Freezing cheese

[big brown horse]

Perhaps this will help:

Freezing Cheese
Alice Henneman, MS, RD, UNL Extension in Lancaster County


Hard or semi-hard cheese can be frozen if cut in one half to one pound blocks. Wrap in plastic wrap and then put in freezer bags. After freezing, cheese may become crumbly and mealy, but, it will retain its flavor. It works best for cooking.

Plan to use frozen cheese within 4 to 6 months. Thaw cheese in the refrigerator. Use soon after thawing.

The cheeses that freeze best are:

Brick
Camembert
Cheddar
Edam
Mozzarella
Muenster
Parmesan
Provolone
Romano
Swiss
Blue cheeses are more prone to becoming crumbly but they'll still taste good. Cream cheese and cottage cheese do not freeze well.

 

[freemotion]

I don't think that's entirely correct, free -- I've been making 1- and 2-lb wheels and they have been fine for up to 6 months so far, just waxed and livin' in the basement. (I've no idea what the upper limit is going to be. In large part it depends on what kind of cheese you are making and how 'sharp and mature' you will still want to eat it)

So, while yeah, you would not want to wax leetle bits o' cheese, but I do not think it has to be enormous hunks either.

I am pretty sure that the website that someone (I think it was you, Free?) dug up for me on the subject of waxing hard cheeses -- do a search for 'waxing' for a thread I started, it will have the link to the article in there somewhere -- explicitly discusses re-waxing chunks of cheese for home storage. Worth checking out anyhow (tho I do not have as many brain cells as I did before I had kids LOL)

Pat

I can't think of where I read it, Pat, but it startled me because I'd made some 2 lb wheels and thought, crap, they won't keep as long. Of course, I want to try to age some cheddar for 3 years for some super sharp flavor. I have yet to keep any cheese more than a few months before we devour it, though! It wasn't me who found the site you mention, as it isn't familiar....I was thinking I first heard about re-waxing cheese from YOU! Sheesh! Or should I say Cheesh!

Now the nerd in me wants to find it. Guess I'll be searching my cheesemaking books in bed tonight until I fall asleep with the light on and get a major kink in my neck, thank-you-very-much!

 

[freemotion]

BBH, I've frozen lots of cheese, too, in pizza-sized baggies and forgotten plenty in the far corners of the freezer. It does lose quality most quickly when shredded. I think I would be more inclined to re-wax and freeze for the longest storage. I would think that waxing would be akin to vacuum sealing, in a way. Wax can be re-melted and re-used, too. And it is really cheap if you buy ten pounds at www.fieldforest.com! (No, I don't get a commission, but I think I should!)

 

[miss_thenorth]

Perhaps this will help:

Freezing Cheese
Alice Henneman, MS, RD, UNL Extension in Lancaster County


Hard or semi-hard cheese can be frozen if cut in one half to one pound blocks. Wrap in plastic wrap and then put in freezer bags. After freezing, cheese may become crumbly and mealy, but, it will retain its flavor. It works best for cooking.

Plan to use frozen cheese within 4 to 6 months. Thaw cheese in the refrigerator. Use soon after thawing.

The cheeses that freeze best are:

Brick
Camembert
Cheddar
Edam
Mozzarella
Muenster
Parmesan
Provolone
Romano
Swiss
Blue cheeses are more prone to becoming crumbly but they'll still taste good. Cream cheese and cottage cheese do not freeze well.

n this list, I have frozen cheddar, mozza and parmesan. all work well thawed and shredded. I have also froze chream cheese, and it does separate when thawed, but all you have to do is bring to room tem and stir really well to make it creamy again. i have made cheese cakes with previously frozen cream cheese. Usually when i freeze cheddar and mozza, i shred it for pizzas, grilled chees sandwiches etc. Like I said, we have never had an issue with previoulsy frozen cheese, as long as you don't want really nice slices that don't break apart when you pic them up .

 

[i_am2bz]

It's different after its been frozen, but better than NO chees I suppose

(Although I am having trouble envisioning what kind of "SHTF" scenario would warrant that name and yet still make it relevant whether or not you had a freezer with cheese in it... )

Pat

Hey Pat, cheese is a separate food group for me...I put it on everything!! The thought of going months without cheese...grumble grumble grumble....dang end of the world...grumble grumble...

If anyone finds the directions to waxing store-bought cheese, please post it!

 

[MountainMom]

I freeze mozzarella. We make our own pizza, but not often enough to use up mozzarella without it going moldy, so I buy it already grated, on sale, and keep it frozen. It works just great, my pizzas are awesome. I'll add other cheeses as well.

 

[patandchickens]

Actually, I dug up the thread I was referring to, it was sylvie who found me that webpage (thank you again, sylvie! )

http://preparednesspro.wordpress.com/20 ntroversy/

The best source of info I've found yet on waxing. Converted me from hopeless failure into more-or-less-successful waxer

Pat

 

[i_am2bz]

Actually, I dug up the thread I was referring to, it was sylvie who found me that webpage (thank you again, sylvie! )

http://preparednesspro.wordpress.com/20 ntroversy/

The best source of info I've found yet on waxing. Converted me from hopeless failure into more-or-less-successful waxer

Pat

I got a "blank" web page when I clicked the link; do I need to search something else once I'm there...?