Can mozzarella be frozen: why and is it worth it?

Mozzarella can be found on the shelf of almost any grocery store. And it can be difficult to resist and not buy a few packages, such a wonderful cheese. But how then to store it? Is it possible to freeze mozzarella in a freezer, how can it not damage the taste and shape? We’ll answer right away that yes, you can freeze cheese, but you need to follow a few simple rules.

What is mozzarella

Traditionally, mozzarella is made from milk of black buffalo, this cheese is called mozzarella di bufala and has a rich brackish taste. It is very difficult to find it outside of Italy, since it is produced only in its historical homeland. This cheese is awarded the mark of the highest category DOP, which indicates compliance with all traditional technologies and the quality of the product.

Mozzarella from ordinary, cow's milk, fior di latte (milk flower), is much more widespread, it has a less saturated, but also very pleasant taste.

Mozzarella is a young cheese, and the fresher it is, the better, it is not stored for a long time. To get more pleasure, it is better to eat a delicacy on the day of purchase, if the cheese was bought by weight, or immediately after opening the package.

Grocery Store Look
Mozzarella goes well with tomatoes, basil and balsamic vinegar and is one of the main ingredients of Italian cuisine. It is often used in all kinds of appetizers, salads, as well as hot dishes.

How to store in the refrigerator

Soft cheeses such as ricotta, mozzarella and mascarpone are recommended to be kept in the refrigerator in a tightly closed glass bowl. Moreover, mozzarella should be completely immersed in its own pickle, it will protect the cheese from weathering and quick souring.

At an average temperature of + 3 ° C, the shelf life of open mozzarella does not exceed three days. After that, it begins to turn yellow, and bitterness appears in the taste. These are clear signs of spoiled cheese. In no case should you use such a product, even after heat treatment.

Tip from purityis.decorexpro.com/en/: The original brine is completely replaced with 100 ml of water with 1 tablespoon of ordinary salt.

How to freeze

For longer storage, mozzarella can be frozen. Here are simple recommendations on how to do this in the most gentle way:

1. Getting cheese from the package is a must. Freezing pickled cheeses in the package is unacceptable.
2. Put mozzarella in a glass container that can be frozen (the container must be marked accordingly).
3. Pour cheese with brine from the package so that the cheese is completely immersed in it. When freezing, the liquid expands, so you need to leave enough space so as not to damage the dishes.
4. Seal tightly and freeze.

Mozzarella frozen in this way is stored for about 1 month. If you freeze the cheese by simply throwing it in the freezer, you will end up with a shapeless curd mass that will lose all flavoring features.

Mozzarella should be thawed in the refrigerator, if you put it in a warm place immediately after the freezer, it will go bad, and very quickly.

All these recommendations are relevant for fresh and high-quality mozzarella. Unfortunately, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find one.

Soft cheeses on store shelves are often packed with preservatives and other “technologies.” Such a product is less useful, and there is no point in freezing it. It does not turn sour for a long time and is simply in the refrigerator, although its benefits or appetites are several times less than in real mozzarella.