Freezing cheese?

[Je�us]

I've acquired quite a bit of vintage 'tasty' cheese. I could keep it
in the fridge, only problem being the amount of space it will take up
(and I don't want to run a 2nd fridge). I was wondering about freezing
it as an alternative? Has anyone done this or know whether it would
compromise the flavour or texture in any way? Thanks :)


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I wanna go like my grandfather... in his sleep. Not like the screaming passengers in his car!

[sf]

On Mon, 20 May 2013 15:54:38 +1000, Je�us <no...@all.org> wrote:

> I've acquired quite a bit of vintage 'tasty' cheese. I could keep it
> in the fridge, only problem being the amount of space it will take up
> (and I don't want to run a 2nd fridge). I was wondering about freezing
> it as an alternative? Has anyone done this or know whether it would
> compromise the flavour or texture in any way? Thanks :)

I've frozen cheese and I think it's fine after it's thawed.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

[Julie Bove]

"Je�us" <no...@all.org> wrote in message
news:9fejp8lbk2i8lmgej...@4ax.com...

> I've acquired quite a bit of vintage 'tasty' cheese. I could keep it
> in the fridge, only problem being the amount of space it will take up
> (and I don't want to run a 2nd fridge). I was wondering about freezing
> it as an alternative? Has anyone done this or know whether it would
> compromise the flavour or texture in any way? Thanks :)

Depends on the cheese. Harder cheeses freeze well. But don't expect to
slice them for eating. They'll crumble. You'll have to use them in cooked
dishes.

[Je�us]

Thanks, that's one vote in the affirmative!

[Ophelia]

"sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message
news:57fjp816djcrenlev...@4ax.com...

> On Mon, 20 May 2013 15:54:38 +1000, Je�us <no...@all.org> wrote:
>
>> I've acquired quite a bit of vintage 'tasty' cheese. I could keep it
>> in the fridge, only problem being the amount of space it will take up
>> (and I don't want to run a 2nd fridge). I was wondering about freezing
>> it as an alternative? Has anyone done this or know whether it would
>> compromise the flavour or texture in any way? Thanks :)

Really? I find it is crumbly.
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[Ophelia]

"Julie Bove" <juli...@frontier.com> wrote in message
news:kncf6d$b7n$1...@dont-email.me...
>
> "Je�us" <no...@all.org> wrote in message

Ahh I hadn't seen this when I responded:)

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[Jim Elbrecht]

I suspect it depends on the cheese-- but I have had OK luck with
Swiss-- but not cheddar.

[and I freeze shredded cheeses with impunity=- Mozz or cheddar-
mostly. If it is going to get melted, the texture doesn't matter]

Jim

[Ophelia]

"Jim Elbrecht" <elbr...@email.com> wrote in message
news:7bvjp89f50s06fm0l...@4ax.com...

> I suspect it depends on the cheese-- but I have had OK luck with
> Swiss-- but not cheddar.
>
> [and I freeze shredded cheeses with impunity=- Mozz or cheddar-
> mostly. If it is going to get melted, the texture doesn't matter]

Oh yes! I often shred a lot of cheese and freeze. Very useful:)

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http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

[George Leppla]

On 5/20/2013 12:54 AM, Je�us wrote:
> I've acquired quite a bit of vintage 'tasty' cheese. I could keep it
> in the fridge, only problem being the amount of space it will take up
> (and I don't want to run a 2nd fridge). I was wondering about freezing
> it as an alternative? Has anyone done this or know whether it would
> compromise the flavour or texture in any way? Thanks :)

We buy sliced American cheese in 5 pound blocks and portion and freeze.
Same with 5 pound bags of shredded cheese (Colby, cheddar, mozzerella,
etc). No loss of flavor or texture in any of these.

But I have never frozen any "tasty" cheeses or hard cheese so my
experience might not work for you.

George L

[sf]

On Mon, 20 May 2013 10:36:21 +0100, "Ophelia"
<Oph...@elsinore.me.ku.invalid> wrote:

>
>

That's not my experience, so maybe it depends on type. I don't like
cheeses in the category of English cheddar and stay away from that
stuff.

[Cheri]

"Je�us" <no...@all.org> wrote in message
news:9fejp8lbk2i8lmgej...@4ax.com...

> I've acquired quite a bit of vintage 'tasty' cheese. I could keep it
> in the fridge, only problem being the amount of space it will take up
> (and I don't want to run a 2nd fridge). I was wondering about freezing
> it as an alternative? Has anyone done this or know whether it would
> compromise the flavour or texture in any way? Thanks :)
>

It tastes fine, but it does change the texture. It crumbles, at least that's
been my experience. Since I use most of the cheese I buy in cooking, the
texture isn't that much of an issue so I do freeze it.

Cheri

[Ophelia]

"sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message

news:vn7kp8dvq0u8i461q...@4ax.com...

That would be it! Himself loves Cheddar so that is what I buy mostly!
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[jmcquown]

Same here, Cheri. If I find a good deal on blocks of cheese I'll buy it
and freeze it. But this is only for cheese used in cooking, where
"crumbly" doesn't matter. For sauces, toppings, anything where it is
part of the cooking process, it works just fine. And the taste has
never been adversely effected.

Jill

[Nunya Bidnits]

Start with a nice well aged coastal cheddar so it will already be crumbly.
;-)

Seriously, I never freeze cheese, but have frozen plenty of dishes that
contained it. Mac and cheese casserole and lasagna both freeze nicely for
me, for example.

MartyB

[Nunya Bidnits]

Have you ever tried freezing prepackaged shredded cheese?

Sometimes when it's on very deep sale I'd consider doing that. There are a
few Kraft blends that I like, such as the four cheese Mexican and the
Italian blend (not the seasoned blends). But I've never tried it.

MartyB

[Nunya Bidnits]

I wonder how any of the naturally crumbly cheeses like Cotija would freeze.
In particular I can't find Cotija at grocers, only at wholesale (Restaurant
Depot) which is in five pound blocks or packages of shreds. But I much
prefer it to Queso Fresco, for example, because it has such a nice tart
flavor.

MartyB

[Ophelia]

"Nunya Bidnits" <nunyab...@eternal-september.invalid> wrote in message
news:kndldg$npe$1...@dont-email.me...

No, I've never bought any pre grated stuff. What do they blend in them?
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[KenK]

Je�us <no...@all.org> wrote in

news:9fejp8lbk2i8lmgej...@4ax.com:

> I've acquired quite a bit of vintage 'tasty' cheese. I could keep it
> in the fridge, only problem being the amount of space it will take up
> (and I don't want to run a 2nd fridge). I was wondering about freezing
> it as an alternative? Has anyone done this or know whether it would
> compromise the flavour or texture in any way? Thanks :)
>
>

I've had excellect luck with Cheddar.





--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

[George Leppla]

On 5/20/2013 12:13 PM, Nunya Bidnits wrote:
> Have you ever tried freezing prepackaged shredded cheese?
>
> Sometimes when it's on very deep sale I'd consider doing that. There are a
> few Kraft blends that I like, such as the four cheese Mexican and the
> Italian blend (not the seasoned blends). But I've never tried it.

Yes, we do that all the time and it works fine. usually we try to buy
it in 5 pound bags at Sam's and portion it out into Zip-lock bags, but
we have also frozen the smaller packages of shredded cheese. No problem
either way.

George L

[Nunya Bidnits]

Well for example, the Mexican blend has Queso Quesadilla, Manchego, and
Asadero cheeses.

[Ophelia]

"Nunya Bidnits" <nunyab...@eternal-september.invalid> wrote in message

news:kndvh0$krb$1...@dont-email.me...

Thanks:) I have Manchego but I don't know the rest. So, are they the
blend? What are they blended with?

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[Je�us]

Ahh... well, this cheese I have is pretty close to that :)

[Je�us]

Thanks Julie. This cheese is already fairly crumbly as it is, and is a
hard cheese. Hmm, I'll play it safe and keep it in the fridge for the
time being.

[Je�us]

Thanks George, that is a bit of a problem with so many descriptions
and types of cheese out there. I guess you could describe what I have
as a well aged cheddar.

[Je�us]

On Mon, 20 May 2013 06:16:27 -0700, "Cheri" <che...@newsguy.com>
wrote:

The cheese I have is already crumbly, so I'm in two minds whether
freezing is a good idea or not in this case :) I'm not a fan of frozen
food's texture changing so maybe I should play it safe. Thanks.

[Je�us]

That's basically what I have here, aged cheddar which has a crumbly
texture.

[Je�us]

On Mon, 20 May 2013 06:41:16 -0400, Jim Elbrecht <elbr...@email.com>
wrote:

>[and I freeze shredded cheeses with impunity=- Mozz or cheddar-
>mostly. If it is going to get melted, the texture doesn't matter]

I like that idea... shredding a few blocks, then bagging and freezing.

[sf]

On Tue, 21 May 2013 06:28:28 +1000, Jeßus <no...@all.org> wrote:

> On 20 May 2013 17:48:40 GMT, KenK <inv...@invalid.com> wrote:
>

> >Jeßus <no...@all.org> wrote in

> >news:9fejp8lbk2i8lmgej...@4ax.com:
> >
> >> I've acquired quite a bit of vintage 'tasty' cheese. I could keep it
> >> in the fridge, only problem being the amount of space it will take up
> >> (and I don't want to run a 2nd fridge). I was wondering about freezing
> >> it as an alternative? Has anyone done this or know whether it would
> >> compromise the flavour or texture in any way? Thanks :)
> >>
> >>
> >I've had excellect luck with Cheddar.
>
> That's basically what I have here, aged cheddar which has a crumbly
> texture.

If it's crumbly anyway, how would freezing ruin it? I think all you
can do is experiment and be prepared to make some expensive macaroni &
cheese if you don't like the texture after it thaws.

[jmcquown]

Yep, shredded cheese freezes just fine.

Jill

[21bla...@gmail.com]

On Monday, May 20, 2013 3:48:29 AM UTC-8, George L wrote:

i don't consider "American Cheese" cheese

that was one of the first advertising gimmicks

similar to frozen pizza, or a mc donalds hamburger, etc

marc

[George Leppla]

On 5/21/2013 9:14 AM, 21bla...@gmail.com wrote:

> i don't consider "American Cheese" cheese

Fine... don't eat it.

George L

[sf]

On Tue, 21 May 2013 07:14:18 -0700 (PDT), 21bla...@gmail.com wrote:

> i don't consider "American Cheese" cheese
>

Read the label. It's not cheese if it's labeled "cheese food".
Otherwise - you're just a boring and run of the mill cheese snob.

[jmcquown]

More for the rest of us! :)

Jill

[jmcquown]

On 5/21/2013 10:58 AM, sf wrote:
> On Tue, 21 May 2013 07:14:18 -0700 (PDT), 21bla...@gmail.com wrote:
>
>> i don't consider "American Cheese" cheese
>>
> Read the label. It's not cheese if it's labeled "cheese food".
> Otherwise - you're just a boring and run of the mill cheese snob.
>

Not a very interesting one, either. ;)

Jill

[Nunya Bidnits]

That being the case, maybe I will take a flyer on a bulk package of Cotija
at RD. Minimum I can buy at that price is 5 lbs. I think it runs about 13-14
bucks. Considering that I have to pay about 4-5 bucks at a grocer for a
small round that is around 12 oz, and that's IF I can find it at all, it's
worth a shot. Now I just have to decide whether to buy brick or the bag of
crumbles. I'm leaning towards brick on the theory that it will keep better.

MartyB

[Nunya Bidnits]

People who are used to American cheddar can be really surprised at how
strong the flavor of aged English cheddar can be, and it has a more crumbly
texture as well. I like it but can't eat a whole lot of it straight or even
with wine. A few slices goes a long way. I also like to use it as an
ingredient, for example aged smoked English style cheddar, diced finely, is
a great enhancement to sausage.

MartyB

[Je�us]

On Tue, 21 May 2013 11:30:31 -0500, "Nunya Bidnits"
<nunyab...@eternal-september.invalid> wrote:

>Je�us <no...@all.org> wrote:
>> On Mon, 20 May 2013 06:06:42 -0700, sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote:
>>> On Mon, 20 May 2013 10:36:21 +0100, "Ophelia"
>>> <Oph...@elsinore.me.ku.invalid> wrote:
>>>> "sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:57fjp816djcrenlev...@4ax.com...
>>>>> On Mon, 20 May 2013 15:54:38 +1000, Je�us <no...@all.org> wrote:
>>>>>> I've acquired quite a bit of vintage 'tasty' cheese. I could keep
>>>>>> it in the fridge, only problem being the amount of space it will
>>>>>> take up (and I don't want to run a 2nd fridge). I was wondering
>>>>>> about freezing it as an alternative? Has anyone done this or know
>>>>>> whether it would compromise the flavour or texture in any way?
>>>>>> Thanks :)
>>>>
>>>> Really? I find it is crumbly.
>>>

>>> That's not my experience, so maybe it depends on type. I don't like
>>> cheeses in the category of English cheddar and stay away from that
>>> stuff.
>>
>> Ahh... well, this cheese I have is pretty close to that :)
>
>People who are used to American cheddar can be really surprised at how
>strong the flavor of aged English cheddar can be, and it has a more crumbly
>texture as well. I like it but can't eat a whole lot of it straight or even
>with wine. A few slices goes a long way. I also like to use it as an
>ingredient, for example aged smoked English style cheddar, diced finely, is
>a great enhancement to sausage.

I'm not a big fan of bland tasting cheeses (although I'm sure if I
went through a list of cheeses, I could find exceptions). I love the
strong, bitey taste of well aged Cheddar. Texture is better too,
unless you're trying to cut thin slices... it tends to crumble.

I often use it as a substitute for Parmesan and especially like making
open toasted cheese, onion, tomato and parsley sandwiches with it.
Hmm... that made me hungry. Alas, I need to bake a loaf of bread
first...

[Je�us]

On Mon, 20 May 2013 13:44:07 -0700, sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote:

>On Tue, 21 May 2013 06:28:28 +1000, Je�us <no...@all.org> wrote:
>
>> On 20 May 2013 17:48:40 GMT, KenK <inv...@invalid.com> wrote:
>>

>> >Je�us <no...@all.org> wrote in

>> >news:9fejp8lbk2i8lmgej...@4ax.com:
>> >
>> >> I've acquired quite a bit of vintage 'tasty' cheese. I could keep it
>> >> in the fridge, only problem being the amount of space it will take up
>> >> (and I don't want to run a 2nd fridge). I was wondering about freezing
>> >> it as an alternative? Has anyone done this or know whether it would
>> >> compromise the flavour or texture in any way? Thanks :)
>> >>
>> >>
>> >I've had excellect luck with Cheddar.
>>
>> That's basically what I have here, aged cheddar which has a crumbly
>> texture.
>
>If it's crumbly anyway, how would freezing ruin it? I think all you
>can do is experiment and be prepared to make some expensive macaroni &
>cheese if you don't like the texture after it thaws.

Indeed :)

I might compromise and freeze a couple of blocks, and see how that
goes.

[Nunya Bidnits]

According to the package that is the blend. It is still process cheese, by
definition, since it is apparently blended before it is shredded. I say that
because the shreds are completely homogenous. But it tastes good.

For another example with cheeses that may be more familiar to you, they have
an Italian blend with Mozarella, provolone, romano, asiago, and parmesan.
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/Products/ProductInfoDisplay.aspx?SiteId=1&Product=2100060708

MartyB

[Ophelia]

"Nunya Bidnits" <nunyab...@eternal-september.invalid> wrote in message

news:knjk1p$5u8$1...@dont-email.me...

Yes I know those cheeses:) I've never seen such blends but then I don't
usually look for that so maybe we have them but I doubt it. It's easy
enough to grate whatever I want though. I have a series of graters that
will run on my grinder, so it would be a simple matter. I've never actually
mixed cheese before and I think I might just give that a try so thank you:))

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