Goat cheese is easy to let go to waste, but it’s surprisingly easy to freeze and save for much longer than just a few weeks. Here’s how to freeze goat cheese the right way.
I love the taste of goat cheese, but I can’t always get it when I need it. I also don’t want to buy too much at once because it goes bad so quickly.
Fortunately, there is a way to enjoy this delicious cheese without having to buy more than you will be able to eat before it spoils! This article will discuss how to freeze goat cheese so that you can always have some at hand.
Can You Freeze Goat Cheese?
When dealing with dairy products of any kind, preservation is one of the key questions to ask. Milk and its by-products quickly go wrong, and as such, it helps to know how to keep it fresh and keep it for longer. The answer is yes. You can freeze goat cheese.
Goat cheese has numerous health benefits, and so it helps always to have some handy in the fridge when you need it. But this also means that you will need to know how to preserve it to be fresh when you need it permanently.
You need to take certain precautions, but we will take a look at those in a bit. You can freeze goat cheese, and this is thanks to its unique composition. Goat cheese comes in different varieties and consistencies. However, freezing it is not as simple as just popping the cheese in the freezer.
Important Precautions
There are important things to take note of when you are freezing cheese. At some point, you will need to remove the cheese to serve it. and you don’t want to be removing an entire block and then cut what you need, just to cut a certain amount. This creates a back and forth between freezing and thawing, which is bad for the cheese. To avoid this, apportion the cheese into manageable sizes so that you are only thawing out what you need at a time. Another precaution to take is that you need to thaw it out slowly.
Solid Goat Cheese
There are different types of goat cheese, and as such, there are certain things that you will need to do to make sure that the type of cheese you have is properly stored. Solid goat cheese often comes in large blocks. As such, before freezing it, make sure to separate it into smaller blocks, that you would probably use at a time.
You need to be able to eat the portion within at least five days, or at least within a few days before it goes bad and before you need to put it in the freezer again, which you don’t want to do. Then wrap the pieces of cheese individually in cling wrap. Make sure that it is tight and that there is no room for air to seep in.
Once this is done, place the pieces of cheese inside a zip lock bag. Make sure there’s no air in there either. You can use a vacuum seal to do this. It also helps stick a label on the packets, saying when you froze it, packaged it, and expiry date. Keep in mind that you would have re-wrapped the cheese in new plastic, which is not what it would have come in. This means that you no longer have the expiry dates from the manufacturer. A label you stick on,
Spreadable Goat Cheese
Another variety of cheese is spreadable cheese. This is a common choice for bread and pastries. Goat cheese spread isn’t too different from goat cheese. The difference being that spread cheese has a softer consistency. If the cheese spread is still in its original container, don’t worry about transferring it into another container, the original one has the correct type of seal.
If you had already removed it from its original packaging, then roll it into a tight ball, making sure that there is no chance of air bubbles within the ball. Then wrap the cheese in cling wrap, making sure that you remove any potential bubbles of air. You can ensure this by using a vacuum seal. Seal all the sides, and keep it as a ball. Then place this ball in a ziplock freezer bag. Once again, try to make sure you put labels on the packs so you know when to use the balls by.
Thawing
Now that we have looked at how to freeze and successfully store goat cheese, we now need to think about getting it ready for serving. Firstly you must thaw it out slowly so that it is still safe to eat. The first thing will be to remove it from the freezer and put it in the fridge about 48 hours before you need to use it. This process will help raise the temperature slightly, avoid condensation, make the cheese soggy, and negatively alter the taste.
Then remove it from the fridge about an hour before you intend to serve the cheese or use it in a recipe. Give it some time to get the temperature to increase slowly. About an hour before serving should be enough. This method works when you have a block of cheese and some time on your hands.
Another method used by some involves thawing it in the microwave. The problem with this is that it will take a second to overdo it and wind up with inedible cheese. There is a high chance that it could melt totally and this will not be good if you were looking for crumbs. Once it is melted you can’t change it back.
How to Freeze Goat Cheese
Equipment
- plastic wrap
- ziplock bags
Ingredients
- goat cheese solid or spreadable
Instructions
Solid Goat Cheese
- Cut cheese into 1-inch cubes. Tightly wrap each cube in plastic wrap, ensuring there is no excess air. Place the wrapped cubes in a ziplock bag and mark or label with today’s date. Store for up to 6 months.
Spreadable Goat Cheese
- Roll the cheese into balls, each about 1-inch in diameter
- Wrap each ball in plastic wrap, removing any air bubbles. Place balls in a ziplock bag and mark with today’s date. Store for up to 6 months.
Thawing
- When ready to use, remove the cheese from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator. Leave to thaw overnight.
FAQ
How long can you freeze goats cheese for?
Goat cheese can be frozen, for 6 months and it is during this time that it keeps its flavor. However, you can use it for about 3 months after you have thawed it out.
How long is goat cheese good for?
Goat cheese will remain excellent and safe to eat when kept in the fridge, with a tight seal on it, for about three weeks. You can keep it out of the refrigerator and at room temperature for about 2 hours.
How to tell if goat cheese is bad?
In this instance, your sense of smell and sight will be your most prominent friends. Goat cheese will have an off smell and also an unnatural color.
