Including those seemingly invincible American cheese slices.
By
Wil Fulton
Updated on 4/13/2021 at 3:43 PM
"Really, the best advice I have is to eat your cheese as soon as you buy it— that way you can be sure it's always fresh," said cheesemonger Rachel Freier, who works at New York's pretty much world-famous Murray's Cheese Bar. But for those of us who like preplanning, sometimes we need to store our cheese in the fridge.
Though Freier's own ethos is "buy small [quantities], and frequently," as opposed to bulk purchases, she also has some insight on how long almost every variety of cheese will last in your icebox — and how to tell if it's past the point of no return. The cheeses are split into three pertinent categories that should cover everything out there. Yes, even those seemingly invincible American cheese slices.
What's the fridge life? "Harder, aged cheeses will last the longest in the fridge out of any cheese," said Freier. "Most can last four to six months in your fridge, if you store it correctly.All cheese will lose moisture and change over time — though harder cheeses have less internal moisture than most anyway, so they will be the least affected." Though the cheese will last and still be "good," Freier noted that any cheese, when frozen, will taste a little differently.
How to store it:"What I do, is use what I call the 'egg drawer'(NOTE: Not the vegetable drawer— though that can be used in a pinch)and wrap the cheese in cheese cloth, parchment paper, or butcher paper," she said, while advising all cheese lovers to stay away from wrapping it, skin-tight, in cellophane. "The cheese needs to breathe — this will help it last longer than if it's suffocated."
How to tell if it's gone bad:"With harder cheeses, you can definitely cut a little mold off, should some pop up," she said. "Just chop off the problem area, and you should be good to go." Though Freier noted to pay attention to the mold you see, before slicing it off and digging in. "If the mold is white, or blue/green — that's natural. If you are seeing red or black mold, it could be another issue and you should throw the cheese out, honestly."
Semi-hard to semi-softcheeses
Examples:Emmental, Gruyère, havarti,Muenster, Port Salut,Gouda,Edam,Jarlsberg,Cantal, cașcaval
What's the fridge life? "For semi-hard and semi-soft cheeses— the middle ground — your time frame is a little less than harder cheeses. There's more moisture present in the cheeses, so they aren't going to keep as long. I'd say two to four weeks after the expiration date is the basic time frame. Again, you have to be able to also use your judgment to see if it's still good," she noted.
How to store it:Freier often wraps her cheese inbreathable parchment-type paper,then places it inside a Ziploc bag. "This may be the best method to keep your cheese tasting fresh— the Ziploc bag allows air flow, but a limited air flow. This will also keep the cheesy smell off the rest of the food in your fridge, and vice versa."
How to tell if it'sgone bad:"When you buy your cheese and open it up— you have to get to know it. Taste it. Smell it. Really acknowledge it. Honestly, if you are trying to see if a cheese has gone bad past that approximate time frame, your senses are your friends. Like with the super-hard cheeses, you can definitely cut off mold and still eat it, as long as it is not completely covered— I mean, mold is totally natural. Just look for any weird molds, and make sure it tastes the same— relatively!— as it did when you bought it."
What's the fridge life? "Soft, less-mature cheeses will go bad much more quickly than the hard or semi-hards," Freier said. "I would be very careful eating them even one to two weeks after their expiration date.These cheeses have so much moisture inside them, they are kind of like ticking time bombs. So you should eat them quickly!"
How to store it: "You can store your soft cheeses much like the semi-hards and hards. One easy way to seal it off from a lot of airflow— but keep a little bit— is to put your soft cheeses in a little Tupperware container or plastic jar."
How to tell if it's gone bad: "With these soft cheeses, you really don't want any mold at all. This is where they are different from the other cheeses. Any sign of mold, and you probably want to toss the whole thing, just to be safe. So, don't try to cut it off. Just accept it." But obviously the mold test is not applicable to soft blues. Just use your judgment.
Processed American cheese slices
Example: Kraft American Singles
What's the fridge life? "Look, I'm not a snob about this. I grew up with American cheese slices on my burgers. But, um, actually —I'm not sure I've ever seen mold on a slice of American cheese. Has anyone? I'm not sure these evergo bad."
Soft cheeses such as cottage cheese, ricotta or Brie can be refrigerated one week but they don't freeze well. Hard cheeses such as cheddar, Swiss and Parmesan can be stored in the refrigerator six months before opening the package and three to four weeks after opening. It can also be frozen six months.
Generally, unopened hard cheeses don't need to be refrigerated but will last much longer if they are. Unopened blocks of hard cheese last 6 months in the fridge (3). Soft cheeses last 1–2 weeks in the fridge after opening while most hard cheeses last 3–4.
Hard cheeses like Cheddar, Parmesan and Gouda have a lower moisture content, which helps extend their shelf life. Hard cheeses that haven't been opened can last for several months and even up to a year when stored in the fridge.
The type of cheese is the biggest consideration - hard cheese will last longer and is less likely to pose a health risk, while soft and fresh cheeses should remain refrigerated and only be left out for two hours at most. No matter the cheese, leaving it out for more than two hours may change the quality and taste.
Freezing cheese stops bacterial growth completely. Frozen cheeses should be used within six months of freezing and then used within two to three days of thawing.
"Blocks of cheese are usually vacuum packaged by the manufacturer, and once unwrapped, have a shortened shelf life. Once the vacuum seal is broken and the cheese is exposed to air, there is an increased risk of mold growth and oxidation."
But that does not mean it is safe to eat. Like most things found inside an ancient tomb, the cheese has decayed considerably and is now laced with a deadly bacteria called Brucella melitensis.
It may not be an ancient cheese like the others on this list, but bitto storico is promoted as being the world's oldest edible cheese. These cheese from the Valtellina Valley in Italy can be aged for up to 18 years, which is significantly longer than any other cheese on the market.
Conciato Romano is the oldest cheese in the world. Mentioned by Pliny as well as Martial, it has been made in the Caserta region since the days of the Samnites, before they were subjugated by the Romans. But these days it's not a cheese for everyone, as we are no longer accustomed to such powerful odors and flavors.
Cheddar, in general, is higher in acidity and salt than other cheeses, meaning that it's almost invincible when it comes to bacteria. Even younger Cheddar will last pretty well in your fridge (especially when stored properly), but anything aged more than a year will be quite hardy.
"Hard cheese is durable and doesn't spoil; they're really built to last," says fromager Utano. "This aged sheeps' milk cheese from Sardinia has an intense flavor that becomes more pronounced when the cheese is out of refrigeration but doesn't become stinky."
Soft cheeses—including Brie, Camembert, or a bloomy-rind fancier cheese like Jasper Hill's Harbison—will last a little longer, and harder cheeses from cheddar to Gouda to Parmesan will hold up the longest.
If a mild cheese, like Monterey Jack or American, smells strong, like blue cheese or Limburger, then it's time to throw it away. Cheeses that are naturally pungent, like a blue cheese or Camembert, will have a strong ammonia smell to them once they go bad, similar to cat urine.
Parmesan cheese is a hard, aged cheese that can last a long time if stored properly. Unopened, vacuum-sealed packages of Parmesan cheese can last up to 6 months in the pantry or up to 12 months in the refrigerator.
Eggs can sit out on your counter for up to two hours and only one hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees. After that, they must be stored in the fridge. Most refrigerators come with a special bin or shelf on the door to hold the eggs.
If a mild cheese, like Monterey Jack or American, smells strong, like blue cheese or Limburger, then it's time to throw it away. Cheeses that are naturally pungent, like a blue cheese or Camembert, will have a strong ammonia smell to them once they go bad, similar to cat urine.
If you're being extra cautious, follow the USDA guidelines that recommend you toss perishable foods (including soft, not hard, cheese) that have been left out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.
Cheese is a perishable dairy product, so if it isn't stored properly, it will mold. Though we always suggest using Tillamook products by the best by date printed on the packaged, our naturally-aged cheddar cheese will continue to age and sharpen in your fridge if stored properly.
Will aged cheese go bad? Yes, aged cheese can go bad, but it has a longer shelf life than unaged cheese due to lower moisture content. When unopened and refrigerated, aged cheeses can last several months.
Introduction: My name is Kerri Lueilwitz, I am a courageous, gentle, quaint, thankful, outstanding, brave, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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