Frozen cheese retains its full flavor.
Hard cheeses, such as cheddar or Gouda, freeze well, so you can purchase them in bulk for long-term storage. The slabs available may range in size from a few ounces to a pound or more. Freezing does dry out cheese slightly, so it tends to crumble once it's thawed. To prevent some issues, you can cut the slab into pieces sized correctly for their intended use before freezing. The smaller pieces also freeze more quickly and take up less space.
Instructions
1. Slice the cheese into pieces less than a ½ lb. Cut the slab into cubes for crumbling later or into slices up to ¼-inch thick for use as a sliced cheese after thawing.
2. Cut a sheet of wax paper into squares slightly larger than the cheese pieces.
3. Lay a sheet of wax paper between each chunk or slice to separate it from the other pieces of cheese.
4. Wrap the cheese stack tightly in plastic storage wrap. Press the ends of the wrap down to seal.
5. Place the wrapped cheese into a freezer-safe storage bag.
6. Press as much air as possible out of the bag and seal it shut.
7. Store the wrapped cheese in the freezer. Store for up to six months.
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