Can You Freeze Quark – How To Freeze Quark

I have just come to the end of a crazy, kid-activity filled summer.  It was great fun but I must admit to a true sense of giddiness as that school bus pulled away from the stop.  Back to school little kiddos!  I think my biggest source of joy comes from knowing that those kids are now forced to eat regular meals at regular intervals and I don’t have to drain my bank account trying to fill up their bellies.  I mean really, how much food do you need?!

One positive however is my new found obsession with quark.  I know it sounds weird and I will absolutely not proclaim to be an expert on this food, but I stumbled across it and was determined to learn how to make it.

Quark is a yogurty, cheese-like food that is very high in protein and other health benefits.  It’s sort of a cross between greek yogurt and cottage cheese.  I’ve have heard that is starting to become a bit more available in stores, but if you make your own it saves a ton of money compared to buying all that expensive yogurt (which my kids devour like candy). Plus all that protein should help to keep them full a bit longer.

Quark is actually pretty easy to make.  I actually use this recipe from allrecipes.com http://allrecipes.com/recipe/240584/quark-homemade-cheese/ as it is super easy.  I do know that there is some variability in the process depending on how creamy versus smooth you want the quark to be.  I’m happy with the more creamy, yogurty texture this recipe provides.

Can You Freeze Quark?

So now that my little non-stop eating kids are back at school and I have a little bit of time, I decided to attempt to make a large batch and freeze any extra.  Obviously freezing food is my little habit, but I wasn’t too sure this time.  This is how I went about it.

How to Freeze Quark

1. I was sure to use whole milk since I had experience that fuller fat yogurts handle freezing much better than low or non-fat varieties.
2. I used freezer bags because I wanted to be able to get all of the air out.  Plastic containers just wouldn’t allow me accomplish this.
3. I filled the freezer bags about 2/3 full and used a straw to suck out every possible bit of air before sealing.
4. I added a quick date with a marker and popped them in the freezer.

Fast forward 30 days. That was all the longer I could wait.  After a nice steady thaw in the refrigerator, the quark was completely viable.  It was not quite as creamy, however a little stirring helped that a bit.  The flavor was still great but I feel like some of the healthy bacteria may have been harmed in the process.  After what I would definitely call a successful outcome, I’m now going to venture into the making and freezing of quark popsicles.  My little eaters should love those!