Cheese curds typically arenāt used too much around the world, but their increasing popularity means that theyāre sometimes seen popping up in all sorts of unlikely recipes. To ensure that you keep your cheese curds good for as long as possible, you might consider freezing them.
Can You Freeze Cheese Curds?
Yes, you can freeze cheese curds for up to 4 months. Remove them from their packaging before breaking them into distinct pieces and flash freezing them. You can then bag them up and freeze for 4 months.
Do Do Cheese Curds freeze well? Sometimes
Can you refreeze Cheese Curds? No
How to Freeze Cheese Curds
Don’t just toss a packet of cheese curds into the freezer. There’s a little more to it than that. Here’s how to properly freeze cheese curds:
- Remove Packaging: First, we suggest removing the cheese curds from the original packaging you bought them in.
- Chop Up: Transfer them to a chopping board or a large plate, and gently break the curds up a little into individual pieces – this will ensure that they freeze quickly during the next step.
- Freeze: Transfer the curds to a baking sheet, and place them in a single layer. Move the sheet to the freezer, allowing for the curds themselves to rapidly flash freeze. This is a great way to ensure that the curds freeze evenly.
- Transfer to Bags: After the cheese is frozen solid, transfer it to freezer bags, pressing the air out of the bags as much as possible before sealing. Press the air out of the bags to ensure youāre reducing the risk of freezer burn as much as possible.
- Label and Freeze: Label each bag with the correct date, then place it into the freezer, where it will keep well for up to four months.
3 Tips for Freezing Cheese Curds
Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing cheese curds to have the best results:
Don’t Expect to Retain the Squeak
One of the things about cheese curds that people tend to adore is that their texture is a little odd compared to other cheeses. They have something of a āsqueakinessā, which can really be noticed when theyāre eaten raw. This will be lost when the cheese is frozen.
Freeze in a Single Layer
Making sure the cheese curds are in a single layer is vitally important. The reason is that the flash freezing process has to happen quickly – they must freeze before they lose their flavour and aroma in the freezer.
Line the Baking Tray
Making sure to line the baking tray that youāre freezing the curds on can be vitally important – it will allow you to easily remove the curds without wrestling them off with a spatula or a knife. Simply pick up the sheet of parchment paper or tinfoil, and flex it to pop the cheese curds off quickly and easily.Ā
How Long Can You Freeze Cheese Curds?
You can freeze cheese curds for anywhere up to 4 months.
No matter how long you freeze them, the initial squeak of the curds will be lost. Beyond that, the remaining flavours and textures will be perfectly good and preserved within the cheese for up to four months.
When kept in an airtight container or wrapped in cling film, cheese curds will last for 4 to 5 days in the fridge.
How Do You Defrost Cheese Curds?
The best way to defrost cheese curds is in the fridge. Transfer the sealed bag of cheese curds from the freezer to the fridge, and then allow them to sit at that temperature overnight.
This should be plenty of time for the ice in and around the cheese to thaw.
Can You Refreeze Cheese Curds?
While you technically can refreeze cheese curds, we would entirely advise against it.
So much texture is lost during the freezing process that freezing for a second time will likely result in the curds being almost unrecognizable. Their texture would be exceptionally poor, to the point that theyād essentially be ruined.
Do Cheese Curds Freeze Well?
Yes and no! Cheese curds freeze well if youāre concerned about the flavour that the curds themselves have and will bring to your cooking. If youāre concerned about the classic texture of cheese curds, though, they donāt freeze anywhere near as well.
Instead, they lose a lot of texture during the freezing process, leading to curds that wonāt be as satisfying if eaten raw.
We would suggest considering your end goal with the cheese curds before freezing them, this will allow you to make an informed decision.
Related FAQs
If youāve still got questions about freezing cheese curds or cheese curds in general, then these may help:
Yes, mozzarella curds can be frozen. Spread them out onto a lined baking tray and freeze until solid. They can then be popped into a freezer bag for 3 to 4 months.
Breaded or battered cheese curds can be frozen for around 3 months. They will need to be flash frozen on a baking tray first.