How Long Can You Keep Goat Cheese in the Refrigerator
Goat cheese goes with almost anything and everything. Whether you want to incorporate it in your breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you can never run out of options with goat cheese.
It comes in a ton of varieties like cream cheese, crottin, blue cheese, American cheese, and much more.
Thus, whether you have a sweet tooth or want something more savory, everyone can find a place with goat cheese.
Since goat cheese is so popular and delicious, there could be a lot of times when you couldn't resist and just bought a ton of it from the grocery store.
Or, since you're here, maybe that's what happened to you.
And now you're worried if the excess goat cheese would go bad, how you should store it, or how long does goat cheese last.
Or maybe you have lots of leftover goat cheese from last week's slumber party, and you're wondering how to check it if it's still in good condition. Whatever your worries are, we are here to help you.
In this article, we'll discuss everything regarding the storage and shelf life of goat cheese.
So, if you want to learn more about how long does goat cheese last or how you can tell if your goat cheese has turned bad, read on.
How Long Does Goat Cheese Last? Does Goat Cheese Go Bad?
Yes, goat cheese can go bad, just like any other food product. But the answer to how long a goat cheese would last depends on a lot of factors.
What kind of goat cheese you are using, how you stored it, or how it was manufactured, all these play an important role in determining the shelf life of goat cheese.
To make things simpler for you, let's stick to the three main categories of goat cheese (you're most likely to come across) –
Fresh goat cheese – this version comes in different shapes and sizes, more commonly in a rectangle log-shaped.
You can spread it without any hassle. You can store this in their original packaging or a plastic bag.
Aged goat cheese – Aged goat cheese are firmer in texture and has a stronger flavor. These are stored to ripen for a period of up to 12 weeks.
For storing aged cheese, wrap it in some sort of parchment paper first. And they layer it up with a plastic wrap.
Soft-ripened goat cheese – these cheeses mostly have a bloomy rind similar to brie cheese. You can store this in an airtight container.
At all times, make sure to keep your cheeses in the refrigerator. Once you refrigerate it, the shelf life all goat cheese becomes quite similar.
Now that you know everything about the storage let's move on to their shelf lives.
Generally, if you store it properly in the fridge, goat cheese will last up to 1 to two weeks.
If you want to further extend their shelf life, you can even opt to freeze it. When you freeze the cheese well, it can even last up to six months or beyond.
In fact, if you constantly freeze your cheese at 0 degrees Fahrenheit, it will remain safe for consumption throughout the year.
It may not taste as good as before, but the cheese definitely becomes free from any spoilage.
How to Tell if Goat Cheese is Bad? Goat Cheese Shelf Life!
You can easily tell if your goat cheese has gone bad by the looks and smell of it.
First, look out for any discolorations or molds on the cheese surface. Goat cheeses that have bloomy rinds are most likely to develop some kind of molds on the surface.
However, you can cut off the white or mold parts and enjoy the rest of the cheese provided that it doesn't give off a foul odor.
However, if you see orange, blue, or red molds, this is not safe and means that you should discard the entire cheese.
Blue cheese already contains some kind of healthy blue or green colored molds. So, do not get confused with that.
But other than that, if you notice any other kind of molds on its surface, it's better if you toss it out.
In case of fresh or washed goat cheese, look out for slimy molds or unusual patches on the surface. If you notice such signs, it's time to discard your goat cheese.
The second thing you can do is smell the cheese. With time, cheeses tend to age, and their smell becomes naturally stronger.
So, don't mistake a strong aroma for rancid cheese. Just check if there is any off smell or some unusual foul odor.
If you couldn't figure out if your goat cheese has turned bad by the looks and smell of it, you can always try tasting it a little bit.
Rancid cheese will have an off taste and might even make your mouth burn. If this happens, spit it out immediately and discard the cheese.
Conclusion
Goat cheese is considered to be among the healthiest types of cheese. They are not only healthy but also delicious.
Goat cheeses are much lower in lactose, which makes it a great choice among lactose-intolerant people.
So, whether you want to try some scrumptious goat cheese salads, pizzas, or dips, you can never go wrong with goat cheese.
Here are some easy and delicious goat cheese recipes to get you started.
How Long Can You Keep Goat Cheese in the Refrigerator
Source: https://eatdelights.com/goat-cheese-expire/