Let's put it straight - we love cheese! You can literally add it to anything and everything to enhance the taste and texture of the dish. What fascinates us the most is the variety you get across the globe. From the very Indian Bandel cheese to the most exotic blue cheese and gouda, options are many, solving various culinary purposes. Then we have the all-purpose processed cheese that you can have raw or add to any dish while cooking or baking. Did you know, you need to store this cheese properly to keep the taste and texture intact? You heard us! Storing cheese properly is as important as picking the right one for your recipe. And to help you with that, we curated a list of tips and tricks to store cheese properly.
Why is It Important To Store Cheese Properly?
Cheese is a dairy product and has the risk of getting spoilt in excess moisture. If not stored properly, you may see mold growing on the surface of the cheese, making it unhealthy for consumption. Moreover, it may affect the taste and texture of the cheese too.
Cheese, if kept openly in the refrigerator, turns hard, chewy, and tasteless, further affecting the look and taste of the dish you add it to. Hence, it is suggested to store cheese properly to avoid spoilage, further making it cost-effective.
Also Read: Eat Cheese, Boost Immunity? 5 Surprising Health Benefits Of Cheese
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Cheese Storing Tips: 5 Mistakes To Avoid While Storing Cheese:
1. Avoid keeping cheese in a wrapper or plastic while storing:
You will often find people unwrapping cheese halfway and keeping the rest as is. Food experts state, that once the vaccum seal is broken, the cheese gets exposed to air, increasing the risk of mold growth and oxidation.
2. Do not store cheese anywhere in the refrigerator:
If you notice, every refrigerator has dedicated space for storing specific food ingredients. Ever wondered why this distinction is made? This is because every food requires a unique cooling temperature for storage. Always store cheese in the dedicated space to keep it fresh and aromatic for long.
3. Don't handle every cheese the same way:
If you notice, every variety of cheese has its unique texture and taste. This automatically means, each cheese should be handled differently. A one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work for cheese, decreasing its shelf-life instantly.
4. Avoid keeping in unclean places:
As mentioned, cheese, being a dairy product, is sensitive in nature. Storing it in the unclean side of the refrigerator can easily contaminate the cheese, making it favourable ground for bacterial growth.
5. Avoid putting in the freezer:
We agree, that keeping some food items in the freezer, increases their shelf life. But that doesn't stand true for cheese. Cheese, if kept in the freezer, turns extremely hard, ruining its texture completely. So, please keep it in a regular refrigerator to enjoy its taste and texture.
Cheese Storage Tips: 5 Hacks To Keep In Mind:
1. Use fresh wax wrap to rewrap the leftover cheese after each use.
2. Put the leftover cheese in a dry, airtight container or sealed bag while storing.
3. The best practice is to store cheese in the vegetable crisper section of the refrigerator, where the temperature remains cold and stable.
4. The storage time of each cheese varies - the harder it is, the longer it will stay fresh. So, use them accordingly.
5. Keep some sugar with the cheese in the container. Sugar will help lock the moisture, and regulate temperature, further keeping the cheese fresh for a long.
Now that you have all the cheese-storing tips handy, we suggest, following them well and keeping cheese fresh for a long time.