# Aged cheese, does it freeze well?



## giggler (Sep 22, 2018)

I'm on an aged cheese jag for snacks.


Parm and chedder in particular, in slices with apples and such.


The good stuff comes in Chunks that turn blue before I can 'em all.


can I halve the chunks, wrap in plastic and freeze? or will they turn to Gooo or something?


Eric, Austin Tx.


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## blissful (Sep 22, 2018)

Hi Giggler,
Parmesan will just fall apart faster/more. You'll be able to crumble it after you freeze it, but it won't slice without falling apart. You can also shred or grate it.


Cheddar will also crumble and will not slice well without crumbling after freezing.


So you can still use either one in sauces, or on pizza or in casseroles or soups.


To stop the mold from forming, if you have a vacuum sealer, use that. Without air it won't mold in the refrigerator. Take your piece of cheese, wash your hands, then wipe the outside of the cheese with some water with a little salt and vinegar added, dry it, then vacuum seal it. It will last for ages if the vacuum holds.


When I age cheese (and don't wax it), I vacuum seal it and it stays at 55 degrees F in the cheese cave, for years without forming mold on the outside.


You can also wax it but waxing is a tedious/messy/difficult process if you haven't done it before. That also keeps the cheese from forming mold if there is no air on the cheese.


I usually freeze cheeses when they are at their peak flavor and I don't want any more aging to take place. Things like motz, provolone, camembert/brie, and bel paese--but it does change the texture a little when thawed.


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## buckytom (Sep 22, 2018)

blissful said:


> Take your piece of cheese, wash your hands, then wipe the outside of the cheese with some water with a little salt and vinegar added, dry it, then vacuum seal it. It will last for ages if the vacuum holds.




And I've heard that bliss has the hands of a 12 year old girl...


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## GotGarlic (Sep 22, 2018)

I buy 18-month-old Parmigiano Reggiano cheese; it keeps for months and has never molded.

You should be able to buy smaller chunks at a time. If not, I would find another source.


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## blissful (Sep 22, 2018)

lol Bucky, this might be true.


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## Andy M. (Sep 22, 2018)

I've frozen Locatelli Romano with success. Once thawed, it grates fine.


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## buckytom (Sep 22, 2018)

I just heard that freezing Locatelli is the "in thing" right now.


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## blissful (Sep 22, 2018)

buckytom said:


> I just heard that freezing Locatelli is the "in thing" right now.


You are so bad!!! I heard people freeze Locatelli and then enjoy it in quiche with non-milk 'milk'.


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## Andy M. (Sep 22, 2018)

buckytom said:


> I just heard that freezing Locatelli is the "in thing" right now.





Yeah, but I did it before it got big.


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## Kayelle (Sep 22, 2018)

Maybe *Bliss* can shed some light on this. 

 I've heard that you should never touch a cheese block with your bare hands when grating or cutting cheese, and the cheese will be less likely to mold when returned to the refrigerator. Since we've been doing this we've had better luck with our packs of refrigerated cheese.


No wisecracks about cutting the cheese Bucky.


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## buckytom (Sep 22, 2018)

I don't know why, but I'm picturing K-L holding a block of cheese under her chin while juggling a grater and bowl in her hands, all while attempting a fantastic new recipe...


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## Kayelle (Sep 22, 2018)

buckytom said:


> I don't know why, but I'm picturing K-L holding a block of cheese under her chin while juggling a grater and bowl in her hands, all while attempting a fantastic new recipe...




Haa, guess you missed my edit. You forgot to mention cutting the cheese too.


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## buckytom (Sep 22, 2018)

How gauche, Madame!


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## Cooking Goddess (Sep 22, 2018)

GotGarlic said:


> I buy 18-month-old Parmigiano Reggiano cheese; it keeps for months and has never molded...


Same here. If it did, I'd probably scrape off the most offensive parts and grate up the rest for that night's spaghetti.  

*giggler*, if you see white spots on the Parm it doesn't mean that the cheese is getting moldy. This is a nice explanation of what causes those white spots in an article from The Kitchn: *The Cheesemonger: A Bit of Crunch in Your Cheese?* 

When Himself has pointed them out, I just say "it's the salt coming out".  Might not be accurate, but he's OK with that...*ahem* story.


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## GotGarlic (Sep 22, 2018)

Cooking Goddess said:


> Same here. If it did, I'd probably scrape off the most offensive parts and grate up the rest for that night's spaghetti. [emoji38]
> 
> *giggler*, if you see white spots on the Parm it doesn't mean that the cheese is getting moldy. This is a nice explanation of what causes those white spots in an article from The Kitchn: *The Cheesemonger: A Bit of Crunch in Your Cheese?*
> 
> When Himself has pointed them out, I just say "it's the salt coming out". [emoji38] Might not be accurate, but he's OK with that...*ahem* story.


I should have said it keeps for years and just gets better [emoji2]

I forgot that those white deposits can be mistaken for mold. My sister asked me about that once, too.


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## Mad Cook (Sep 22, 2018)

giggler said:


> I'm on an aged cheese jag for snacks.
> 
> 
> Parm and chedder in particular, in slices with apples and such.
> ...


Parmesan keeps to the crack of doom without going mouldy. I only buy small quantities at a time - 100 grams (less that 4 ounces) lasts me for weeks and once for a couple of months!

You _can _freeze cheese if you absolutely must but why not buy it in smaller amounts so it doesn't get chance to go mouldy in the 'fridge. If it's packed in plastic remove it when you get it home and wrap it in baking parchment or greaseproof paper. Generally speaking, cheese doesn't seem to like sealed containers such as Tupperware or Lock and Lock boxes.


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## blissful (Sep 22, 2018)

Kayelle said:


> Maybe *Bliss* can shed some light on this.
> 
> I've heard that you should never touch a cheese block with your bare hands when grating or cutting cheese, and the cheese will be less likely to mold when returned to the refrigerator. Since we've been doing this we've had better luck with our packs of refrigerated cheese.
> 
> ...




Ah good timing and I'm back at my computer for a couple minutes.


Yeah, so in our environment, which is also called our 'terroir', pronounced 'terr wah', there is mold and yeast in the air. This is everywhere.


For instance my basement has more mold and yeast in the air with less air flow and more humidity, than say, my upstairs. You'll notice this if you make sauerkraut or fermented pickles (or cheese).


So even if your hands are clean, they pick up mold and yeast from the air, no matter how antiseptic you think you are, you're not. There is even some bacteria in your water, so after you wash your hands, you may have some there. 



Salt and vinegar stops or slows down molds and yeasts, so if you use salt or vinegar on your hands, then handle cheese, you might end up with mold everywhere EXCEPT where your hands touch your cheese. I've had this happen with a cheese rind I wanted to grow some blue mold on. (a blue cheese) I left fingerprints on it, of no mold growing.


So yes Kayelle, the less you touch the cheese with your hands, the less mold will get put onto the cheese, less will grow. If you were a cheese maker, and working on the rind formation, cleaning it every other day (let's say), you'd wash it with a mild solution of salt water and vinegar to keep the molds off. Then when you want to age it and the rind has formed adequately, it gets washed dried (air dried) then waxed or vacuum packed.


For cheese in the refrigerator, touch it less, get all the air out of the bag or wrapping. But if you come across a little mold, it's generally not harmful, wash it off with a light brine and vinegar and put it in new packaging.


(Light brine, 2 tsp of salt to 1 cup of water, 1 tsp vinegar)
I hope that answers your question about touching cheese.


The white crystals on cheese can be: There are two type of cheese crystals that can form in a cheese: *Tyrosine* and *Calcium Lactate*. They are usually found in aged cheeses like cheddar, parmesan, aged gouda.
https://culturecheesemag.com/cheese-bites/crystals-cheeses-best-friend


The white crystals are sought after by most cheese enthusiasts.


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## buckytom (Sep 22, 2018)

So, Cooking Godesses's hubby was right all along, huh?
Figures. The guy knows his stuff.


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## Kayelle (Sep 22, 2018)

It certainly does answer my questions about touching cheese *Bliss*. You have a way of explaining things so well, and thank you.


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