How To Store Cheese

Cheese is a popular "inhabitant" of the refrigerator of modern people. It is part of many dishes, desserts and snacks, and is also an almost indispensable ingredient in sandwiches.

Cheese is a popular "inhabitant" of the refrigerator of modern people. It is part of many dishes, desserts and snacks, and is also an almost indispensable ingredient in sandwiches. But in order to enjoy the product without harm to health, you need to know the features of its storage. By the way, they depend on many factors, among which the most important is the type of cheese.

 

It is well known that cheese is a fermented milk product, which means it is a “live” product with varying degrees of density and a salty taste. The degree of saltiness depends on the type of cheese and partly affects the characteristics of its storage.

What affects the shelf life of a product?

If the cheese is stored incorrectly, it will quickly dry out, become moldy or tasteless. By the way, this is not at all the mold crust that is considered noble and covers some elite varieties of cheese.

The main storage conditions for this delicacy are temperature and humidity. And, of course, it is undesirable to keep cheese near strong-smelling products so that it does not take over "foreign" smells.

Cheese storage conditions

It is the temperature regime that is considered the most important condition for preserving any type of cheese in a form suitable for use. Ideally, if the product is stored at a temperature of +6-7 degrees Celsius. Humidity should be around 90%. The French say that cheese is best kept in a well-ventilated area.

 

Many of us keep cheese in the fridge, and rightly so. Modern cooling household appliances work without ice formation, by circulating cold air masses. You need to understand that in this case, putting a piece of cheese in the refrigerator, you will need to protect it from weathering. Moreover, a plastic bag is not the best solution. It is ideal to wrap it in a piece of cloth, foil or wax paper. In a pinch, cling film will do.

Where to store cheese in the refrigerator

So, we have determined that the refrigerator will become the place for keeping the fermented milk product, but this is not enough. It is important to correctly position the cheese in it. The basic rule applies here: the farther from the freezer, the better. According to this principle, it would be nice to free up some space for the delicacy in the vegetable compartment. But keeping the cheese on the door is not worth it, because every time you open and close the product will be subject to temperature changes, which will not help it stay fresh longer.

 

Storage of different types of cheese

No one has to talk about the variety of cheeses, this is a well-known fact. Hard and soft, of varying degrees of salinity, with herbs, spices or fresh, they have long won the favor of people. Which cheese to buy is a matter of taste. But storage features also depend on its type.

Hard and semi-hard cheeses are best kept at freezing temperatures. If the thermometer drops below -4, the product will freeze. In the case when you need to save the cheese for a short time not in the refrigerator, you can wrap it in a cloth soaked in salt water. This, of course, is about natural fabrics like linen or cotton. Cheese with mold can be stored at zero temperature for about a month. But at +10, you should not keep it in the refrigerator for longer than a week. The more carefully you pack a piece of cheese, the more likely it is to keep it fragrant and the same as on the day of purchase. Leaving the product without packaging, you will soon notice that it has absorbed all the surrounding aromas, moreover, now the cheese smell will reign in the refrigerator for a long time. Brine cheeses like suluguni or feta cheese should be stored in brine. If it's not there

 

Some more helpful tips for storing cheese

Almost any variety of this fermented milk product can be stored in the refrigerator without setting a special temperature if it is wrapped in a regular paper napkin and then closed in a plastic food container. Every time you need to get cheese, you will have to change not only the napkin, but also the dishes. As a last resort, wipe the container dry before replacing the cheese.

To make soft cheese less salty, place it in milk before putting it in the refrigerator. Thus, the product is stored for several days.

We hope that our tips will help you enjoy the taste of your favorite cheeses for as long as possible and cook a variety of dishes with them.