Asiago cheese is a specialized type of cow milk cheese. This cheese has a protected designation of origin which makes it certified to be produced, manufactured, and packaged locally. Asiago cheese can only be packaged in designated regions of northern Italy. Asiago cheese has different textures: smooth, soft, or hard depending on how aged the cheese is.
The firmness of asiago cheese allows it to be versatile in its usage. You may find yourself buying a large quantity of asiago cheese from your convenience store to save you the stress and time of going down there to get it every time you need it. Doing this, you will find out that you have more asiago cheese you can eat before it loses its taste and texture, what do you do with it?
Can you freeze asiago cheese? Yes, you can. Asiago cheese would retain its quality and taste if properly stored in the freezer for about 12 to 18 months.
Asiago cheese can be sliced, grated, or melted. It is used in making sandwiches, pizzas, and dishes like cheesy pasta. It is also used as a condiment for bread and biscuit.
What Kind of Asiago Cheese Freezes Best?
The form of storage, processing method, packaging date, and expiry date will affect how well your asiago cheese will freeze.
Generally, the harder the cheese, the longer it can withstand cold temperature and preserve well. Aged asiago cheese has usually been cooked, pressed, and matured to make them good for grating. They last longer and preserve better without any change to their taste and texture.
Fresh asiago cheese has been cooked and pressed but has not matured, making it have a lot of moisture content. They do not freeze well like mature asiago cheese.
How to Freeze Asiago Cheese
Preserving asiago cheese for its original color, taste, and texture is important as it gives the best consumption experience. You should take appropriate precautions while freezing your Asiago cheese.
The way to freeze asiago cheese is simple. You would need to take into consideration the texture of the cheese. To freeze your asiago cheese you would need wax paper, airtight container bags, a knife, and a reasonable freezer temperature.
Step 1: Portion the Asiago Cheese
There are two ways to freeze asiago cheese. You can freeze them in their store-bought containers or airtight containers or bags. Thawing for consumption might be stressful If you freeze your asiago cheese in their large store-bought containers.
To avoid quick spoilage and freezer burn on your cheese from constant thawing, I’ll advise that you use airtight container bags.
Get your asiago cheese out of the store-bought container. With your knife, portion it into smaller fractions and place them in the airtight container bags.
Step 2: Storage
Wrap your portioned asiago cheese in a waxed paper to preserve its texture and taste before placing it in a container bag for freezing. Place the smaller fractions into separate airtight container bags, You can use multiple airtight container bags if necessary.
You would not need to thaw the entire asiago cheese in its container by doing this. You just pick the one you need.
Step 3: Freeze Your Asiago Cheese
Before you freeze your asiago cheese, use your marker to label the container bags. Labeling each bag will enable you to know what is contained in it, the date of freeze, and allow you to eat the older packs before spoiling and avoid freezer burn.
Place your asiago cheese in the meat and dairy compartment of your freezer. This is to avoid other food spilling on your cheese and the container bag getting punctured. Asiago cheese should be frozen at a temperature of 0°F to keep it preserved and safe indefinitely.
How to Defrost Asiago Cheese
Before you use your frozen asiago cheese to prepare your delicacies and snacks, you would need to thaw it. Defrosting asiago cheese is not a stressful process.
Get the frozen bags of asiago cheese out of the freezer and unwrap the smaller portion from the waxed paper to allow it to thaw comfortably. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator. While this might take a long duration and requires premeditation, it is the safest way to thaw Asiago cheese out for long and can make it safe for consumption.
While thawing in the refrigerator can be time-consuming, you can thaw your Asiago cheese under room temperature, cold water, and even microwave for faster usage.
Asiago cheese that is thawed in the refrigerator can be kept in the refrigerator for an additional 3 or 4 days before getting spoilt and unfit for use. Asiago cheese thawed in cold water and microwave should be used immediately.
Is Dried Out Asiago Cheese Safe to Eat?
It is okay to eat asiago cheese when dried out unless it is exposed to warm temperature or starts developing mold on it. However, dried out asiago cheese can pick up odor and flavors from other food items in the freezer and lose its taste.
How to Recognize Spoiled Asiago Cheese
Spoiled Asiago cheese develops a hard texture, darker shade color, strong unpleasant smell, and develops mold.
If your asiago cheese has small mold development on it, you can still eat it by cutting at least an inch away from the moldy area. However, if the mold appears on every part of the cheese, do not eat it, and make sure you discard the entire package.
Spoiled food is not healthy for the human body. It can lead to serious illness and sometimes loss of life. Always ensure to eat your asiago cheese while it is still in a suitable condition and dispose of the spoiled ones.