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Freezing cheese? - chef_Tab - 10-04-2008
Hubby picked up a huge brick of cheddar cheese at Costco today. We do not eat cheese very often so I was wondering if I could cut it in half to freeze for later use. Will freezing change the taste or texture?
Re: Freezing cheese? - esgunn - 10-04-2008
You can freeze cheddar, it will change the texture some. Shouldn't change the taste.
If it is good Cheddar, it will keep for quite a while. And if it does mold - because it is considered a harder cheese - you can just cut the outside off. I have a brick of cheddar I have not opened yet, and it says to use before June 2009. If we did not go through so much cheese I would just cut in half, thirds or quarters and seal in my foodsaver. That should alow you to keep it until the date just in your refer.
Re: Freezing cheese? - chef_Tab - 10-04-2008
Thanks so much, Erin, I usually end up throwing so much away because we just dont eat it quickly enough. This particular hunk is even bigger than usual so I know it wont be eaten soon enough. I think cutting it into quarters might even be the way to go.
Re: Freezing cheese? - farnfam - 10-04-2008
You could shred it too, Theresa. Freeze it and then add to soups, mac&cheese etc. I've done that and it worked well. Be sure to wrap with as little air as possible. Or of course if you have a FoodSaver then you're all set.
Cis
Re: Freezing cheese? - Old Bay - 10-04-2008
Quote:
Thanks so much, Erin, I usually end up throwing so much away because we just dont eat it quickly enough. This particular hunk is even bigger than usual so I know it wont be eaten soon enough. I think cutting it into quarters might even be the way to go.
Don't cut it! The less surface area the better-surface molds--interior doesn't--always trim off the mold on the surface--then you have a new start--then trim it again! Every time you cut it you double (at least) the surface area subject to mold.
Re: Freezing cheese? - firechef - 10-04-2008
Even in the restaurant we do just as Bill says...we trim and go. Kind of like fresh refrigerated stocks in its own way, with those we just bring to a boil weekly. As a matter of fact cheese gets trimmed Sundays and Mondays and stocks get a "re-boil" on Tuesdays. If cheese needs it again before use then it gets it again.
Re: Freezing cheese? - chef_Tab - 10-05-2008
so are you guys saying I shouldn't freeze it? Just trim off mold as necessary? this cheese will more than likely be in the fridge for at least 6 months.
Re: Freezing cheese? - Old Bay - 10-05-2008
I know a lot of folks freeze cheese, I just never have. I wrap it tightly with as little exposure to air as possible.
Re: Freezing cheese? - cjs - 10-05-2008
Hmmmm, doesn't happen often, but I'm disagreeing with Bill on this one. I've been freezing cheese for years - and have never had a problem. Either in 'hunks' or shred it before freezing.
The only difference in the frozen cheese is that you won't be able to use it for sliced purposes. It crumbles after thawed, so is good to use in anything you need shredded or crumbled.
Also Tab, if you have small pieces of cheese leftover and you think it might go bad before using it, here's what you can do with it and it's wonderful!! Fromage Fort - is a combination of leftover cheeses that are combined and used as a wonderful spread. There are many recipes for this, the one I usually use is from Jacques Pepin, and I even freeze this mixture if I don't use it quickly enough.
* Exported from MasterCook *
Fromage Fort
1/2 pound cheese pieces
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup dry white wine
Black pepper
Salt
Put about 1/2 pound of cheese pieces in the bowl of a food processor, add 1 garlic clove, about 1/4 cup of dry white wine and a big grinding of black pepper.
Salt is usually not needed, but taste the mixture and add some if it is. Process for 30 seconds or so, until the mixture is creamy but not too soft, and then pack it into small containers.
The fromage fort is ready to use now, either served cold or spread on bread and broiled for a few minutes.
Broiling will brown the cheese and make it wonderfully fragrant.
Recipe by Jacques Pépin
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NOTES : Fromage fort is the ultimate way of using leftover cheese. My father used to combine pieces of Camembert, Brie, Swiss, blue cheese and goat cheese together with my mother's leek broth, some white wine and crushed garlic. These ingredients marinated in a cold cellar for a week to a week-and-a-half (he liked it really strong). Now my wife, Gloria, makes a milder version in a food processor that takes only seconds. It is delicious with crackers or melted onto toasts. It also freezes well.
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You can use any type of cheese for this, but be careful of the fuller flavored quantities, they can over power everything else.
Re: Freezing cheese? - chef_Tab - 10-05-2008
I love this fromage fort idea. Thank you so much, everyone, for your advice on this. I am trying to reduce the amount of waste from my kitchen. I feel so guilty throwing out food.