Freezing cheese? You can, but remember these tips
Do you want to freeze cheese? You can. It’s definitely better than throwing cheese away. But there are a few things you need to know, so you don’t end up frustrated over your thawed little Brie later…
Because freezing will change the texture – especially because, once thawed again, the ice crystals will have affected the fats and proteins. Hard cheeses are somewhat better equipped to handle this, but it can still happen. If necessary, grate hard cheese first and freeze it grated. We certainly don’t recommend putting together a beautiful cheese board with cheeses from the freezer. And soft cheeses, if they aren’t frozen correctly, can become grainy or crumbly in the freezer or develop an off-flavor—and that’s simply unpleasant. But with these tips, there’s still hope:
Tips for freezing cheese without ruining it
- As mentioned, hard cheeses are more suitable for freezing than creamy ones.
- But if you have a good use for a soft cheese after thawing, you can freeze Brie or Camembert, for example, and then melt it. In that case, it won’t be much of a problem.
- However, don’t keep it in the freezer for longer than a few weeks.
- Wrap the cheese very well before freezing it. First in a layer of parchment paper (so it sticks less), and then in aluminum foil. Also put a label on it.
- We really do recommend melting thawed cheese afterward, rather than spreading it on toast as it is.
- If you firmly believe that’s perfectly fine, take it out of the freezer a day in advance and let it thaw slowly in the refrigerator. If you’re going to melt it straight from the freezer (good call), it doesn’t need to be completely thawed first.
And just like that, the possibilities for melted cheese are endless! Cheese in a pan on the barbecue! On a decadent gooey ultimate toastie! In a parchment paper parcel from the oven with a drizzle of honey and some rosemary! Through the mac ’n’ cheese! In short, no one can live without melted cheese. At least, that’s what we believe.
Read also:
- 10 cheese crimes everyone commits now and then
- First aid for cheese calamities
- How to make a divine corona-proof cheese fondue
