Got a good deal on some cheddar cheese that was on sale? Did you buy so much, that you won’t be able to finish it all in one or go or it might spoil before you are ready to use it?
So I know many of you are interested in finding out if freezing is a viable long term storage option for cheddar?
Before you take your cheese and pop it in the freezer, there are some important things you need to know.
Can You Freeze Cheddar Cheese & Should You Be Doing This?
I know many of you came here trying to find out if you can freeze cheddar cheese or not? The answer is yes, and based on the fact that I did it a couple of days ago, I will say it holds up pretty well in the freezer.
While there was no significant change in taste in having frozen cheddar, the only downside I noticed was that it was a bit powdery, grainy and crumbly.
Frozen cheddar cheese works best when it is heated, so in a grilled cheese or macaroni and cheese, you will not notice the change in texture.
While you can store cheddar for a really long time in the freezer, it is good idea to use it within 6-9 months.
Related: Can You Freeze Mozzarella Cheese?
How to Freeze Cheddar Cheese: A Step-by-Step Guide
Cheddar cheese is easy freeze and it should take you a couple minutes to have everything bagged and ready to be stored.
Below are the steps to get cheddar ready for freezing.
- If you have a shredded bag of cheddar, you could put it directly in the freezer. If you have blocks of cheese, it is best to grate it or slice it up.
- You will now take your grated or sliced cheese and put it in a freezer safe bag. If you have fish and other meats that might let off strange odors in the freezer, you might want to wrap the cheese with plastic wrap, before placing in the freezer bag.
- Before you place the bag or container in the freezer, it is usually a good idea to write on the date. This is to give you a reminder as to when you placed it in the freezer and how long it has been sitting there.
- Once you are ready for your cheese, you can take out what you need and thaw them out or place them directly in as an ingredient for the meal that you are cooking.
Thawing Frozen Cheddar Cheese
When you are ready to defrost your frozen cheddar cheese, the ideal method is to let it sit overnight in the refrigerator.
If you are in rush and you have it shredded/grated, you can add the cheddar flakes to a sandwich, pizza or whatever you are cooking.
Another hack that I used with slices, was to take what I needed, wrap it in foil and let it sit at room temperature while I prepared my sandwich. After I was finished, it was cold, but thawed out enough for my liking.
Due to the change in texture, cheddar cheese is best used in cooking or in dishes where the cheese will be melted. However, if you don’t mind the change, you can eat it as is.
Wrapping it up
If you see great deals on cheddar, you can buy as much as you need, since you will be able to freeze cheddar and extend its shelf life.
The taste of frozen cheddar doesn’t change, but you will find that when thawed, the texture can be a bit crumbly and grainy.
With that said, it is ideally best to eat your cheese fresh; but if you are looking for long term storage or you have too much cheddar that you do not want to spoil, freezing will work.
Tillamook sharp cheddar didn’t taste same to me. Just back from 4 months in Central America. Threw it in freezer when I left in Dec. I didn’t seal the bag properly. Cheap ziplock from walmart.
While in Nicaragua was eating this sharp cheddar imported from Costa Rica. Expensive but good.
Yeah. Threw some previously frozen shredded cheddar in a chicken taco. Totally gross. Texture was like mush and ruined the meal. Never do it. You can throw a pile on bread and grill cheese it….as long as it melts.