Can You Freeze Provolone Cheese? [Tested & Detailed Guide]

Provolone Cheese consists of Italian cheese whose source of milk comes from cattle.

It is like an aged type of pasta filata cheese whose origins is from Casilli, Vesuvius.

Its production tends to come in various shapes, such as a pear, cone, or sausage.

This cheese usually falls between 10-15cm, and many countries produce it.

Today, provolone cheese’s most popular production areas include Veneto and Lombardy in the region of Po Valley.

This cheese also has versions like provoleta and provola.

The classification of Provolone Cheese comes in two forms i.e., Provolone Dolce and Provolone Piccante.

The former is aged for 2-3 months and possesses a pale yellow-white type of colour accompanied by a sweet taste.

And the latter is aged for 4+ months and features a sharper taste.

This special Southern Italy ingredient is usable in many interesting recipes.

Some of them include Grilled Provolone Cheese, Chicken Provolone, Cheesy Provolone Baked Chicken, or Baked Provolone with Balsamic, Tomatoes, and Marjoram.

Can you freeze provolone cheese? Yes, you most definitely can.

You would want to freeze your provolone cheese for extending its shelf life.

In this way, you can store it away for use in the coming days.

Does Freezing Affect Provolone Cheese?

Yes. Freezing your provolone cheese will have an effect on its quality.

When a frozen provolone cheese is thawed for use, there is a high chance for it to crumble.

The cheese also starts to lose its smoothness and freshness, which isn’t something that you want.

But when it comes to the taste of the provolone cheese, you can expect it to be good.

Freezing the cheese will still preserve its flavour and will still give you that kick in your dish.

So, freezing your provolone cheese isn’t that bad of an idea, especially when you have them in bulk.

Also, don’t be afraid to use it after you take it out from the freezer.

Using and eating them in your dish won’t have any health effects at all.

We would advise you to freeze it by following all the right measures; hopefully, it won’t crumble.

How To Freeze Provolone Cheese?

When it comes to freezing provolone cheese, you have three methods available.

Plus, the process isn’t a hassle but simple. They include:

1 – The Blocks Method.

• For freezing your provolone cheese in blocks, you should ensure that they aren’t too large.
• Start portioning down your provolone cheese into small blocks.
• Now you need to wrap the cheese blocks using either aluminium foil or plastic wrap.
• Proceed to place them inside your freezer bag. Ensure that the bag is fully airtight.

2 – The Slices Method.

• The first thing that you need to do would be to slice your provolone cheese.
• Start wrapping every slice in aluminium foil or plastic wrap. Ensure that you wrap them individually.
• Yes, it is possible to wrap everything together. However, it is convenient to wrap them individually, allowing for easy thawing and use.
• Ensure that you are wrapping the provolone slices using an airtight freezer bag.

3 – The Shredded Method.

• The first thing that you need to do is to shred your cheese. You can do so by using a shredder.
• Now you need to get a freezer bag that is airtight for storing your shredded cheese.
• Ensure that you are removing as much air as possible. If you allow air to be inside the bag, then your provolone cheese will easily suffer from freezer burn.
• Proceed in storing them inside the freezer. If you have multiple bags, then make sure to stack them on top of each other to save space.

It is also possible for you to store your provolone cheese in an airtight container.

It doesn’t matter if your cheese is shredded, sliced, or in blocks; you can easily store them inside the freezer.

Also, make sure to stack your containers for easier arrangement and space.

You can store your provolone cheese for over 8 months inside the freezer.

And under proper management, it is also possible for you to prolong its lifespan.

You can store your provolone cheese for over 120 days inside the fridge, and so it’s always best to freeze it instead.

How To Thaw Frozen Provolone Cheese?

One of the easiest ways to defrost your frozen provolone cheese would be to leave it in your fridge overnight.

But you have to realise that the frozen blocks of provolone cheese take over 24 hours to thaw out.

You can expect the sliced and shredded ones to easily defrost in the fridge in a few hours.

If you are thawing it inside the freezer, then make sure to use the cheese between 3-4 days.

It is also possible to thaw your frozen provolone cheese at room temperature.

You can do so by transferring it from the freezer to the kitchen counter.

The room temperature usually tends to be between 65-72⁰F.

Lastly, you can also thaw your frozen provolone cheese by putting them in a bowl and placing it over some warm water.

The process will be quick, and you get to use the cheese for your dish at the earliest.

Caution.

• Once you thaw your provolone cheese on the kitchen counter, ensure that you transfer it back to the fridge instantly.
• We would advise you to not use hot water for defrosting your provolone cheese.
• You should never microwave your provolone cheese. Instead of thawing it properly, you will end up with full melted cheese. You won’t be able to use it for your dish.

Conclusion

Provolone Cheese works greatly in many cooked dishes, sauces, and casseroles.

This cheese has a semi-hard texture, and you can choose to store it in any form.

Since they are semi-hard, they become prone to becoming mealy or crumbly when frozen.

So, it is important for you to take up proper steps to handle this cheese.

This cheese also benefits our teeth and bones since it contains a rich source of calcium.

You can also expect a ton of Vitamin A from this cheese.

It is undoubtedly one of the most popularly used cheeses out there.

Today, there are millions and millions of people who are incorporating this ingredient into their diet.

Plus, provolone cheese allows for a ton of recipes that you can experiment with.

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