoes
- Can you freeze cream cheese
How Freezing Affects Cheese?
Freezing prevents the cheese from going foul early, but how is cheese affected by freezing in general? Microbes in cheese, such as bacteria, yeasts, and mold, are inactivated by freezing, which explains how the shelf life of cheese extends when frozen.
The water content of cheeses varies; hard cheeses have a low water content, while soft cheeses have a higher water content.
When cheese is frozen, little ice crystals grow on the interior, damaging the cheese’s internal structure. That crystallization makes the cheese crumbly when thawed, and in some cases, it makes the cheese watery. You will notice that cheese that was kept frozen won’t melt properly when cooked due to these reasons.
How Long Can You Freeze Cheese?
If you pack and seal cheese properly, you can freeze it even for 8 months! But certain things must be kept in mind.
The cheese will remain in its best form for 2 months only. After that time, the cheese will still be edible, but the quality would certainly not be that great.
To ensure that your frozen cheese lasts long, only take out as much cheese as required from the freezer. Fluctuating temperatures can spoil frozen items quickly, and your cheese won’t even last a week in the freezer.
Best Types Of Cheeses To Freeze
There’s a rule that you should memorize whenever you decide to freeze cheese. If that cheese is going to melt in a recipe, you can freeze it.
Gouda, Cheddar, Monterrey Jack, Mozzarella Provolone, and Pizza Cheese are a few kinds of cheese that freeze effortlessly.
Although they won’t be as stringy or melty as they initially are when cooked, they won’t be terrible either. You would still be able to make a tasty treat out of them.
However, it is recommended that you finish them as soon as possible and don’t let them stay frozen for a very long time. No matter how well they freeze, their quality will deteriorate over time.
Worst Types Of Cheeses To Freeze
Some types of cheese should never be kept in the freezer, no matter what. Let me show you the worst types of cheeses to freeze. Soft cheeses like Brie, Camembert, and Cambozola are one of them.
Because of their creamy texture and high water content, these cheese curdle when thawed and get ruined.
Hard cheese like parmesan and romano are also destroyed when frozen because they turn soggy later on and lose the actual nutty flavor they possess.
You should know that freezing cream cheese, cheese spreads, and processed cheese cubes or triangles isn’t a great idea either!
As they are meant to be eaten right away. While cheeses like brie and camembert taste the best when fresh, there is actually no need to freeze parmesan and romano.
Grated hard cheeses can stay good in the fridge for up to a year! So why freeze them?
Final Verdict:
After discovering how conveniently you can freeze cheese, I buy bulks of cheese and stash them inside my freezer.
Please do the same and store cheese that you plan to use for cooking or baking this way! Surely you will save a lot of money by doing so!
Just don’t freeze all of the cheese, and don’t forget to leave some in the refrigerator. That is because frozen cheese tastes awful when added to cold sandwiches or eaten just like that. Do cook the cheese because when heated, it melts and tastes fantastic.
