Can Boursin cheese be frozen? - The best way
Cheese must be one of humanity’s greatest creations. Although not everyone likes cheese in general, like the many people who have adhered to the vegan way of life. This means that we can freely express our love of cheese without insulting your personal preferences.
It is true that specialty or gourmet cheeses are not usually available everywhere and not everyone has the opportunity to try expensive brands. However, it’s never too late to start your journey into the world of cheese and try one at a time.
With this in mind, we can safely assume that you have already heard of Boursin cheese if you have found this page. Apparently, you need to get some answers. With that being said, the main question that needs to be answered in this topic is whether or not Boursin cheese can be frozen.
So can Boursin cheese be frozen?
You can usually freeze any type of cheese, but you risk losing most of its flavor and texture. Freezing soft cheeses like Boursin isn’t particularly suitable, but surprisingly, Boursin holds up better than most other types of cheese out there.
If you need a more in-depth answer and comprehensive presentation of what Boursin cheese is and how it should be handled, keep reading below.
What is Boursin cheese?
When you think of cheese, there are two or three countries that get most of the fame: France, Holland and maybe Spain.
Boursin is another creation from the Normandy region of France that remains fairly limited worldwide. If you haven’t tried it yet, it’s easy to confuse it with cream cheese, but as a whole it’s not exactly the same.
In its entirety, Boursin cheese is made from cow’s milk and is above all smooth and creamy. The original flavor was not created until 1957 and consisted of a mixture of fresh cheese, garlic, and herbs.
At first, it was only produced in Normandy, before becoming the first French cheese product available nationwide.
Today, the original Boursin cheese is made with several ingredients that contribute to its natural flavor and is available in a choice of six flavors.
The original garlic and herbs flavor is still a classic , but you should also try any of the other flavors if you get the chance:
- Shallot and Chives
- Red pepper
- Basil and Chives
- cracked black pepper
- blueberries and spices
Freeze Boursin Cheese
Like any other type of cheese, freezing Boursin won’t have any negative impact on your health, but you risk losing most of the quality and flavor of the cheese.
Especially in the case of Boursin, which is considered a delicacy, do you really want to freeze it? If you think about it, most cheeses keep in the fridge for weeks and longer…
Do you really need to freeze your high-quality Boursin cheese when you have plenty of time to enjoy its unique natural flavor?
If you need to freeze Boursin cheese, you should know what the freezing process does to the cheese and what changes you can expect.
In its entirety, the loss of texture is not due especially to the type of original cheese, but is more focused on the freezing process and the formation of ice on the cheese.
It all comes down to water which is present in all types of cheese, including vegan. When frozen, the water expands, but when the cheese is thawed later, the water melts and, in most cases, alters the texture of the cheese.
When it comes to Boursin and other types of soft, creamy cheeses, it stands to reason that there is more water than in any hard cheese like Parmesan, for example.
This is why professionals do not advise freezing Boursin or any other soft cheese. In most cases, just looking at the thawed product will make you wonder if you should eat it.
However, if you simply want to extend the life of your Boursin cheese and the actual flavor and texture are not a primary concern at this stage, then freezing it is a suitable solution.
Most cheeses keep in the freezer for up to three months and you can expect the same for Boursin. As an added note, be sure to write yourself a reminder of the actual date.
How long does it take for Boursin cheese to go bad?
Since we have already mentioned that Boursin cheese can remain frozen for up to three months, we will focus on the other alternatives.
Soft cheeses, in general, have a short shelf life if you don’t keep them in the fridge.
Speaking of Boursin specifically, you shouldn’t keep it out of the fridge for more than 2-4 hours. It’s not that it’s unfit to eat if you keep it out for another hour, but this length of time is directly specified by the original brand.
You should always store Boursin cheese in the refrigerator when you are not going to eat it . If it remains unopened, you can keep it until the “best before” date runs out. The brand does not recommend eating the cheese after the date written on the package.
As for when to open it, you should have up to two weeks before it goes bad. If you keep it in the fridge, of course.
As Boursin cheese is only sold in 150g packs, chances are it will be gone before you know it. That’s also why we think you’ll never need to freeze your Boursin cheese.
Recommended Boursin Cheese Flavor
It’s no coincidence that Boursin cheese is everyone’s favorite specialty. Surprisingly, it is also absolutely affordable and available at most large supermarkets or gourmet stores.
With that said, we think all Boursin cheese flavors are a worthy choice when you want to try a new creamy cheese. However, in addition to the original flavor of Garlic and Herbs, there is a particular flavor that you must definitely try: Shallot and Chives.
Boursin Shallot and Chives
What makes Boursin cheese so nice? In its entirety, it’s almost identical to cream cheese: it smells identical when the extra ingredients are removed and it’s supposed to be spread on food.
Unlike the usual flavored cream cheese or regular soft cheese, here the additional ingredients complement the natural flavor instead of taking over it completely.
This particular flavor has small pieces of shallots and chives which add to the complexity of the cheese and give it a more savory flavor.
If you are new to the world of cheese in general and have never thought that it could be much more than a part of your food, this flavor is the perfect choice to start your journey into the world of Boursin cheeses.
Related questions
What does gournay mean?
When the original creator of Boursin cheese, François Boursin, sold it to the big manufacturers, they asked him to give it an appropriate name.
His original choice was Gournay, which came from the name of the town of his childhood.
Later, the brand was named after its creator and today bears the same name. However, each package of Boursin cheese has a label at the bottom that reads “Gournay cheese.”
If you do not see this label on the packaging , you can be sure that you do not have the original product in your hands.
Why is a special cheese like Boursin wrapped in aluminum foil?
Actually, the brand considers its foil wrapper to be its signature. They pack it this way to keep the cheese as fresh as possible for longer.
Also, it’s quite convenient if you compare it with other packaging alternatives, don’t you think?
How do you eat Boursin cheese?
The type of cheese itself should give you the answer: creamy, smooth cheese. In other words, most people spread it on certain types of food like crackers or bread.
Depending on the specific flavor you choose, you could also add it to certain salads or even pasta.
However, you should not use it in these ways if it has already been frozen. Keep in mind that these dishes need cheeses that have not separated and that have retained their texture.
Of course, we’ve mentioned that Boursin cheese keeps well even after being frozen, which means you might be lucky and end up with almost unaltered cheese.
Unlike most brands out there, Boursin has put a lot of effort into providing its customers with information and ideas. If you want to get in the mood for your next meal, head over to their official website and check out their recipe section.
There are a plethora of awesome recipes in three categories: easy, medium, and hard.
Actually, even if you don’t have Boursin cheese on your hands, you’ll find an abundance of unique recipes that can be executed with other cheeses as well.