What do you call a cheese that’s all by itself? Provolone!
Kinda cheesy? Well, that’s exactly what this article is going to be about – freezing cheese. Not just any cheese, a special Italian cheese with a delectable taste.
Provolone originates from Southern Italy and is their traditional cheese. The name ‘provolone’ derives from Neapolitan words ‘prova’ or ‘provola’ meaning globe-shaped. It’s a semi-hard, full-fat cow’s milk cheese and has very smooth skin. provolone is best known for being a table cheese as it goes well with items like bread, jam or even red wine. It has varying tastes, with provolone piccante having a sharp, tangy flavour to provolone dolce having a sweet and mild taste.
While provolone is a versatile cheese, we start facing a little problem when it comes to the storage of this delicious treat. This raises the question:
Can you freeze provolone cheese?
Yes, we can most definitely freeze provolone for six weeks to 2 months under the right conditions. However, freezing this cheese causes some harm to its quality. Once thawed, provolone tends to fall apart and become less smooth, so frozen provolone should be used immediately after defrosting.
Let me show you different ways on how to freeze it.
How to freeze blocked provolone cheese
Provolone cheese is an easy-to-store cheese, with minimal effort required to freeze it. To freeze blocked provolone, follow these steps.
Step 1
Cut the block of provolone cheese into portions of 1 pound or less.
Step 2
Wrap each portion with wax paper or aluminium foil.
Step 3
Place the portions into airtight freezer bags and rest them in the freezer at a temperature of 32°F or less.
Step 4
When thawing the provolone, you can help maintain its texture and smoothness by thawing it at room temperature and immediately proceeding to place it in the refrigerator.
How to freeze sliced provolone cheese
Freezing sliced provolone is a slightly different procedure. Let’s see how we can freeze it.
Step 1
Wrap each slice with a layer of wax paper, otherwise, they will stick together into one block. Now place them on top of each other.
Step 2
Place all the slices in an airtight freezer bag. You can optionally use a vacuum sealer to remove the excess air inside the bag.
Step 3
Rest the slices in the freezer at a temperature of 32°F or less.
That’s all the information you’ll ever need to freeze provolone cheese.
What to make with provolone cheese
Due to its ability to melt well, provolone cheese can be used in dishes like grilled sandwiches, casseroles, baked pasta and or even in pizzas.
Other interesting questions about provolone cheese
How long will provolone cheese last in the refrigerator?
f stored properly, provolone cheese may last for 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator. Though the cheese may expire during the storage period, it should be okay to use.
How do you defrost provolone cheese?
Defrosting provolone cheese is as simple as leaving it in the fridge to thaw overnight. Shredded and sliced cheese don’t take as long to defrost, compared to blocked cheese which can take up to 24 hours.
How do you use frozen provolone cheese?
While frozen provolone may have lost part of its texture, fret not. Provolone cheese is as good as new after melting.
If you have frozen slices of provolone, it can be used in patty melts or placed on top of breaded chicken to broil for a while. On the other hand, freezing shredded cheese is also an option. So, if you have shredded provolone, it can be included in almost any hot dish like French onion soup, potatoes au gratin or stuffed pepper.
With blocked provolone, we can slice or shred it once it’s thawed. We can spread a larch piece with other herbs and bake it, making a delicious spread to be used with French bread and jam. However, make sure that the block of cheese is soft enough to cut or it could lead to injury.
Does freezing cheese extend its expiration date?
Depending on the kind of cheese, it can usually be left out at room temperature from 4-8 hours without any decay.
Conclusion
Freezing shredded cheese is also an option.
Provolone is a cheese that can have a spicy to sweet/mild taste and is also a great melting cheese. It first originated in Italy, Campania and was extremely popular.
Today we went over how we can freeze provolone cheese and many other questions related to this. Besides its great flavor, provolone cheese also provides health benefits like improving bone health, contributing to eye wellness and increasing red blood cell production.
