Provolone cheese is one of the more popular cheeses hailing from Italy but it can still be challenging to find in your local supermarket. If you’ve managed to stock up on it but won’t eat it all in one hit then perhaps you can extend the shelf life…
Can You Freeze Provolone Cheese?
Yes, you can freeze provolone cheese for up to 3 months. Wrap the cheese in a layer of baking paper, and then a layer of cling film. Place the package into your freezer, and allow it to freeze.
Do Does Provolone Cheese freeze well? Sometimes
Can you refreeze Provolone Cheese? Yes
How to Freeze Provolone Cheese
Wait! Before you just throw a block of provolone in to the freezer, there are a few quick steps you’ll want to take to avoid ruining the cheese before you even get to enjoy it:
- Remove from Packet: Remove the cheese from the packaging it was stored in when you bought it. That packaging is typically either soft or hard plastic, neither of which allow for airflow.
- Wrap: Wrap the entire block in a layer of baking paper or butcher’s paper. Either will work perfectly well since theyāre both slightly permeable. Make sure that the layer isnāt tight.
- Wrap Again: After that layer of permeable paper, wrap the package in a layer of cling film, making sure that the cling film is quite tight and smooth to the baking paper.
- Bag Up: Pop the wrapped cheese into a freezer bag for an extra layer of protection ensuring you write a clear label on the bag so you know what the cheese is.
- Freeze: Pop the bag into the freezer for up to 3 months.
You can also cut the cheese into smaller, more manageable blocks, wrapping each of these blocks individually but storing them all in one large bag.
3 Tips for Freezing Provolone Cheese
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing provolone to have the best results:
Expect Textural Changes
Freezing provolone cheese, or any cheese you might place in the freezer can lead to the cheese becoming more crumbly over time. This is rarely a concern when cooking with the cheese, but if you were going to use it on a charcuterie board, for example, itās something to consider.Ā
Be Cautious of Smells
Provolone is a reasonably neutral, milk-heavy cheese. This means that it can act as a sponge to soak up different flavours and aromas in your freezer. To prevent this from being a problem, ensure that the cling film layer is sealed correctly.
Freeze in Portions
Repeatedly freezing and thawing provolone cheese can lead to a negative texture in your cheese. We recommend freezing the provolone in portions and only thawing what you need at any time.
How Long Can You Freeze Provolone Cheese?
You can freeze provolone cheese in your home for around three months before any noticeable flavour or texture degradation. It will probably remain safe beyond this but you will find it becomes increasingly crumbly.
When wrapped in a sheet of baking paper, cheese paper or cling film, provolone will keep for around 3 weeks in the fridge.
How Do You Defrost Provolone Cheese?
The easiest way to defrost provolone cheese is to ensure that the provolone is kept in the fridge overnight. This will allow it to come to an edible temperature and texture, while also keeping it at a food-safe texture.
We would not thaw it out at room temperature. This could cause bacteria to form by the time you come to eat it.
Can You Refreeze Provolone Cheese?
Yes, you can refreeze provolone cheese. If you are going to, we would recommend following the advice above.
However, we would also advise against it – only freeze and thaw what you need since repeated freezing and thawing will lead to a poor texture. It’ll be safe to refreeze but will ruin the eating experience.
Does Provolone Cheese Freeze Well?
Yes, provolone cheese does freeze well.
It can become a little crumblier over time, but thatās not the worst thing in the world. The concern lies with provolone cheese that is repeatedly refrozen – that can lose texture in a major way.
Related FAQs
If youāve still got questions about freezing provolone or provolone in general, then these may help:
Provolone cheese slices can be frozen for around 2 months. Wrap a few slices in a sheet of baking paper and then wrap them in cling film. Repeat and then add all the packages to a freezer bag.
You can freeze portions of grated provolone in individual freezer bags. Add a portion to a bag, squeeze out as much excess air as possible and then seal tightly.
