An ambiguous decision, or whether it is possible to freeze soft, semi-hard and hard goat cheese

Goat cheese is a dairy product known for its beneficial properties and pleasant taste.

It is widely used in cooking, but it also happens that there is a lot of cheese left, and you need to decide how to preserve the supply.

We will tell you in this article whether it is possible to freeze soft goat cheese.

Is it possible to freeze?

The concept of “goat cheese” combines several popular varieties of dairy product. They can be made industrially or at home.

Homemade goat cheese is soft, plastic, and has a delicate taste. It is not advisable to freeze such a product.

But if there is no choice, it is also possible to send it to the cold. A significant disadvantage of such storage is the partial loss of the unique taste and change in texture.

Pickled goat cheese varieties are very soft. When stored in the refrigerator, the presence of brine helps maintain the consistency of the product. But, if freezing is planned, the liquid will have to be drained and the bars dried.

And even if these conditions are met, after defrosting the product will only be suitable for preparing complex dishes, and not as an independent snack.

Freezing rules

For freezing goat cheese for future use, a household freezer is quite suitable, in which the temperature is maintained no higher than -18? C.

The main task is not only to preserve the product, but also to provide it with all the conditions to preserve consistency, color and taste.

Serving Size

The first thing you need to decide is the size of the portions to freeze.

It is necessary to take into account that frozen cheese becomes very hard and difficult to divide into pieces. Therefore, in the future it will be defrosted as a whole block.

A large portion of the product may not always be convenient to use. In addition, once defrosted cheese cannot be placed in the freezer again.

Product preparation

Soft goat cheese contains a large amount of liquid, which turns into ice when frozen. In this case, the texture of the product will suffer, to a greater or lesser extent.

Package

As packaging for storage in the freezer It is practical to use containers with a lid and tight zip-lock bags. They provide the necessary level of tightness so that the cheese oxidizes less when in contact with air and does not absorb foreign odors.

Each package can contain one or more pieces. Moreover, only cheese of the same type can be frozen together.

If you have a vacuum sealer available, you need to use it. This way the product will not only be protected, but will also take up minimal space in the freezer. Labels on the packaging indicating the date are a convenient addition when organizing long-term storage.

How long to store in the freezer?

When organizing storage according to all the rules and observing temperature conditions, goat cheese can remain in the freezer for 6 months.

But experts strongly recommend finding a use for the product within the first two to three months. Because the longer goat cheese sits in the freezer, the greater the changes in its texture and taste.

How to defrost?

To allow goat cheese to thaw after being in the freezer, It is recommended to put it in the refrigerator first. The temperature there is higher than in the freezer and lower than in the room.

Under such conditions, the product will defrost gradually and quite slowly. Depending on the volume of packaging and type of cheese, it may take up to 12 hours. Hard varieties that were sent for storage in large pieces defrost especially slowly.

Once all the ice is gone, the product may change its consistency significantly. And there is a direct relationship here - the softer and younger the cheese, the more significant the changes in its texture will be.

After thawing, liquid often separates from the product, and it itself becomes more layered and dry. It should not be used in its pure form, but it is quite possible to include it in various dishes. It is also possible to freeze some dishes that contain goat cheese, such as pies.

Conclusion

Freezing goat cheese, especially soft varieties, is not a clear-cut solution. This product is one of those that is best used fresh.

In extreme cases, placing it in the freezer can be a solution to the problem., when it is very necessary to preserve the cheese as a preparation for future pies and other dishes, during the preparation of which it will be subjected to heat treatment and melting.