When cheese has been exposed to air, it becomes oxidized. Cheese that has been exposed to the air for too long will become pale and firm. This is the best method for thawing cheese since it is the most likely to return your cheese to its former texture. Use this method if you’re eating the cheese on its own, slicing it for sandwiches, or using it to garnish a dish. Placing cheese in the refrigerator avoids changing its flavor profile. It is more time consuming than defrosting it on the countertop though. [2] X Research source Cheese that has been frozen for more than 6 months may not be edible.
If you open the packaging, you’ll be releasing the moisture that was trapped in the bag from when the cheese was originally frozen. This will make it even drier and more crumbly that it would normally be when it thaws.
When cheese starts to go bad, it will start to smell, change color, and taste sour or bitter. You will undoubtedly notice a change in texture after you thaw your cheese when compared to unfrozen cheese of the same variety. The freezing and thawing process typically makes the cheese more crumbly and harder. The softer the cheese is, the quicker it will go bad once it reaches room temperature. Soft cheeses that have been left at room temperature for more than 4 hours should be thrown out. Hard cheeses should be discarded after 6 hours. Soft cheeses include brie, gorgonzola, feta, and ricotta. Hard cheeses include cheddar, provolone, gouda, and Romano. If you’re cooking with it, you can usually cook the cheese when it’s frozen. If you’re melting it or throwing it in a recipe, you don’t necessarily need to thaw it.
While this method is not the preferred thawing method, it is a lot faster than letting your cheese defrost in the fridge. Select this option if you’re going to use your cheese as an ingredient in a recipe and don’t necessarily care about the texture of the cheese.
Leaving the cheese in its original packaging will ensure that the moisture in the container keeps the cheese from hardening as it dries.
If you’re cooking your cheese or using it as an ingredient in a recipe, you can usually use it while it’s frozen. Check your recipe to see if the cheese needs to be thawed first. Bad cheese will taste sour, smell unpleasant, and may change color.
Microwaving cheese is the fastest method to defrost cheese, but it can also lift the whey and milk from the cheese, leaving it oily or wet. Select this method if you’re in a rush, have no other option, or plan on melting the cheese in a recipe. You can only microwave hard cheeses to thaw them. The outer layers of soft cheeses will melt while the interior of your cheese remains frozen. To determine if a container is microwavable, flip the container over and look for “microwave safe” or 3 squiggly lines, which is the international symbol for microwavable materials. Glass and unpainted ceramic are always safe.
It may take several minutes before your cheese is totally thawed, but working in smaller increments will ensure that you don’t accidentally melt your cheese.
