Cheese is one of the main accompanying foods in our day to day life. We can use it for cooking, to season pasta dishes, to make lasagna or to serve as an aperitif without anything else. Have you ever wondered if you can freeze cheese?
Although it is true that the cheese tastes delicious, due to its dairy origin it is extremely difficult to preserve, since it is usually very easily damaged. However, although fresh cheeses expire quickly, hard and semi-hard cheeses last longer in the refrigerator (about 6 months). Some cheeses can be frozen, although it is necessary to follow a suitable procedure to maintain their properties.
We want to tell you which cheeses can be frozen and which ones cannot, as well as the best storage and freezing methods so that they last as long as possible. Keep reading!
What cheeses can be frozen?
Not all cheeses are the same, as their manufacturing and conservation processes are very varied. For that reason, some types of cheese will withstand freezing better than others, while some will lose their consistency, flavor, or properties. Next, we evaluate the most common types of cheese to see if we can keep them in the freezer.
Can fresh cheese be frozen?
No, if you are wondering what cheeses can be frozen and what not, unfortunately this is the type of cheese that should be put in the freezer the least. Due to its soft texture and its high whey content, it does not withstand such low temperatures, causing it to break during the thawing process, to dissolve and lose its flavor and texture. If it is your only option, you can dry its surface with absorbent paper and then place it inside an airtight bag or plastic wrap and take it to the freezer. .
Can blue cheese be frozen?
Blue cheeses such as Roquefort or Cabals, which are cheeses that are affected by fungi and are considered semi-cured, are not suitable cheeses to be frozen, since they tend to crumble. Now, whether or not to preserve the structure of the cheese is not important, because we want to use it to prepare a sauce for example, we can freeze it without any problem.
Can cream cheese be frozen?
It is not recommended to freeze any type of cream cheese such as Camembert cheese or Brie cheese, because they lose their consistency when thawed. The case of spreadable cheeses or cream cheese is not so serious, since during defrosting, although they lose consistency, they are still suitable for spreading. Thus, despite its creamy texture, cream cheese can be frozen.
Can goat cheese be frozen?
As with the previous ones, it is not the most recommended, since during defrosting it would break and crumble very easily. However, since its degree of humidity is medium, this type of cheese does not suffer as much as fresh cheeses and, therefore, we can freeze goat cheese following the appropriate instructions, which we share at the end of the article.
Can semi-cured cheese be frozen?
These are the cheeses that best withstand low temperatures and that after thawing keep their flavor and texture practically intact. Cheeses such as Gouda, gruyere or mental are excellent for keeping them frozen for up to 6 months and you can pack them both in blocks and grated or in sheets.
Can cured cheese be frozen?
This type of cheese is characterized by its good resistance to the weather in general, being the ones that are best kept at room temperature. They can be frozen, but due to their hard and not very malleable consistency, they may tend to crumble after thawing as well as lose a bit of the strong aroma that characterizes them. One of the best examples is Montego cheese, which can only be kept refrigerated and taken out one hour before consumption.
How to freeze cheese?
Although it may seem like it, freezing cheese properly is not an easy task if we want to take care of its flavor and fantastic aroma. In addition, for each presentation it is necessary to follow some rules that will prevent damage to the cheese.
Grated cheese
- Choose the cheese you want to freeze grated. In our case, we highly recommend semi-cured and cured cheeses.
- Grate the cheese with the help of a grater.
- Use a zip lock bag and fill it with the cheese leaving a space to get the air out.
- Close the bag perfectly trying to make it completely flat; if your refrigerator has racks, help yourself to a baking tray.
- When you are going to use the cheese, take out the right amount that you are going to use and do not thaw the bag in its entirety.
Cheese block
- Cut pieces no larger than 500 g so that the freezing process can be carried out successfully.
- Wrap the piece of cheese in plastic kitchen paper and then line it with aluminum foil or, if you prefer, put it in a zip-lock bag.
- Freeze the cheese with the date you are freezing it.
- Defrost the piece you are going to use, moving it from the freezer to the refrigerator or leaving it at room temperature for a couple of hours.
Cheese in slices or sheets
- Cut pieces of wax paper the size of the cheese slices.
- Sandwich the cheese with a sheet of paper and stack a maximum of 10 layers.
- Put the stack of cheese in an airtight bag or freezer container and write the date.
- When you want to use it, remove the sheets with the help of the paper.
Cheese in its different presentations can remain in the freezer for a maximum of 6 months, if it is stored properly. However, we recommend you consume it before 3 months and avoid defrosting until the time of total consumption, defrosting only the pieces that you want to use for the moment. Similarly, do not exceed the freezing time of cream cheeses for more than 1 month to prevent their fat content from being diluted and damaging the cheese.
How to preserve cheese so it doesn’t go bad?
Although it is true that cheese is one of the most delicate foods when it comes to its preservation, there are some tips to preserve cheese that you can follow so that it lasts as long as possible, does not get hard and does not grow mold. In this way, you can get the most out of it without the need to freeze it.
- Cheeses must perspire: for this reason, you should not wrap them in plastic wrap that does not allow them to breathe, nor in Tupperware that concentrates their moisture. The best way to preserve them is to use a cheese tray or use micro-perforated paper or parchment paper. If you keep it in a Tupperware, make sure you wrap it in this paper first.
- Maintain the right temperature: if it is a hard cheese, it is best to keep it between 8 and 12 degrees. Soft cheeses get along better with cooler temperatures, between 4 and 8 degrees. In any case, it is best to keep them in the vegetable drawer, as it is the warmest place in the refrigerator.
- Cover the parts that you have cut: If you cut a piece of the cheese, make sure to cover that part with paper. Don’t cover the crust, as the crust must have room to breathe.
- Preserve the cheese in oil: some cheeses such as cured and semi-cured can be better preserved if we submerge them in olive oil in a container. If you want, you can add herbs like bay leaf and rosemary.
How long does cheese last: storage times?
Low-fat or slightly cured cheeses are the ones that will last the least in the refrigerator, with an average of between 15 to 20 days. On the other hand, pressed cheeses can be kept between 1 and 2 months if they are kept correctly in the fridge. Sheep’s cheeses with a pressed lid are the ones that have a longer shelf life; they can last for months before being damaged.
