Can You Freeze Brie and How To Do It
Luckily, the internet is full of delicious recipes that use brie as the main ingredient. And since it’s not exactly the most affordable cheese, it makes sense that a brie-lover would stock it if they found it on sale.
But if you happen to buy too much brie, you’d probably be asking yourself this question: Can you freeze brie? Would it still taste good?
Brie cheese can be frozen for up to 6 months, but its quality degrades over time. Due to its high moisture content, there are other storing methods that would work to keep your brie fresh. Keep on reading to learn more about this topic.
Can You Freeze Brie?
Brie is a soft, highly nutritional cheese with white edible mold, made by adding rennet to the milk. Several types of brie exist, based on the type of milk, the duration of ripening, and the herbs added to the cheese.
A soft cheese like brie should stay away from the freezer because it’s more prone to damage by ice crystals. On the other hand, low-moisture cheese types like blocks of mozzarella or cheddar can be kept in the freezer because the low-water content keeps the cheese in a good state after thawing.
However, if you’re going to use brie in casseroles and other cooked recipes, you can keep it in the freezer for up to 6 months. For baked brie, it’s best to keep your brie in the fridge for about two weeks.
What happens if you freeze Brie?
The construct of Brie is that it does have a reasonably high water content so as you freeze the cheese the water will crystallize and it will alter the texture a little. To minimize the texture change of brie it is best that you freeze the brie as quickly as possible.
If you want to preserve the quality of your frozen foods and especially cheeses like brie if you freezer has a flash-freezing temperature setting on your freezer use it. These options can make a difference in how well your food tastes after thawing.
How to Freeze Brie
Having excess brie that you got as a gift or bought at a discount can be overwhelming. After all, you won’t be able to consume all that cheese in a few days or weeks.
The quality of thawed brie depends on how much effort you put into freezing it. Unless you do it right, thawed brie can be dry, or you might experience a loss in taste. This is why you can follow these tips to freeze your cheese for a few months until it’s needed.
- Cut the wheel of brie into equal pieces, depending on how you’re planning to use it. Slices work for most recipes.
- Get a freezer bag and lay it on its side on a baking sheet.
- Fill the freezer bag with brie slices and make sure that they don’t touch each other.
- Press the freezer bag to remove as much of the air as you can.
- Seal the freezer bag and put the baking sheet in the freezer.
- Wait until the cheese is frozen, and remove the sheet.
How to Freeze the Whole Brie Wheel
If you choose to freeze a whole wheel of brie, wrap it in aluminum foil and plastic wrap before putting it in the freezer bag.
Can you freeze opened brie cheese?
Yes, you can freeze opened brie cheese. However, you should wrap it well in plastic wrap first, then put it into a freezer bag. If you want to keep it for longer periods of time, you can also use vacuum sealing bags.
How to Thaw Brie
Thawed brie should be used immediately. This is why freezing it in pieces is a practical solution, so you don’t have to thaw an amount that you don’t need.
When it’s time to use your frozen brie, you can follow any of the next tips for best results.
- Remove the freezer bag from the freezer and thaw the cheese in the fridge overnight.
- You can also put the freezer bag in a cold water bath. It takes between 2 and 3 hours until the cheese has perfectly thawed.
- You can also use frozen brie directly in your recipes, especially if you’re adding it to a casserole or another baked dish.
Wrap Up
Although brie isn’t the perfect candidate for freezing, you can still freeze it for up to 6 months. You can freeze sliced brie or keep it as a whole. After thawing your cheese, it’s best to consume it within a few days.