Grated Parmesan Cheese Storage Tips: Keep It Fresh And Mold Free

Parmesan is, perhaps, the greatest of all the Italian cheeses. It’s certainly among the most famous Italian cheeses! It’s a hard cheese, made from cow’s milk, and has a distinctive, slightly nutty, flavour.

The Italians, and many chefs around the world, use it in pasta dishes, salads and even soups, since it enhances the flavor. However, you only need a little parmesan in any recipe: that means you need to know how to store the remaining grated parmesan cheese. Fortunately, we’re here to help. We can show you how to store grated parmesan cheese and keep it fresh until you need it again.

Store Grated Parmesan Cheese After Opening: Tips And Tricks

Parmesan cheese contains a variety of fats. Unfortunately, these fats tend to cling to each other: that means, your grated parmesan cheese will clump, potentially ruining the flavor. It will also be difficult to separate and take the amount you need.

Freshly grated parmesan cheese is particularly good at clumping. You need to know how to store fresh grated parmesan cheese properly to maximize shelf life and flavor.

• Freshly Grated Parmesan Is Better
  
  

You can purchase parmesan cheese grated in a bag. This is harder to store as the packaging encourages moisture, which increases the likelihood of clumping.

Instead, buy freshly grated parmesan or grate it yourself as you need it. Since you’ve just grated it, the cheese will have a smaller surface area than a pre-packed grated cheese: this helps to reduce its ability to absorb moisture.

• An Airtight Container Is Essential
  
  

Depriving the grated parmesan of moisture is critical to successfully storing it and maintaining its flavor.

When learning how to store grated parmesan cheese, the simplest approach is to use an airtight container. It’s the easiest way to ensure moisture can’t get to the cheese. This dramatically reduces the likelihood of the cheese clumping and the flavor changing.

• Keep It Below 5°C (40°F)
  
  

Cool temperatures make it much harder for any food to absorb moisture: this includes grated parmesan. To prevent the cheese clumping or bacteria growing on the parmesan, you should keep it below 5°C. That means, placing your airtight container, with the cheese inside, in your refrigerator.

• Don’t Store For Too Long
  
  

While the aim is to store your freshly grated parmesan for as long as possible. The truth is that it will taste best and be least likely to clump if you use it within two weeks of storing it. In short, don’t buy or grate more parmesan than you’ll use in the next two weeks.

• Protect Clumping
  
  

It is possible to prevent clumping and help extend the storage life of your parmesan by adding a simple ingredient which won’t affect the flavor or quality of the parmesan, but will absorb any moisture.

One of the best things you can do is add a little cornstarch to your grated parmesan. Alternatively, flour or arrowroot powder can have the same effect. They absorb the moisture, preventing the cheese from doing so.

• Freeze It
  
  

Finally, if you’re not sure you can use the grated parmesan within two weeks, you can freeze it! Simply place your airtight container in the freezer. The cheese will stay fresh and won’t clump for six months. All you have to do is defrost it before using it. That should only take a few hours.

Summing Up

There is no doubt parmesan cheese adds a delightful flavor to any dish, that’s why it’s so popular in Italy. You can enjoy the same flavor by grating parmesan or purchasing freshly grated parmesan and storing it properly. It couldn’t be simpler!