How To Keep Cheddar Cheese Longer
If you want to make sure that your cheddar cheese will keep for longer, you can use a vacuum sealer. These appliances take out all the air in the bag or container and creates a perfect seal. Thus, theres no leftover oxigen to alter the taste of the cheese or to make it go bad.
We have a list of great vacuum sealers you can try out, but if you want to know the name of the sealer that tops our list, its the FoodSaver V4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealer Machine. The FoodSaver works with freezer bags and containers of different sizes, which means you can seal single portions or larger dishes safely.
Do You Thaw Frozen Cheese Before Grating It
Freezing a block of cheese seems like a smart strategy to save time and money, but using it straight from the freezer is not as simple as you might think. You should slightly thaw the cheese before you grate it, but don’t expect it to easily fall into shreds. Instead, grate the cheese before you freeze it, especially if it’s a high-moisture cheese, such as mozzarella.
Product Highlight: Freeze Dried Cheese
Dairy is my favorite food group. And of all the dairy I can get, I love cheese the best. Years ago, I thought it pretty much impossible to store cheese long term in my food storage.
Then, I found freeze dried shredded cheese and I was so excited! Unfortunately, that excitement waned a bit as I struggled to figure out how to use it. I was afraid that it was too good to be true.
Luckily, freeze dried cheese truly is wonderful as long as you know how to use it, and I did eventually figure out how to do just that!
Ill give you a few tips today, but if you are ready for a laugh, read the next couple of stories to learn what not to do when hydrating freeze dried cheese.
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Foods You Can Freeze Dry
Weve had our freeze dryer for several years now, and weve found that its possible to freeze-dry a ton of foods for storage. And its fun to try new things and see how they turn out. Even so, Ive also found that its a lot of fun to see what other freeze dryer owners are trying and to see how theyre loving what comes out of their freeze dryers.
So, without further ado, here are 79 foods you can freeze-dry with ease many of which weve done successfully ourselves. There are a few that we havent tried but our research and chatting with other freeze-drying fans show that it works well.
Want to get the complete guide in an easy-to-download PDF? You can get this guide when you subscribe to my free newsletter. to open a new window to do that now.
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What Else Can Be Frozen
Well, I love this question because you can freeze entire MEALS with ease! Making meals ahead of time and freezing them is a lifesaver. It can save SO much time each month! In fact, I love freezer meals so much, I have created videos where you can make 10 freezer meals in just one hour. It is called Freezer Meals LIVE and it will make your life so much easier! Check out the details HERE.
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Freeze Drying Cottage Cheese And Tomatoes
One of the best summer lunches is a bowl of cottage cheese with ripe cherry tomatoes. The acid in the tomatoes cuts through the creamy cottage cheese for the perfect alternating-bite experience. Low-fat cottage cheese is a healthy way to stay full, and tomatoes are full of lycopean, which helps fight cancer. Freeze dry them and you wont need refrigeration so your light lunch can travel anywhere. Do you need any other reasons to enjoy this delicious combination?
To freeze dry the tomatoes, cut them in half and arrange them on the tray. To freeze dry cottage cheese, spread a layer in the tray . You can even run the trays of tomatoes and the cottage cheese together in the same batch. To reconstitute the cottage cheese, slowly add water and stir gently until it reaches the right consistency. To reconstitute the tomatoes, just spritz with water or try mixing them right into your cottage cheese to rehydrate. You may also find that you enjoy these two without reconstituting, so feel free to mix them together like a trail mix with a little lemon pepper or toss them on the top of your salad for a little extra crunch and enjoy!
Cheeses That Do And Do Not Freeze Well
Firm cheeses freeze well. Some of these cheeses may get a crumbly texture after freezing, but if youre going to cook with them, it shouldnt be much of a problem.
YES, you can freeze:
- Cream cheese
- Cottage cheese
Soft, high-moisture cheeses do not freeze well. Freezing changes the texture, making them less creamy. Very soft cheeses can even separate after thawing.
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Worst Cheeses To Freeze
Grated hard cheeses like Parmesan and Romano can be frozen, but its more sensible to keep them in the refrigerator, where they will keep for up to 12 months. That way, you wont experience the loss in quality that comes with freezing.
In general, hand-crafted cheeses with delicate flavors and aromas dont freeze well and are best bought in smaller portions and eaten fresh.
Freezing is also not recommended for fresh curd cheeses like cottage cheese, ricotta, and quark due to their high moisture content.
Similarly, soft, ripened cheeses, such as brie, Camembert, fontina, or Muenster, are best eaten fresh and can be ripened in the refrigerator.
Likewise, while blue cheese can be frozen, low temperatures can damage the molds that are essential to the ripening process. Therefore, these cheeses are better enjoyed fresh.
Lastly, processed cheeses and cheese spreads are unsuitable for freezing.
Summary
Hard and semi-hard cheeses with lower moisture and higher fat contents are best suited for freezing. Delicate, hand-crafted cheeses, processed varieties, and most soft cheeses are generally unsuited for this preservation method.
If you decide to freeze your cheese, there are several steps you can take to ensure the least loss of quality.
How To Reconstitute Freeze
Cheese reconstitutes from being freeze-dried best when done slowly. If cheese is reconstituted too quickly, it might stay crunchy inside or change how it melts. Reconstituting freeze-dried cheese slowly back to its original form takes at least 4-6 hours.
To reconstitute cheese slowly, you need to put it into a glass bowl. Then you need to add small amounts of water to it while you stir it with a spoon. When water starts to gather at the bottom of the bowl, this means that youve added enough. The cheese should be wet but not mushy or soggy.
Next, you need to drain away any excess water and transfer your cheese into an airtight container or a Ziplock bag. Then you need to put it in the refrigerator and let it sit for a few hours.
Alternatively, you can put the cheese straight into a Ziplock bag with a wet towel and put it in the fridge. The cheese will slowly absorb the amount of water it needs from the towel. This will give the cheese a perfect consistency.
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Should You Use An Anticaking Agent
As you can tell, I dont use any cornstarch or potato starch when freezing shredded chef. And in most cases, I dont think you need to use it either.
As I mentioned, the anticaking agent prevents clumps from forming, both when the cheese is refrigerated and frozen.
In my process, I advocate pre-freezing and removing any clumps, which achieves a similar goal without using any extra ingredients. Its main downside is that the cheese will stick together if you defrost it in the fridge.
If you want to prevent that, coating your grated cheese with cornstarch or potato starch is the solution.
But for me, I never thaw the cheese in the fridge. Instead, I grab a few teaspoons and sprinkle the frozen cheese all over the dish Im cooking. If thats how you plan on using your frozen shredded cheese, you dont need an anticaking agent.
Last, if youre short on time and need to skip the pre-freezing step, coating your grated cheese with cornstarch or potato starch is the way to go.
You prep the cheese, coat it, and freeze it in a freezer bag. Its a quick and dirty method, but it gets the job done.
Use an anticaking agent if you want to skip pre-freezing or wish to prevent clumping after defrosting the cheese in the refrigerator.
Freeze Dried Cheddar Cheese
Freeze Dried Shredded Cheddar Cheese is great for snacks and recipes calling for cheese, as well as on-the-go trips, like camping and picnics.
Honeyville’s Freeze Dried Cheddar Cheese is everything you love about cheese, plus long storage capability. This cheese does not require refrigeration, so it’s perfect for on-the-go trips, like camping and picnics. Sprinkle some cheesy goodness on your favorite foods and snacks or rehydrate and use in recipes that call for shredded cheese. Try one of our many different cheeses today and be blown away from the taste and the shelf life.
Shelf-Life: Freeze Dried Cheddar Cheese will store for 5 to 10 years in a sealed #10 can under ideal storage conditions .
Instructions: Mix 1 tablespoon of cheddar cheese to 2 tablespoons of warm water. Allow Freeze Dried Cheddar Cheese to hydrate for about 5 minutes or until fully rehydrated. Honeyville Freeze Dried Cheddar Cheese can replace fresh prepared cheese at a rate of 4 to 1. That means that each can of Freeze Dried Cheddar Cheese is the equivalent of about 10 pounds of fresh cheddar cheese.
Uses: Freeze Dried Cheddar Cheese can be used separately or in combination with casseroles, soups, salads, tacos and more.
Packaging: Freeze Dried Cheddar Cheese is sealed air tight in a #10 can and weighs approximately 2.75 pounds. A case contains 6 #10 cans and weighs 16.5 pounds. Each can contains 50 servings. One serving size is 1/4 cup.
Ingredients: Freeze Dried Cheddar Cheese .
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What To Do With Frozen Cottage Cheese
Defrosting cottage cheese is just as easy as freezing it. You can allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge for a slow yet safe method, but this requires some planning ahead. If you need to thaw your cheese out quickly, you can do so by placing it in cool water. This only takes a few hours to do, and you dont run as much of a risk of contaminating your cheese as with warm water.
For some recipes, you may not need to thaw out frozen cottage cheese. Instead, you can simply add solid portions to your meal as it cooks. This will affect cooking temperature, and so it doesnt work well with stovetop recipes. Instead, try to only add frozen cottage cheese to baked goods.
You may have to drain excess water or liquid from the top of your cottage cheese before using it. If you notice that its lost too much moisture or has an overly thick consistency, adding a small dab of sour cream can help thawed cottage cheese to regain its creamy flavor.
Many home chefs swear by cottage cheese as a critical addition to everything from casseroles to cookies. Not only does it add a creamy, delicious flavor, but it also helps to improve texture for a smoother, more moist dish.
Defrosted cottage cheese makes a delicious addition to dishes such as pasta and lasagna. It can also help to add more richness to casseroles and cream-based soups. If you want to take your cakes and cookies to the next level, add a small amount of cottage cheese for extra moisture.
How To Store Freeze Dried Cheese
Store freeze-dried food in sealed containers away from air and moisture. The best way to store freeze-dried food is in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. The way cheese is stored after being freeze-dried it is important. Improperly stored cheese will spoil while in the storage bag.
The most important thing when it comes to storing your cheese is that it must be completely dry first. If its not completely dry, itll spoil. The best way to check to see if your cheese is dry is by taking a bite out of a piece. If it feels all dry, then its usually good to go. But if you feel any moisture or cold with your tongue, it needs a bit longer in the freeze dryer.
Once the cheese is completely dry, you can transfer it into Mylar bags. These are perfect for storing freeze-dried food because theyre easy to use, inexpensive and completely airtight. As well as this, they come with oxygen absorbers to absorb any rogue bits of air out of the bag.
If you have canning equipment, you can also store your freeze-dried cheese #10 cans. Other options include vacuum bags or pantry jars. However, the cheese wont last as long in these containers because theyll let in trace amounts of oxygen over time.
Once youve opened up a packet or can of freeze-dried cheese, it can last for up to a year. Just make sure that you keep the container sealed in between usage. And keep it stored in a cool, dry place.
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Other Foods To Freeze Dry Ideas
- Chicken and Beef Stock Think of how often you use chicken or beef broth and stock. Soups! Instant Pot recipes! Pre-freeze, to speed up the freeze drying process. Or, pour the liquid into the empty trays, already sitting on the freeze dryer shelf. Carefully push them back into place.
- Fully Prepared Meals I have bought prepared meals from Costco, such as Beef Stroganoff and Lasagna, and put it on the trays to freeze dry. Its so nice knowing that I have some ready-to-eat meals available for times I dont feel like cooking. With the lasagna, I just cut it up in small squares and placed it on the tray. The beef stroganoff, I spread out on the trays. But, really you can freeze dry so many meals! Ive been wanting to do some chicken Alfredo, casseroles, chicken fried rice, etc.
- Soup This could fall under fully prepared meals, but I just wanted to really blast how great this idea is! Its so easy to make a huge batch of soup, which can easily give you several trays full of meals to freeze dry and have ready-to-go. Heres a helpful list of 35 fall soup recipes to try.
How To Freeze Cheese
Can you freeze cheese? Absolutely! Here are some tips on how to freeze cheese , which varieties freeze best, and how to serve after freezing.If you have enjoyed learning these freezing tips, be sure to check out our other easy tutorials on How To Freeze Bananas, How To Freeze Avocado, and How to Freeze Cookie Dough!
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Can You Freeze Dry Cottage Cheese
Yes you can freeze dry cottage cheese for up to 6 months, and what is more, it freezes well the curds get lighter. However, the cheese will also be drier so you will need to hydrate it with a little bit of milk or cream. I like it either way, so you will have to experiment and decide which is your preferred option if any.
For those that do not know what dry cottage cheese is it is the same as regular cottage cheese, but it lacks the milk or cream content.
Meaning once a person curdles the milk for dry cottage cheese, they do not have to add any additional liquid additives such as cream or milk.
Not many grocery stores offer the dry cottage cheese variety so you may have to head to a farmers market, a health food store, or make it at home.
Can You Freeze Dry All Kinds Of Cheese
All cheeses can be freeze-dried, though their storage times can vary depending on the cheese. Cheddar, mozzarella, and Monterrey Jack all freeze-dry well, but so do blue cheese, feta, and soft cheeses.
This means that with a freeze dryer, you can have a whole selection of cheeses in your food store. You can turn them into powders to create unique and delicious cheese sauces. As well as this, dried feta chunks are great in a salad. Or you can add cottage cheese powder to your muesli for extra protein.
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How To Freeze And Use Cottage Cheese
Because frozen cottage cheese should be thawed before its used, it should be separated into individual portions before freezing.
Be sure to use an airtight container or freezer-safe bag, and seal it properly by removing as much air as possible before you place it in the freezer.
Once youre ready to use your frozen cottage cheese, you can thaw it by placing it in the refrigerator overnight. Alternatively, you can submerge the container in cold water for a few hours, but be sure to change the water every 30 minutes as it thaws .
After it has fully defrosted, it may produce a puddle of excess liquid, which you should drain before using.
Due to the changes in consistency, thawed cottage cheese works best in cooked dishes, including cheesecakes, casseroles, pasta dishes, or pancakes. It also works well for adding a creamy texture and cheesy taste to soups and sauces.
summary
Cottage cheese should be separated into individual portions and sealed before freezing. When youre ready to use it, you should thaw it and add it to cooked dishes, such as casseroles, soups, and sauces.
