A Highly Useful Guide to Storing Cheese

This article is a part of Cheese Week—seven days of recipes and stories, all cheese—presented by our friends at Proudly Wisconsin Cheese.

 

When it comes to cheese, sometimes our eyes are bigger than our stomachs. Ideally, you shouldn't buy more cheese than you can consume in a few days. However, few of us have a strong enough will to resist the jewel-like beauties of the cheese aisle, despite their often hefty price tag. One thing's for sure: If you're dropping a bundle on a bunch of cheeses, you better make sure to keep them as fresh as possible for as long as possible. 

The best method for storing cheese is exceptionally simple, but you'll want to keep a few tips in mind, depending on what type of cheese you're storing—from a pungent blue to a creamy Camembert. 

 

 

But first: Steer clear of plastic wrap.

This may come as a surprise, but cheese is actually a living thing. It sweats. It ages. It even breathes. When cheese is wrapped in plastic wrap it can no longer intake oxygen—in short, it suffocates, resulting in an amoniac flavor and possibly even harmful bacteria.

As self-professed "curd nerd" Jake Lahne of Serious Cheese explains, plastic wrap can also cause the cheese to taste like, well, plastic. Which is not the flavor you were hoping for when you invested in a $15 hunk of funky Scharfe Maxx from the cheesemonger. So if your cheese was wrapped in plastic at the supermarket, rewrap it the right way as soon you get home. Because you know better.

The Best Way to Store Cheese

If plastic wrap is a no-no, what should you wrap your cheese in? The overwhelming consensus is: cheese paper. This specialty item allows the cheese to breathe, but also protects it from drying out. If you don't want to invest in cheese paper, parchment paper (which we went with) works just fine.

Here's what you'll need: cheese paper (or parchment paper), scissors, masking tape, a marker, and, of course, the cheese in question. It's time to wrap.

Step 1: Cut off a large square of wrapping paper—we recommend it be two to three times the size of your cheese, just to be safe. Place your cheese diagonally with the thicker end at one corner and the thinner end pointing toward the center.

 

Step 2: Fold the corner over the fat end of the cheese. Crease. Flatten the paper along one side, as you would do wrapping a present. 

    

Pull the side you had flattened tightly across the cheese. Crease. Repeat this process on the opposite side of the cheese, being sure to keep the paper pulled tightly.

  

Step 3: Crease the tail sticking out from the end of your cheese. Pull it up towards the thicker part of the cheese.

Step 4: Ta-da! Tape the final flap to secure your beautiful, expertly wrapped cheese package. Make sure to write the type of cheese, as well as the date on which you purchased it, on the tape. That way you can tell what's what without unwrapping, and can keep track of how long it's been sitting in your fridge.

If you're still feeling iffy about your wrapping skills, watch this handy-dandy video.

Tips for Storing Hard Cheeses

Hard cheeses should be true to their name, but you still need to be able to cut it. Tami Parr of The Pacific Northwest Cheese Project says that from the moment the curds are separated from the whey, your cheese begins to dehydrate. Refrigerators accelerate the dehydration process.

To help your firmer cheeses retain moisture put them inside an open plastic bag after they're wrapped. This should help keep the cheese from becoming an unappetizing rock while still allowing it to breathe. You can also wrap the whole thing loosely in plastic wrap, as suggested by Nora Singley of The Kitchn.

Tips for Storing Blue Cheese

If you love blue cheese, you really love it. You love the pungent, acrid explosion that floods your tongue upon first contact, and then slowly mellows into a creamy backdrop. If you love your blue cheese, you've got to store it properly— and keep it away from your other cheese, who might not love it as much as you.

Blue cheese is kind of a flavor hog. It knows it's got the sharpest taste around, and if you're not careful its flavors will infuse your milder specimens. To avoid this, wrap your blue cheese in the same manner as above (you can even double-wrap it to be extra safe), then store it in a plastic container.

Tips for Storing Soft Cheeses

This is where things get a little sticky. Remember when we said never to wrap your cheese in plastic wrap? Well, here we contradict ourselves a bit. Because when it comes to softer, creamy cheeses—like a lovely, gooey, stinky Brie or Camembert—people are in a bit of a disagreement about how to keep them at their peak.

Some, like Eat By Date, argue that wrapping softer cheeses in plastic wrap helps prevent them from drying out. Others, like the folks at Beecher's Handmade Cheese, opt for paper. In the end, if you decide to go the plastic route, just make sure to change your plastic wrap every couple of days.

Very soft cheeses, such as ricotta or mozzerella, should be stored in their natural liquid in a plastic container. Watch them carefully because they will not last as long as some of its firmer cousins.

The Best Place to Store Your Cheese

Now that your cheese is wrapped up pretty, where should you keep it? Real Simple advises to store wrapped cheese in a crisper in the fridge, which will have the most consistent temperature and humidity. If you're a true fromage fiend, devote a whole drawer of your fridge to cheese.

Watch: How to Make Mozzarella at Home

Bonus Tips for Storing Cheese

Tip #1: If you unwrap your cheese and are surprised by something fuzzy clinging to its surface, don't panic. Just cut it off and continue munching; unless it's on a soft cheese in which case it may be past its prime. Trust your instincts—if the cheese looks or smells off, it probably is.

Tip #2: Don't freeze cheese! It will muddle the flavor and texture. However, if you're just using the cheese for cooking, freezing is kosher.

Tip #3: If you take out your cheese for a get-together or for a late-night snack, be sure to re-wrap it in fresh paper.

In the end, your cheese is a living, breathing thing. Treat it like one, and it'll treat you back.

A Few of Our Favorite Cheesy Recipes

Cheesy Artichoke Melts With Crushed Nori

This riff on a classic tuna melt—with hearty chunks of jarred artichokes tossed in an umami-rich dressing—makes an excellent lunch, dinner, or even midnight snack. 

Sheet-Pan Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole

This family-friendly casserole is all about ease and comfort. Oh, and lots and lots of sharp cheddar cheese.

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken With Herby Potatoes

Riffability is the name of the game for this crispy parmesan-crusted chicken—switch up the herbs, leave out the onion, or even swap in pork cutlets for the chicken. 

Pasta With Tomatoes, Garlic, Basil & Brie

Brie may not seem like an obvious choice for a summery pasta, but trust us, it absolutely makes this creamy tomato dish. 

Do you have any tips for storing cheese? Share them with us in the comments below! 

Photos by James Ransom