Can you freeze brie? Yes, you can freeze Brie cheese. Because brie is a soft cheese, it changes texture. With the right freezing technique, however, you can minimize these changes.
Brie cheese, both sliced and whole, can be frozen. In all instances, the cheese can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three months.
The smooth and creamy Brie cheese is irresistible with bites of bread, biscuits, honey, and jam. However, you may find yourself with leftover brie pieces or a whole wheel of brie that you intended to bake but ran out of time to do so.
Read on to learn more about how to freeze Brie cheese, its shelf life, how to thaw it, and more!
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How to Freeze Brie Cheese
To avoid major texture or taste changes while freezing your Brie, pay close attention to how you wrap the cheese before keeping it in the freezer.
- Wrap a layer of food wrap around the brie wheel. You may also use aluminum foil.
- If the cheese is still in its original packaging, cover it in plastic wrap or foil to keep air and moisture out.
- Place the cheese in an airtight plastic container. You may also use a freezer bag. The former, on the other hand, keeps the cheese from being squished.
- To use the cheese while it is still good, label it with the date.
There are benefits and drawbacks to freezing brie whole. The good news is that it does not require a lot of time or effort. However, freezing a whole brie wheel has the disadvantage of requiring you to utilize it all at once.
If you thaw the brie wheel later and have leftovers, don't put them back in the freezer. Refreezing food is not only unsafe, but it will also change the texture and taste of the cheese, making it unlikely that you would use it later.
What Is The Shelf Life Of Frozen Brie Cheese?
Brie will last in the freezer for at least three months and perhaps longer if properly kept. Like many other products, the cheese can be kept forever if the temperature in your freezer is kept at 0 degrees.
However, keep in mind that the longer the cheese stays in the freezer, the more texture and taste changes it will suffer.
As a result, using frozen brie cheese within three months is safe and recommended. Considering that opened brie has a shelf life of approximately 14 days in the fridge, increasing it to a minimum of 90 days is still significant progress.
How to Thaw Brie Cheese
The key to defrosting brie cheese is to avoid exposing it to extreme temperature fluctuations. Otherwise, the cheese's texture will be compromised.
Here's what you need to do.
- Remove the cheese from the freezer a minimum of 12 hours before you want to use it. This will ensure that it is ready and thawed when you need it.
- To prevent water from leaking in the fridge, place the cheese on a plate. If you've frozen the brie in wedges, only thaw what you'll need. Refrigerate the cheese until it has completely softened. Depending on the size of the cheese piece you're thawing, this may take anywhere from a few hours to a day. When compared to brie slices or wedges, a brie wheel will clearly take longer to thaw.
- Remove the cheese from the fridge and let it out to come to room temperature for half an hour before eating.
- If you don't have time to wait for the cheese to defrost in the refrigerator, you may use the microwave to speed up the process.
Another technique is to run cold (never warm) water over the cheese covered in plastic wrap. While these techniques are effective, they have a significant impact on the texture of the cheese.
Within 2-3 days, use the defrosted brie cheese. Keep the brie refrigerated throughout this time.
If the cheese has been defrosted in the microwave or under cold running water, use it right away rather than storing it in the fridge.
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