parmesan cheese

Flickr: Photo by Allyrose18

Parmesan cheese -- our Ingredient of the Week -- is an item that people tend to buy in large hunks and use little bits over a period of several weeks or more. Here's how to safely store parm so that it stays fresh and mold-free until you're ready to use it...

If you follow these instructions carefully, your Parmesan cheese should last for a couple months:

  • Do not grate cheese until you are ready to use it.
  • After breaking or cutting off a small piece to grate, wrap the remaining wedge loosely in waxed paper. To further prevent it from drying out, place wrapped cheese either in aluminum foil or a plastic Zip lock bag.
  • Store wrapped wedges in your refrigerator's crisper or meat drawer -- this ensures it does not absorb odors from other foods in the fridge.
  • If you have grated cheese left over, store covered in the freezer. 

Do you have any tips for storing Parmesan?