Do you want to keep feta cheese last longer? Can you freeze feta cheese? Find all the answers below.
Do you know what feta is? Feta is a famous Greek cheese which has a tangy and salty taste and grainy in texture. This cheese is often used in making Greek salads and works quite well for making pizza as well as using as a table cheese. Some even use it in making pies like spinach pie or spanakopita.
Frankly, feta cheese is commonly used in all kitchens, throughout the world. Do you know that this cheese accounts about 75% of the cheese consumption of Greece? Many people really like to consume this cheese little by little and often think of ways to last it a bit longer, which is only possible if you freeze it.
More...
What is Feta Cheese?
This cheese originates from Greece and is a white cheese that is produced from the milk of sheep. Sometimes both goat and sheep’s milk is used for making this cheese. Currently, this cheese is a protected trademark, which means that only those cheese that is manufactured from Macedonia and Greece can have the ‘Feta’ name. So, if you are speaking about ‘Norwegian Feta’, you need to refer it as white cheese. Find more about goat cheese below:
Frankly, the feta cheese is nothing but a white cheese that resembles a brined curd. Now if it is left to age, it will become a dry and crumbly cheese while the younger version will be quite creamy and softer.
Can You Freeze Feta Cheese?
Why do you need to freeze feta cheese? Well, compared to other cheese that you consume and purchase, the feta cheese is quite expensive and taste so good that they can quickly disappear. And certain people like to enjoy consuming slowly, relishing it part by part. In such situations, freezing can be the perfect option.
Freezing feta cheese for a short period will not lead to toxicity or cause any kind of health problems. However, the only disadvantage is you might lose certain texture and flavor of the cheese during the process.
Feta cheese which is defrosted and frozen have crumby texture, making it possible to only use in recipes that need heated cheese or crumbled cheese rather than the table or sliced cheese. You can use the thawed feta cheese to make sauces, casseroles, and burgers.
How to Freeze Feta Cheese?
First and foremost before you start the freezing process of feta cheese, you need to extract the excess water present in the package. After that, you must double wrap the cheese to a plastic wrap, so that you can avoid freezer burn. Then you need to put it in an airtight bag (freezer bag) so that the bag is devoid of any air. It is better if you don’t freeze the feta cheese for more than two or three months.
When it is the time to consume the cheese, just take it out of the freezer and place it into the refrigerator. Slowly, as it gets thawed, make sure to avoid removing the wrapper as the air can create extra dryness. When the cheese is fully thawed, enjoy consuming it. If you feel certain flavors are gone, don’t feel disappointed or panic. There are various methods to simply restore the taste.
One method of restoring the classic tang of the cheese is to put it in a brine of water and salt. You could even store or keep the cheese in olive oil. Frankly, these two methods can even be used for non-frozen feta so that its shelf life can be increased. Now keep in mind that the thawed feta cheese must be eaten within 70-72 hours of removing from the freezer. Also, it works well when it is either melted or crumbled.
Always keep in mind that you mustn’t refreeze the feta cheese which has already been frozen and then thawed. Now it is better if you cut the cheese into tiny portions and then freeze them individually. Take the required piece that you want from the freezer and thaw it rather than taking out the entire feta cheese.
Honestly, the major reason of freezing the cheese is to avoid any kind of wastage. Plus if you feel that the cheese got a sour taste and is more mush, simply throw it away. You might end up with food poisoning and you don’t want to pay a high price just because you are savoring the last crumb of the best cheese which has become stale.
Wrapping Up
With regard to the question of whether it is possible to freeze feta cheese, the answer is yes and this is seriously one of the best and tasty cheeses which shouldn’t get wasted. But make sure that it is wrapped properly and airtight so that you can keep it for a rainy day.
Make sure to thaw it in the fridge and immediately consume it. Sometimes the cheese might lose its texture and taste, making it crumblier. So always think about what you are going to prepare using the fret cheese before freezing it.