Wensleydale cheese is one of the most beloved cheeses out there – it has a rich, creamy flavour and is adored by people worldwide! If you adore Wensleydale just as much as we do, have you considered popping it into the freezer?
Can You Freeze Wensleydale Cheese?
Yes, you can freeze Wensleydale cheese for up to 3 months. You should double-wrap it – first in a layer of baking paper and then in a layer of cling film. Once itās wrapped, it can be placed into your freezer, ideally not in contact with any frost.
Do Does Wensleydale Cheese freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Wensleydale Cheese? Yes
How to Freeze Wensleydale Cheese
Before we get to freezing it, ensure that the cheese youāre working with is in good condition. By this, we mean that you ought to trim away any pieces of cheese that may have mould on them or could have been crushed a little.
Now, let’s get to freezing your Wensleydale:
- Wrap Once: Once the cheese has been trimmed, we encourage you to wrap it in a large piece of baking or butcherās paper. This forms a permeable barrier so that any condensation can easily pass through the paper.
- Wrap Again: Then, wrap the permeable barrier in a non-permeable one, using cling film to ensure you easily create an airtight seal around the cheese youāre working with.
- Label and Freeze: After wrapping the cheese, label it with the correct date before placing it into your freezer and allowing it to freeze solidly.
Yes, you can freeze Wensleydale cheese that contains cranberries. It should be wrapped in a layer of baking paper followed by cling film. 
3 Tips for Freezing Wensleydale Cheese
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing Wensleydale cheese to have the best results:
Double Wrap It
Double-wrapping the cheese is vital to ensure that no freezer burn occurs directly on it. To that end, make sure that you double wrap the cheese with baking paper and cling film, which will prevent the texture of your cheese from degrading over time.
Expect Textural Changes
When cheese freezes, some of the water content is liable to evaporate, leading to a less cohesive cheese. The cheese will likely be a little crumbly when it thaws. Of course, this isnāt necessarily a bad thing, but it can be frustrating if thatās counter to what you were hoping for.
Just Don’t Bother
If you’re expecting the cheese to be as good as it was when you bought it then expect to be disappointed. Freezing will extend the shelflife but it will also make it texturally different.
How Long Can You Freeze Wensleydale Cheese?
You can freeze Wensleydale cheese for around three months before the quality and flavour of the cheese degrade enough that itās no longer really worth keeping.
It will likely be safe to keep it beyond that, but it may be a slightly better choice to simply throw it away – the texture will be quite ruined.
Once removed from the packaging, Wensleydale cheese should be wrapped in baking paper and cling film where it will last for 4 to 5 days in the fridge.
How Do You Defrost Wensleydale Cheese?
The best way to thaw Wensleydale cheese is to store it in your fridge overnight.
Thatās the temperature at which you usually store cheese, so allowing it to sit at that temperature will allow it to thaw slowly without spoiling.
Can You Refreeze Wensleydale Cheese?
Yes, you can refreeze Wensleydale! It may become more crumbly over repeated freezing and thawing, but the result will still be a cheese that maintains itās flavour and is perfectly safe to eat.
If youāre planning on refreezing Wensleydale several times, it may be worth storing it in an airtight container to ensure that the aroma doesnāt penetrate other frozen foods in your freezer.
Does Wensleydale Cheese Freeze Well?
Yes, Wensleydale does freeze well! This is often not the case when freezing cheese!
As weāve said a few times, it can become a little crumblier over time, but the end result is still a perfectly good cheese.
Critically, as long as the cheese is thawed within that first three months of freezing, itās safe to eat and maintains its flavour very well.
Related FAQs
If youāve still got questions about freezing Wensleydale cheese or Wensleydale in general, then these may help:
Once opened, Wensleydale will not keep well in the fridge. It will only keep for 4 to 5 days. If you want to keep it for longer then the best way to store it is in the freezer for 3 months.
Yes, smoked Wensleydale cheese can be frozen but expect it to lose its smokey flavour over time. It is not a cheese that will freeze well, unfortunately.
