Can You Freeze Wensleydale Cheese with Cranberries? – The Dos and Don’ts of Freezing Wensleydale Cheese

Can You Freeze Wensleydale Cheese?: If you have to remember Yorkshire, loads of buildings and libraries will come to mind. However, another amazing finds of North Yorkshire are its famous Wensleydale cheese. At first, the cheese was popular, especially among the French monks living in the area.

Standing today, this cheese kind is a favorite among millions of people living inside and outside the country. But, how well does this Wensleydale cheese store in your house? Our topic will give you all the details about freezing and storing Wensleydale cheese in available appliances. So, let us look into the subject in the following paragraphs.

Can You Freeze Wensleydale Cheese

Can You Freeze Wensleydale Cheese?

Yes, you can freeze Wensleydale cheese with no trouble at all. Accepting the fact that Wensleydale cheese is a high-fat dairy product, freezing might come off as a concern. However, this cheese freezes easily given that you use the right ways to freeze it.

Usually, dairy products have a hard time staying in the freezer for too long, but that does cancel the option of freezing. Similarly, the Wensleydale cheese is particularly a good storage cheese once wrapped up and kept in the freezer. The longest duration the cheese will last up to is for three months inside the freezer.

Does Wensleydale Cheese freeze well?

Yes, Wensleydale cheese does freeze well, which is usually not the case with most cheeses. High-fat dairy products usually do not remain good in the freezer for more than a few days. Hence, it can come off as a surprise that the thick Wensleydale cheese can freeze for months.

Having said that, we have to acknowledge the fact that the freezing process has to be precise. The consistency of this Yorkshire cheese is quite denser than other cheese types. Hence, no matter how long you would plan to store the cheese, you have to follow the given directions.

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What are some nutritional facts about Wensleydale Cheese?

The famous North Yorkshire cheese is a sweet and crumbly cheese that is great in added nutrition. Dairy products are usually carb-free and have a great source of calcium and other needed nutrients. Similarly, the Wensleydale cheese has no trace of carbohydrates but a moderate calorie count with healthy fats.

One ounce of the Wensleydale cheese carries somewhere around 110 calories in total. Alongside that, it also has 9 grams of total fat and 7 grams of protein. You can take away from here that this cheese is great for weight loss and for people who are on a calorie deficit diet.

What is the Process for Freezing Wensleydale Cheese?

Freezing the Wensleydale cheese is an easy job once you get through the steps. The basics of storing or freezing any cheese are separating it from its other layers and loads of wrapping.

As we know, we don’t want any extra moisture to enter the cheese. Remember, the more air and moisture the cheese has, there is more chance of mold on the body of the cheese. Considering the conditions, here is what you will do to freeze the Wensleydale cheese for a long time.

  • Check to see if the cheese you’re working with is in good shape before we begin freezing it. By this, we mean that you should remove any cheese pieces that might have mold on them or that might have been somewhat squashed.
  • We advise you to wrap the cheese in a sizable piece of butcher or baking paper after it has been trimmed. As a result, the barrier is permeable and any moisture can simply travel through the paper.
  • Use cling film to simply establish an airtight seal around the cheese you’re working with before wrapping the pass-through barrier in an unfilterable one.
  • Place the cheese in your freezer after it has been wrapped and properly dated.

Essential Tips for Freezing Wensleydale Cheese

No cheese can freeze nicely unless there are a few steps of precaution you have taken beforehand. The steps mentioned above are important regardless of the tips. However, ensure you follow these tips to get the most out of your frozen Wensleydale cheese.

Check your cheese: Before anything, make sure that the cheese is in good condition to freeze for months. Molded Wensleydale cheese will freeze to only create more mold and bacteria around the cheese. Hence, do not put in the cheese for freezing unless it is fresh for use.

Wrap your Wensleydale: For most cheeses, especially Wensleydale, wrapping plays a significant role in storing the cheese. If you have a stash of aluminum foil or plastic wrap, it will help to prevent any excess moisture to enter the surface. This will enable the cheese to stay away from getting spoiled.

Freeze in an instant: Flash freeze for the Wensleydale cheese is the best option for the ultimate freezing result. Quick freezing allows the cheese to solidify fast and taste better once it is defrosted. This is also the reason why your cheese will be less prone to getting spoiled or mold spots over the exposed areas.

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How Long Can Wensleydale Cheese Be Frozen?

Wensleydale cheese can freeze for up to an extent of three months or less. Since it is sweet and crumbly in texture, it does not expand and change texture over time. Nevertheless, the freezing period might differ from certain conditions or the storage capacity in your freezer.

You might even consider refrigerating the Wensleydale cheese if not freezing. But, the storage period, in that case, decreases significantly to an extent of a week or two. While both ways are sufficient, the texture of the cheese will deteriorate after a while in freezing because of the duration.

What is the process for defrosting Wensleydale Cheese?

Do not let the frozen cheese come in direct contact with the room temperature while it is frozen. Instead, shift the rack of frozen Wensleydale cheese to the refrigerator right after putting it out of the freezer. The refrigerator temperature is a suitable storage condition which will allow good defrosting.

Once the rack of cheese is in the refrigerator, it won’t allow molds to appear on the sweet cheese. Additionally, the thawing process will occur without the chance of getting the cheese spoiled. From there on, you can expect a nicely defrosted cheese Wensleydale that is good to go on any bread loaf.

Is it possible to refreeze Wensleydale Cheese?

Yes, it is indeed possible to refreeze the Wensleydale cheese without a second thought. Generally, this sweet cheese already has a soft and crumbly consistency. Hence, over time, the texture only gets crumblier after freezing it over and over.

So, in case you are okay to refreeze your Wensleydale cheese a few times, then it is best to keep it away in airtight containers. That way the chances of molding will decrease due to the negligible moisture intake. Other than that, you could likely finish your cheese within a month if it truly is a concern.

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FAQs on Wensleydale Cheese Freezing

1. Is it possible to freeze smoked Wensleydale Cheese?

Yes, it is certainly possible to freeze smoked Wensleydale cheese using the method mentioned here. However, the smoky flavor of the cheese does vanish over time while it is being kept frozen. Regardless of this circumstance, the smoked Wensleydale cheese can freeze for a duration of two to three months.

2. What is the most preferable way of storing Wensleydale Cheese?

The preferred way of storing Wensleydale cheese depends on how much you have and how long you are willing to keep it. So, if you want the cheese for over a month, you are likely to freeze the batch of cheese. On the other hand, if you have a small amount of cheese, it should rather be refrigerated well.

3. Does Wensleydale Cheese taste different after freezing? 

Yes, there can be a slight difference in the taste and texture of the cheese after freezing. Although the cheese is still pretty tasty and fresh for use, the texture can get drier after freezing. Even the sweet flavor of the Wensleydale cheese might not be as strong as it was before first bought it.

4. Is Wensleydale Cheese hard? 

No, Wensleydale cheese is rather soft and crumbly in texture no matter if it is fresh or defrosted. When the cheese is freshly made, the texture is mostly moist and creamy. Hence, even with thawing and refreezing, Wensleydale cheese never gets hard in texture.

Key Takeaways

The Wensleydale cheese is a sweet cheese that goes best with bread, biscuits, and pastries of all sorts. Hence, it gives more reason to store it for a longer purpose in the future.

While we have given every detail on Can you Freeze Wensleydale Cheese and how to store this healthy and sweet cheese, you must try it out by yourself too. Until then, we have more coming in the bag for the audience. Check out our website @canyoupreserve.com and look forward to more content like this.

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