Sometimes I think of one, then immediately think,
"Oh, everyone knows that."
Or, "Oh, no one cares about that."
But what the heck. Here we go. This is a cheesy tip.
I buy a lot of cheese.
(Back when I had dairy goats in Colorado, I also made a lot of cheese, but that was another lifetime.)
Sometimes I buy provolone or swiss. Occasionally - because it is both pricey and not available nearby - a nice gruyère. (Cauliflower baked with cream and gruyère is one of my favorite foods on this Earth.) But mostly, I buy good, stout, flavorful cheddars. I stock up when it's on sale, put a couple of packages in the fridge for slicing and snacking, and the rest goes straight into the freezer.
Now, freezing changes the texture of cheddar; this is widely known. It becomes impossible to slice and serve neatly. It fractures. Many people see this as a cheesy flaw. A reason not to freeze cheddar.
BUT.
This very quality can be a cheesy virtue! If you use cheddar in any sort of shredded or grated form, freezing a block can save you time, money (if you usually buy shredded cheese), and, in my case at least, the occasional skinned knuckle from using that darned box grater. Because a chunk of cheddar that has been frozen can be easily crumbled into any size pieces you prefer.
See? Big knobbly pieces:
If you let a frozen block of cheddar thaw for a while, you can then break it up quickly with the tines of a fork. Or if you put the block in a ziplock bag, you can crumble it into bits with your fingers, using very little pressure.
See? Tiny little bits:
Do you already do this?
Does everyone?
I'm positive no one "taught" me to do this, so maybe it isn't common knowledge and is a Genuine Tip.
I hope so.
It sure saves me a lot of time, and the frustration of trying to open bandaids for my knuckles. If anyone has a tip for that, I hope you'll write about it!
~~~~~
Good tip - thanks. I generally grate the cheese before I freeze it - and then freeze the grated cheese in portions ;)
ReplyDeleteNope, everyone doesn't know this. I'm lucky to have an auto cheese grater (it's his knuckles that need band-aids) - but I will certainly worthwhile for myself! LOL
ReplyDeleteNice tip.
ReplyDeleteI use the one side style grater with plastic coated handles on each end instead of a box grater. I hold it over a bowl with my knuckles against the bowl while holding the handle on the outside of the bowl If you score the cheese with a knife, and use a cheese cutter wire, then that can also produce a style of grated cheese.
We freeze cheese all the time and then end up using it for cooking, sandwiches and in salads. You're so right - it crumbles beautifully.
ReplyDeleteDo you freeze cheeses other than cheddar? I'd love to think I could buy a little extra gruyere and freeze it for a second batch of that cauliflower dish, but it is so expensive I've been afraid to experiment!
DeleteThanks and I'm grateful for this knowledge; I eat a lot of cheese, have lately been on an English cheddar kick...when on sale.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea! We don't eat much cheese due to someone's (not mine) blood lipid profile concerns. However, the only cheese we eat is cooked into various dishes. Voila - you showed us how make our own crumbled cheddar! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI knew this! Of course being raised in Wisconsin might be why... Good tip.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet you have lots of cheesy tips to share - please do!
DeleteThis is a very positive way of looking at it! And you're right that it's a real easy way to have "grated" cheese, I love that.
ReplyDeleteYou know it's funny that I've known that previously frozen cheddar crumbles but I never made the connection about using it for a shredded substitute. I confess I've even shredded cheddar BEFORE freezing. I like your lazy ... er, simple way better :)
ReplyDeleteI'll have to try this. I do freeze the chedder cheese but never thought of crumbling it this way. I use my mouli julienne grater to grate everything. It is great, and the knuckles are at no risk of injury.
ReplyDeleteI've never frozen cheese because I didn't think you could, but just tonight my husband came home with a big block of cheddar and there was already one in the fridge. A perfect time to use your tip! Thanks Quinn :)
ReplyDeleteWendy
Nope I didn't know it! But now I do : ) Thank you for the tip-we love CHEESE : )
ReplyDeleteTHIS. IS. COOL! I didn't know it, but I sure will use it! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteNever knew that! I love a good cheese but a decent cheddar is hard to find here :( I made cauliflower cheese last weekend. It was not popular, but I loved it!
ReplyDelete