Can You Freeze Goat Cheese?

Can you freeze goat cheese? Goat cheese seems to be one of those things that is really polarizing. You either love it for it's sharp flavor and creamy texture or you hate it for those very same seasons.

We, and probably you too since you're here, are firmly in the "Love it!" camp. So, when you find a good sale or have made too much from your own dairy goats milk you have to find a way to preserve it so it doesn't go bad before you can eat it.

Keep on reading to see exactly how you can freeze goat cheese in any of it's (very delicious) forms!

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Can You Freeze Goat Cheese?

You can freeze goat cheese. There are a few ways to do so and, when frozen and defrosted properly, your cheese will lose very little flavor and only a bit of it's original texture.

Freezing in small, meal size or single serving cubes works best, but you can also freeze goat cheese spreads, goat cheese logs, goat cheese crumbles, homemade goat cheese balls, heck, even cranberry goat cheese can be frozen.

The most important part is to wrap your cheese tightly in cling wrap twice, and then put it in an airtight container or baggie before freezing it. To thaw, move your goat cheese from the freezer to the fridge and let it slowly defrost over 24 to 48 hours. Goat cheese will stay good in the freezer up to 6 months but is at it's peak before the 3 month mark.

As we've already said, yes, you can freeze goat cheese. Goat cheese freezes very well, as a matter of fact. Some forms freeze better than others. For example, Goat cheese spreads freeze but will usually be a bit watery when you unfreeze them. Logs, or chèvre, freeze a bit better and will generally keep their soft exterior but turn grainier towards the center.

Goat cheese crumbles freeze the best overall with very little, if any, change to it's original flavor and texture. Similar to freezing mozzarella cheese, that is mostly due to it's very low moisture content. Moisture and oxygen are the enemies of well preserved frozen foods. The more moisture and air you can keep away from what you are freezing the higher quality it will retain.

Freezing Stats

Blanched	no
Prep Style	spread in container cubes or chunks in bags crumbles in bags or container
Time To Freeze	12 to 24 hours
Time to Thaw	24 to 48 hours in fridge
Uses	salads side dishes snack
Freezer Life	3 to 6 months

Why should you freeze it?

Goat cheese has a very short fridge life. Usually only a week or so. If you eat a lot of it, made a bunch, or just found a great deal on Costco goat cheese (or anywhere else) and bought a ton, you will want to be able to keep it for much longer than if you just kept it cold in your refrigerator produce drawer.

Frozen Vs Non-frozen

Freezer Life	Fridge Life
3 to 6 months	1 to 2 weeks

Supplies

You are going to need the following supplies:

• Goat cheese: crumbles, logs, or spread
• cling wrap
• Freezer bags
• Sharpie or marker
• Freezer
• knife and cutting board

How To Freeze Goat Cheese

We will cover how to properly freeze 3 forms of goat cheese today; spreads, logs, and crumbles. All 3 are easy to do and essentially break down to, wrap tightly and keep the air out. Before starting, make sure to label your freezer bags and/or containers with the contents, freeze date, and use by date.

Let's see more details.

Need to get all your food preserved easily? Check out the Ultimate Guide To Freezing Food so that you can fill your freezer without in minimal time.

Goat cheese spread and/or Goat cheese crumble

Crumbles are the best form of goat cheese you can freeze. Because they are already hard, crumbly, and lack much moisture, they do not have as much of a change during the freezing and thawing parts of food preservation.

• If you have already opened the container of goat cheese spread you will need to wrap it before freezing.
• Remove the lid from the spread and wrap the container tightly in cling wrap. Then, put the lid back on over the wrap (it will secure the wrap in place).
• With the lid back on, wrap the container a second time, just as tightly as the first.
• Place the wrapped container into a freezer bag and squeeze all of the air out before sealing.
• Place the bag into the freezer and allow around 24 hours to freeze completely.

Unopened container

• If you have yet to open the container, you can leave it as is without wrapping it in cling wrap.
• Place the unwrapped container into a freezer bag and squeeze all of the air out as you did in the steps above.
• Place the bag into the freezer and allow around 24 hours to freeze completely.

Goat cheese logs or chèvre

You can freeze logs whole. Follow the same steps below, just skip the part where you cut it first. However, we do recommend you freeze in smaller portions. Goat cheese cannot be refrozen without disastrous effects to the quality, flavor, and texture.

We like to cut ours into cubes or chunks that are either the size for a meal or single, individual servings. That way, when you thaw, you only thaw what you need and nothing goes to waste.

• Use a knife and cutting board and cut your cheese log according to the size portions you need.
• Wrap each piece individually in cling wrap. Make sure it is tight and no air at all can get to the cheese.
• Take another section of cling wrap and wrap the cheese a second time.
• Do this for all of your cheese servings.
• Place all of the wrapped cheese in a freezer bag and push the air out.
• Pu the bag in the freezer and let it freeze for about 24 hours.

Pro tip: Close the zipper bag with only a small corner unzipped. Use a drinking straw to suck the rest of the air out of the bag before zipping it shut.

Super pro tip: The most efficient way to remove air is to use a bit of physics. Zip your bag with just a small corner open as in pro tip 1. Then, lower the bag into a large bowl or sink of cool water (cool so it does not melt the cheese). Submerge the bag all the way to the opening but without getting any water in the bag.

The water pressure around the bag will squeeze all of the air out of the bag as you lower it. Think about what swim trunks or a t-shirt look like when someone is coming out of the water. The way the water almost makes the cloth suck and stick to their skin is the same concept as the pressure pushing the air out.

How do you defrost it?

Generally, thawing a frozen food does not take too long and can be done quickly under running water, in the microwave, or just on the counter. Goat cheese, however, is a little different. To thaw any types of cheese discussed today you will need to put it into the fridge and let it slowly defrost for 24 to 48 hours.

Goat cheese does not always melt very well. If it reheats too quickly, or overheats, it will change in texture and become very grainy. Some types, like spreads, will even start to separate.

If you do try and thaw a log more quickly over heat (not recommended) do it very slowly and only to the point where the goat cheese starts to melt but not fully melted. It may separate but can be mixed back together with okay results.

Final word

As you now know, goat cheese, in all of its various forms, can be frozen with great results. As long as you follow the right packing methods and use the slow thaw method you're goat cheese should taste almost as good as the day you bought it!