Have you ever found yourself muddled, contemplating whether or not freezing edible food is a good idea? Maybe this is what you wanted to hear – yes, it is! Getting your hands-on food at their usual price can sometimes burn a hole in your wallet, however purchasing them when the products are available at a discounted price, storing them, freezing them, and reusing them is a great idea. Sometimes you may have only used a small amount of a product and are going away or unsure when the next time you’ll use it. Cottage cheese, for instance, can be a super expensive buy. In today’s discussion we unearth the question you might be asking yourself – can you freeze cottage cheese? The short answer is yes you can freeze cottage cheese. Read on to discover the best way to do this.
In this post, we shall learn whether freezing cottage cheese is recommended or not. There are a few Q’s that pop up first like will the cottage cheese taste awful when it is frozen for a long duration, are there complicated methods involved, and so on so forth. Without further ado, let’s get you that answer.
Kiss goodbye to the idea that cottage cheese will taste nasty if stored for long. Also, you might not be aware, but freezing cottage cheese for later use is a cakewalk. Here are some facts you may want to read:
– Soft cheese is a tad more difficult to freeze, compared to other harder variants of cheese like Cheddar and Gouda
– You may witness a slight change in texture when you freeze cottage cheese. After all, cottage cheese is a soft one too.
Easy Ways To Deep-Freeze Cottage Cheese
Firstly, let me demystify a few concerns. With the cheese being soft you might not believe it is an ideal food group to freeze. You might experience a slight cut-down in flavor and a change in texture because freezing the cottage cheese results in the loss of liquid from the cheese.
Here’s a smart tip you might want to be heedful about. Keep your fat-free and low-fat cheese options at bay. Stick to the whole-fat alternatives or cottage cheese extracted out of large curd. It’s easier to freeze and is a joy to feast upon, in terms of taste.
How can you store it?
Here’s a list of things you will need to kick-start with the freezing process.
- Airtight containers
- Freezer bags (the heavy-duty ones)
- A marker
Steps:
- 1. You can start by storing the cottage cheese in its usual packaging or pop it in an airtight container.
- 2. Place the container in a heavy-duty freezer bag. This serves a great deal of use, particularly if you are eager to stack the cheese in the freezer for two months and more. Your cheese will be safe from freezer burns.
- 3. Use the marker to jot down the date and time on the container. This will help you keep tabs on when the cheese was frozen.
- 4. You are good to reserve your cheese for a period as long as six months.
- 5. When it is time for you to use the cheese and cook it, start by warming up and thawing the cottage cheese in the refrigerator.
- 6. Wait until your cottage cheese is completely defrosted. Soon after, strain off all the liquid available after the cheese is thawed.
Ways to Defrost the Frozen Cottage Cheese:
1. Pull out your frozen cottage cheese from the freezer. Place it in the refrigerator. Instead of keeping it stored in an airtight container, pop it in a plastic bag.
2. Once the cheese is warm and defrosted, strain off all the liquid.
3. Not a hearty fan of dry cottage cheese? Don’t worry! Just add dollops of sour cream to the cottage cheese and mix well. The soft texture will satiate your taste buds.
Dairy products are not always a hassle to store and freeze. However, cottage cheese, being a soft cheese variant, is undoubtedly tricky. Follow the steps mentioned above and storing the cheese for months is a plain-sailing. In a nutshell, if great quality cottage cheese is up for sale, buy them and freeze them without any worry.
How long can you freeze cottage cheese?
You can freeze cottage cheese for up to 6 months. Then it is recommended to throw it out. I’m sure you don’t want something hanging out in your freezer for that length of time anyway!
How to Prep Dishes Using Thawed Cottage Cheese?
Frozen cottage cheese might not sound like the easiest dairy item to be stocked. Well, cooking the cheese is a piece of cake. Just remove the frozen cheese from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator, wait till it defrosts and start cooking. Choosing the right cooking method is a make or break. If done right, the change in texture once the cheese thawed is barely noticeable. Wondering how to go about it? Let’s take a quick look at the options:
- 1. Use thawed cottage cheese in a batter and bake some quick bread loaves and muffins.
- 2. It can be used in the lasagna layers or other pasta dishes like manicotti.
- 3. Add cottage cheese to the scrambled eggs for more flavors and varying textures.
- 4. You can pop in cottage cheese in a regular recipe for cornbread.
- 5. Add it to a quiche filling.
- 6. Bake a cheesecake with it.
- 7. Amplify the creaminess in sauces and mashed potatoes by adding thawed cottage cheese.
- 8. Good news for the mac n’ cheese lovers. Alternating high-fat cheese options is easier when you have defrosted cottage cheese available. It tastes just as incredible without being fat-rich. It certainly works as a blessing for the flab, right?
Have you gone a little overboard with the quantity of the cottage cheese that’s frozen? Relax! Drizzle some honey, chop up your favorite fruits and a delicious snack is ready for the next day.
Not too happy with the parched cottage cheese?
Well, if you are mixing frozen cheese to a cake batter or any other mixture, it is ideal to use the cheese as soon as it is thawed. On the contrary, if you wish to snack upon the cheese the way it is, it might appear to be dry and parched. To bring back the moisture in the cheese, pop in some sour cream (half a tablespoon should be good enough) and whisk well. To your surprise, the cottage cheese will be luscious, velvety smooth, and flavorsome after the sour cream has been stirred in.
Stay clear from wasting by storing the cheese in portions.
Think about it – if a recipe for a delicious dish demands the use of cottage cheese, but in quantities like 4oz or 8oz, what would you do with the rest? Of-course, freezing it again is out of the question as it will affect the texture and taste of the cheese. Will you waste it? Well, let’s scratch out the option. Instead of stacking all the cottage cheese in a single airtight container, curate it in moderate amounts in different bags. Label the bags, specifying the quantity of the cheese stored in it and freeze like suggested. Pre-portioning the cottage cheese will help you cook in desirable quantities without frittering away any.
Final Words That Count!
Cottage cheese is a delicious and versatile ingredient. You can cook it in an array of sauces, stuff it in pasta or use it for baking something totally scrumptious. The doubt that was lingering on your mind for long now – can you freeze cottage cheese and use it later, is resolved. You can certainly store, freeze, and turn up the shelf life of regular cottage cheese. Try it today. Do share your experience, and if you are happy with the results, do share the magic trick with your family and friends. Cheers to happy eating!
