Can You Freeze Boursin Cheese? – The Best Way
Cheese has to be one of the greatest creations of mankind. While not everyone likes cheese in general like the many people that have subscribed to the vegan way of life, you are here. This means that we can freely express our love for cheese without insulting your personal preferences.
It is true that specialty or gourmet cheeses are not generally available everywhere and not everyone has the opportunity to try expensive brands. However, it is 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 heard of Boursin cheese before if you found this page. Apparently, you need to get some answers. With this said, the main question to be answered in this topic is whether you can freeze Boursin cheese or not.
So can you freeze Boursin cheese? You can normally freeze any type of cheese, but you risk losing most of its flavor and texture. Freezing soft cheeses like Boursin is not 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 a thorough presentation of what Boursin cheese is and how it should be handled, continue reading below.
What is Boursin Cheese?
When you think about cheese, there are two or three countries that take most of the fame – France, the Netherlands, maybe Spain.
Boursin is yet another creation of the French region of Normandy which remains fairly limited worldwide today. If you haven’t tried one yet, it can easily be mistaken for cream cheese but in its entirety, it is not particularly the same.
In its entirety, Boursin cheese is made out of cow’s milk and is mostly soft and creamy. The original flavor was only created in 1957 and consisted of a blend of fresh cheese, garlic, and herbs.
Initially, it was only produced in Normandy before it became the first French cheese product that became available nationwide.
Today, original Boursin cheese is made with several ingredients that add up to its natural flavor and is available in a selection of six flavors.
The original garlic and fine herbs flavor remains a classic, but you should also try any of the other flavors if you get the chance:
- Shallot & Chive
- Red Chili Pepper
- Basil & Chive
- Cracked Black Pepper
- Cranberry & Spice
Freezing Boursin Cheese
Like any other type of cheese, freezing Boursin will not have a negative impact on your health in any way but you risk losing most of the quality and taste of your cheese.
Especially with Boursin which is considered a delicacy, do you really want to freeze it? When you think about it, most cheeses will keep in the refrigerator for weeks and more…
Do you really need to freeze your high-quality Boursin cheese when you have plenty of time to enjoy its unique natural taste?
In case you need to freeze Boursin cheese, you should know what the freezing process does to the cheese and what changes you could expect.
In its entirety, the loss of texture is not particularly due to the original type of cheese but more focused around the freezing process and the formation of ice in the cheese.
It all comes down to the water which is present in every type of cheese, including vegan cheese. When it freezes, water expands, but when you thaw the cheese later, the water melts and in most cases disrupts the texture of the cheese.
When it comes to Boursin and the other types of soft creamy cheeses out there, it is only logical that there is more water than in any hard cheese like parmesan, for example.
This is why professionals would not advise freezing Boursin or any other soft cheese. In most cases, the sole appearance of the thawed product will leave you wondering if you should actually eat it.
Nevertheless, if you simply want to extend the life of your Boursin cheese and the actual taste and texture is not a primary concern at this state, then freezing it is a suitable solution.
Most cheeses will keep in the freezer for up to three months and you could expect the same from Boursin. As a side note, make sure to write yourself a reminder of the actual date.
How Long Until Boursin Cheese Goes Bad?
Since we 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 do not keep them in the refrigerator.
Speaking about Boursin specifically, you shouldn’t keep it out of the fridge for more than 2 – 4 hours. Not that it wouldn’t be fit to eat if you keep it out for an additional hour but this time period is directly specified by the original brand.
You should always keep your Boursin Cheese in the fridge when you are not eating 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 written date on the package.
As for when you open it, you should have up to two weeks before it goes bad. If you keep it in the fridge, of course.
Since Boursin Cheese is only sold in packages of 150g, you will likely see the end of it before you realize. This is also why we do not believe that you may ever need to freeze your Boursin cheese.
Recommended Boursin Cheese Flavor
It is not a coincidence that Boursin cheese is everyone’s favorite specialty cheese. Surprisingly enough, it is also absolutely affordable and is available in most large supermarkets or gourmet shops.
With this said, we believe that every Boursin cheese flavor is a worthy choice when you want to try a new creamy cheese. However, besides the original Garlic & Herbs flavor, there is one particular flavor that you should necessarily try – Shallot & Chive.
Boursin Shallot & Chive
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What makes Boursin cheese so enjoyable? In its entirety, it is nearly identical to cream cheese – it smells identical when you take out the additional ingredients and it is supposed to be spread on food.
Unlike your usual flavored cream cheese or regular soft cheese, the additional ingredients here complement the natural taste instead of completely taking over.
This particular flavor has small pieces of shallots and chives that add up to the complexity of the cheese and make it taste more savory.
If you are new to cheeses in general and have never thought that it could be much more than a part of your meal, 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 the Boursin cheese, Francois Boursin, sold it to the larger manufacturers, they requested that he gave it a proper name.
His original decision was Gournay which came from the name of the town of his childhood.
Later on, the brand was named after its creator and it goes under the same name today. However, each package of Boursin cheese has a label on the bottom that says “Gournay cheese”.
If you do not see this label on the package, then you can be sure that you do not have the original product in your hands.
Why is a specialty cheese like Boursin wrapped in foil?
The brand actually considers their foil packaging to be their signature. They pack it this way to keep the cheese as fresh as possible for longer.
In addition, it is quite convenient if you compare it to some other packaging alternatives, wouldn’t you agree?
How to eat Boursin cheese?
The type of cheese itself should pretty much give you the answer – soft creamy cheese. In other words, most people spread it on certain types of food like crackers or bread.
Based on the specific flavor you select, you could also add it to certain salads or even pasta.
However, you shouldn’t use it in these ways if it has already been frozen. It is close to the mind that such dishes need cheeses that have not separated and have kept their texture.
Of course, we mentioned that Boursin cheese does hold well even after being frozen which means that you may have some luck and end up with nearly unchanged cheese.
Unlike most brands out there, Boursin has made a lot of efforts in providing its customers with information and ideas. If you want to get crafty with your next meal, go to their official website and peek at their section with recipes.
There is an abundance of impressive recipes in three categories – Easy, Medium, and Hard.
Actually, even if you do not have Boursin cheese on your hands, you will find an abundance of unique recipes that can be executed with other cheeses as well.
