John Myers
Since the arrival of Italian cuisine in Germany, parmesan has become indispensable and is part of almost every pasta dish. In order to always be able to enjoy it to the full and to keep it for a long time, correct storage is important.
Save the parmesan
Due to the low water content, the hard cheese has a relatively good and long shelf life. Storage for up to 3 months is not a problem. Especially when the cheese is still vacuum sealed. The best storage place is of course the fridge. It is best to store it further down in the fridge, you can also use the vegetable drawer. The ideal temperature for Parmesan to preserve it for as long as possible is between 4°C and 7°C. You can also safely store and eat the cheese beyond the best-before date. Just make sure it hasn’t grown mold.
Preserve Parmesan
You can wrap the piece of parmesan in greaseproof paper to ensure that the parmesan that you have started will keep well and for a long time. If you want, you can also put aluminum foil on top. Make sure you only put the foil over it loosely so that the cheese can breathe. The Parmesan also keeps better in a storage tin wrapped in greaseproof paper. A brand new tip is to store the hard cheese with salt. This is quite simple. You put a thick layer of salt in a can and put the cheese on top. The moisture in the cheese absorbs the salt and prevents mold from forming.
Better paper than foil
If you don’t have a suitable tin ready, you can of course freeze the cheese without a container. It is best to use greaseproof paper, kitchen roll paper, or a thin cotton cloth. A foil bag or cling film is less recommended. Due to the lack of air supply, moisture develops and mold can appear after 2 weeks at the latest. Of course, the longer the cheese is stored in breathable paper, the drier it becomes. However, if the cheese has already been granted, it will not last nearly as long as Parmesan in one piece. Because it offers more surface area for bacteria to attack, grated Parmesan can go moldy much more quickly and also loses its flavor much more quickly. Hard cheese cannot be kept in this form for longer than 2 weeks.
Freeze parmesan
If you want to have some of the delicious parmesan for longer, just freeze it. This can be done either in one piece or even in grated form. Due to the low water content, the cheese does not freeze completely and you can use it straight from the freezer for pesto and pasta. The aroma is retained and it does not become dry. The hard cheese can be frozen for at least 4 months. Just read our post about freezing and thawing parmesan.
Parmesan – is simply delicious
The original Parmesan comes from the Italian provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, and Mantua. The delicious hard cheese may only be made there. Production is subject to strict rules. The lactating cows only have to be fed silo-free, i.e. without fermented feed. No preservatives or other artificial additives may be used. The real parmesan consists of only three ingredients: raw milk, rennet, and salt. After a year, which the hard cheese has to mature for at least, the wheels, which weigh an average of 38.5 kilograms, are subjected to a sensory test. Only those that are flawless may be sold under the Parmigiano-Reggiano name.
No idea what to do with parmesan? Then we have incredibly delicious Parmesan recipes for you here:
- Fried polenta with parmesan
- Chanterelle risotto with parmesan
- Gluten-free pizza dough
