Cottage cheese can be safely called an incredibly useful and easily digestible product, so it is suitable for everyone, even infants and people who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract. But, like all dairy products, it quickly deteriorates. And so much so that if it lays at room temperature for several hours, it may become unusable. In order to prolong the freshness of the curd, you need to know where and how to store it properly.
Curd storage time
Cottage cheese purchased in the store, due to additional processing or the addition of preservatives, is stored better and longer than homemade. The shelf life of purchased cottage cheese can vary from 2 days to several weeks. In vacuum packaging, this product can be preserved for 1 month, but only if it is intact. When opening the package, the curd is edible for 2 or 3 days.
Home-made fresh cottage cheese is stored at room temperature for up to 4 hours, and in the refrigerator from 2 to 4 days. And to use it without heat treatment, preferably in the first 24 hours. The next day, the fermented milk product becomes conditionally edible, so it is better to use it for making delicious curd baking. But even such a short period of time it will be saved only under certain conditions. Low humidity, hermetically sealed dishes and temperatures close to zero - this is what will help the curd to avoid premature spoilage.
In the freezer, the curd can be stored for up to 30 days, but this method of storage is recommended to be resorted to only as a last resort. This is due to the fact that during freezing the product loses almost half of its beneficial properties, plus its taste and texture are affected. The shelf life in this case depends on the temperature:
- from 0 to −2 degrees cottage cheese is stored for about a week;
- −12 to −18 - 2 weeks;
- −18 to −24 - 3 weeks;
- −25 to −35 is a month.
As mentioned above, in most cases special substances are added to the shop curd, which increase its storage time. Therefore, subject to the rules of storage indicated on the packaging, the product will not deteriorate. In other words, the store fermented milk product does not require special care to preserve freshness, it is enough to keep it in the refrigerator at the required temperature. This can not be said about homemade cottage cheese, so all the storage methods listed below are relevant for him.
Storage options for homemade curd
Method number 1
- Transfer fresh cottage cheese from a plastic bag into food foil or parchment paper.
- Then carefully crush it. This is necessary so that the curd is evenly cooled. If you leave it in big lumps, it will start to deteriorate from the inside.
- Place cottage cheese crumbled in foil or parchment in enameled ware. There also put a few pieces of sugar refined sugar. Sugar will absorb moisture, which evaporates from the curd. Put a cover on top - it should not be tightly covered.
- In this form, send the curd in the fridge. The best place for him is a shelf with the lowest temperature. It is optimal to store the curd at a temperature of 0 to +2 degrees.
Method number 2
- Taking the pottery, which is covered with glaze, rinse it and dry.
- Fill the bottom of the tank with coarse salt. Then put cottage cheese on the salt, previously placed on flax cloth.
- After the curd has been applied, put a cotton cloth on top of it. Pre-moisten it in a weak brine. Thoroughly tuck the edges of the cloth and place a plate of oppression on the curd. Oppress choose small.
- Put the dishes with cottage cheese in the coldest place of the refrigerator.
Method number 3
- Cover the bottom of the plastic food container with a thin cloth that does not have a nap. Also suitable for this paper towels.
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- Pour the cottage cheese into the prepared container. Before that, it is recommended to crush it well. In the future, this procedure will help to defrost the product more easily.
- Close the cottage cheese container tightly and place it in the freezer.
To defrost frozen cottage cheese spread in the refrigerator for about 10-12 hours. If the curd will be used for baking, you can defrost it at room temperature. It will take at least 4 hours. Please note: it is categorically impossible to resort to thermal effects on the curd during defrosting.
If you want to get a maximum of taste from the curd, it is better to buy it in a small amount, which you can eat in a day. If you prefer to buy this product in large volumes, the described methods will help to extend its freshness for the maximum possible period, but only with strict observance of the specified recommendations.
