Cottage cheese is a delicate product that spoils quickly. It is not recommended to store it for a long time, over time the taste of cottage cheese deteriorates, a bitter or rancid taste appears. This is due to the constant vital activity of the starter microflora contained in the curd, the activity of enzymes, the presence of foreign microflora, temperature storage conditions, as well as the quality of the packaging material. Proper storage of cottage cheese will help you avoid health problems and enjoy your favorite treat.
Instructions
Step 1
Previously, when there were no refrigerators, the cottage cheese still had to be stored somehow. To do this, it was wrapped in a clean white cloth dipped in cold water and placed in a cool place. The temperature should not have exceeded 15 degrees.
Step 2
Fresh cottage cheese is stored in the refrigerator for two days at a temperature of about +8 degrees, in rare cases - up to 72 hours. This period can be increased up to four days if it is stored in a slightly frozen form at a temperature from 0 to +1 degrees. To do this, keep the curd on a shelf directly under the freezer compartment.
Step 3
Curd is stored wrapped in foil or parchment. Many recommend keeping it in an enamel container (bowl or saucepan) with a tight-fitting lid. Some people advise putting a few lumps of sugar in an enamel bowl.
Step 4
It must be remembered that cottage cheese that has been in the refrigerator for more than a day must be heat treated. If the cottage cheese is not too fresh, it is better to use it for curd cakes, casseroles or dumplings.
Step 5
By the way, the shelf life of products containing cottage cheese, even in the freezer compartment (at a temperature of -5 degrees), should not exceed four days. Such products include dumplings, pancakes, homemade casseroles, and convenience foods purchased in the store.
Step 6
The cottage cheese is stored for the longest time, which was frozen immediately after its production. Freezing of cottage cheese is carried out at a temperature of - 35 degrees. Frozen cottage cheese retains its taste and useful qualities longer, but it should be defrosted before use. Slow defrosting is best suited for this (10-12 hours on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator). For baking, it can be thawed at room temperature in 3-5 hours. For defrosted cottage cheese, culinary processing is not needed; you can eat it immediately after defrosting.
Step 7
Freezing cottage cheese at home is not recommended, but allowed. To do this, set the temperature of the freezer compartment to the second or third scale division. At a temperature of -18 degrees, cottage cheese will be stored for about two weeks.
