In most cases cheese is generally meant to last longer than most other dairy products, which is a good thing. What this means for you is that you can make your homemade ricotta cheese or homemade mozzarella cheese and then preserve it for a few months. How do I do that, I hear you ask? The answer lies in you learning the subtle art of canning cheese, my dear friends.
Until recently, I too never knew that it was not only simple, but also possible to can cheese. I know most people try to stay away from canning dairy products as recommended by the USDA, which is fine by me. On the other hand, I am always willing to try new methods that I discover especially is someone else has successfully done it before. For best results, stick to canning the hard cheeses . Not only will it will be easy to grate after the process, you can also slice it too and use it in all your favorite dishes.
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Here’s What You’ll Need:
- cheese
- wide mouth canning jars with lids
- kitchen towel
- large pot
- grater
- water bath canner
- jar lifter
- food processor (optional)
As with all canning methods, make sure that you wash and sterilize your jars before you begin. Your cheese will have to be grated or shredded in order to speed up the melting process. This can be done manually by hand using a grater or you can take the faster route using your food processor. To melt the cheese, sit your jars in warm water and then slowly pack the cheese as it melts.
Unlike most other canned produce, cheese requires more head space up to an inch, otherwise the oils will be problematic. There should also be no oils on the rims, before you attach the lids and screw on the lids otherwise your jars won’t seal. Process your jars in your water bath canner for 40 minutes. When properly stored, your canned cheese should last up to 24 months. 🙂
You can get the full recipe & instructions on the Oklahoma Pastry Cloth blog, here…
Canning Cheese Recipe
You can watch the video below on how to can cheese…even cream cheese!…
You can watch the video below HOW TO CAN CHEESE: OFF GRID LIVING FRUGALLY…
You can watch the video below on prepping! canning cheese for the first time…
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