Now, with hard cheeses, you can actually cut the moldy bits off and eat the rest. But halloumi is softer, and this means the mold spores may have penetrated the parts of the cheese you can't see. So, unfortunately, if you see any sign of mold, you need to throw the whole block away.
Halloumi will keep in the refrigerator for as long as a year, if it's unopened. Once opened, store it in the refrigerator in salt water in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Or wrap it tightly in waxed paper, parchment paper or cheese wrap. Rewrap in fresh paper whenever you unwrap it.
Once you open your package of halloumi you can store your uncooked leftovers in two ways. If you plan to use your halloumi quite quickly, simply store in an airtight container or sandwich bag for up to 3 days. To extend it's life further, make a simple salt brine by mixing 2 cups of water with 2 teaspoons of salt.
If you wrap the cheese in parchment paper or cheese paper before placing it in an airtight container, you can store the halloumi in the fridge for up to two weeks.
You can definitely eat halloumi raw. However, you don't often see uncooked halloumi served in a meal. It's definitely tastier when it's been cooked, as it's just irresistible when it's warm and squidgy - not to mention, you get those lovely crispy bits around the edges.
Soak the halloumi in water for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours to remove the salty taste. I love the salty taste of halloumi, so I prefer not to soak it. However, if you find the kind you have to be too salty, the soak will help alleviate that. Allow the halloumi cheese to grill without touching it.
Simply patting the haloumi dry with paper towel will remove some of the saltiness, but you can also place it in a bowl of cold water to remove more of the salt, if you prefer. Just soak for 5 minutes, then pat dry with paper towel – patting dry is important to ensure the lovely golden crispy edges!
An unopened packet of halloumi will keep in the fridge for up to a year. Once opened store in salt water in the fridge.
The next day, the cheese blocks are packed in vacuum plastic bags and displayed under refrig- eration (5–8°C). The shelf-life of Halloumi cheese as stated by different regional producers ranges between 4 and 6 months under refrigeration.
In its unopened package, it will keep in the fridge for a long time – up to a year! But of course check what the expiration date is. Once opened, you can store any leftover raw halloumi in some salty water for up to about 2 weeks in the fridge.
Halloumi is subject to fungal and bacterial growth and can go off just like any other cheese. Typically, you would notice the formation of blue or green mold patches. The taste or smell may change to that of sour milk, which indicates the halloumi has gone bad.
This means that halloumi should be consumed in moderation, and it really doesn't need any added salt when preparing it. Because of its higher salt content, it's best to enjoy one to two slices of halloumi about once a week or less.
Halloumi is best enjoyed hot and freshly grilled, but it can be eaten cold the following day and remains edible when refrigerated for up to two days. After cooking, cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Add herbs, oil, or lemon juice before serving.
Spoiled cheese can have a range of visual indicators, including mould growth, discoloration and a slimy or greasy texture.
In cheeses with colorants, such as annatto, pink discoloration is thought to be a result of factors (oxidation, precipitation, temperature, and photooxidation) affecting the constituents of the colorant itself (1, 5). Contrastingly, in cheeses without colorants, the cause of this defect is unknown.
"Soft, less-mature cheeses will go bad much more quickly than the hard or semi-hards," Freier said. "I would be very careful eating them even one to two weeks after their expiration date.
Originating from Cyprus, halloumi is a semi-hard, un-ripened, brined cheese that can be made from cow, sheep or goat's milk. It can be eaten raw but is truly delicious cooked, having a high melting point, makes it an excellent choice for grilling or frying.
REFRIGERATOR: Approximate storage times are: (1) Hard cheeses (block): 6 months, unopened packages; 3 to 4 weeks after opening. Shredded hard cheeses: 1 month after opening. (2) Soft cheeses: 1 week; cream cheese, 2 weeks.
How can you tell if an unopened chunk of cheddar cheese is bad or spoiled? Cheddar cheese that is going bad typically will develop a very hard texture, will darken in color, will develop a strong smell and mold may appear; see instructions above for how to handle mold on an unopened chunk of cheddar cheese.
While cheese is naturally stinky, and some can even last without refrigeration, eating it after its expiration date is generally a bad idea, especially because it can be hard to tell when it's actually past the point of safe consumption.
Softer cheeses, like Brie or Camembert, will last for a week or two, maybe even three if you're lucky. Harder cheeses will last much longer, from a few months to basically forever. Lower water content in your cheese means there's less chance for bacteria to grow in and on it.
Once opened it's suggested that you consume it within 3 days. However, it will usually last longer than that. Most often, up to 5 days, especially if grilled and covered in a drizzle of olive oil. But, if your halloumi has gone bad it will smell like sour milk and have a slimy texture on the outside.
This is because, unlike many cheeses, halloumi has a high pH, as no starter cultures are used in its production. It seems that when this dense casein network “rubs” against the enamel of the teeth, it produces a squeak. Other cheeses usually have a lower pH, which tends to make the casein more fragile.
The halloumi base is typically made from unpasteurised goat's or sheep's milk, and sometimes cow's milk. The inclusion of dairy milk of any kind renders halloumi completely not vegan friendly, and should not be consumed by anyone strictly following a plant-based diet.
Put the halloumi into a bowl and boil a kettle of water. Pour the boiling water over the halloumi and leave for 20 minutes. This will make the cheese really soft and smooth in the centre when cooked.