How to Properly Freeze Fruits for Long-Term Freshness

There is nothing better than eating ripe fresh fruit, but if that’s not possible, do this: Freeze the fruit. It’s a simple, economical and easy way to extend the life of everything sweet and fresh on your counter.

Why freeze fruit at all?

Placing fruits in the freezer changes their texture, but this is the best way to preserve every bit of flavor without the need for sugar or additives. This is useful if you have a surplus of something (like Meyer’s lemons, which are in season now in Northern California), or if you find fruit at a crazy sale. It is also helpful if you don’t buy a particular ingredient on a regular basis, but know that you will need it at some point in the future. Keep frozen berries, apples, cherries, or bananas handy for desserts like tarts, shoemakers, grunts, and clafoutis. use frozen tropical fruits to flavor your smoothies while keeping them cool. Freeze citrus juice and zest to use in the middle of cooking anytime you need it, be it adding acidity to a skillet sauce or zest in a loaf of pie. Last but not least, as a refreshing treat, fruits like grapes, honeydew, and bananas taste great when eaten straight from the freezer.

A step-by-step guide to freezing any fruit

Here’s a simple method to freeze just about any fruit. It’s pretty straightforward (although, depending on the water content and texture of the fruit, you can refer to our notes below). But the main thing to remember is that moisture and air are the enemies of frozen foods.

1. Wash and dry the fruit thoroughly.
2. If the fruit has a skin, peel it off. Remove bruises, cuts, or other unwanted blemishes.
3. If your fruit is larger than the slice size, cut it into equal sized slices of the size you choose.
4. Blot the fruit again with a towel or paper towel. Strive to remove as much moisture as possible.

1. Transfer the fruit to a tray lined with parchment paper (this is where the workbench comes in handy again!). Arrange the fruit in one layer. Cover with cling film; move the tray to the freezer and freeze for a few hours or overnight.
2. Remove the tray from the freezer. Carefully peel the fruit off the parchment paper and transfer to the labeled freezer bags. Squeeze as much air out of the freezer bags as possible before sealing. Your fruit is ready to eat and will last for 6-9 months.

Things to Remember About Certain Fruits

Since each fruit is different, there are some tips to help you freeze it more effectively. Here’s what you need to know:

• Apples : Sweet apples retain their flavor better in the freezer than tart apples. Peel and cut into slices before freezing; If you are freezing a large batch and want to prevent browning, soak the apples in the salt water solution while cooking.
• Bananas: first peel, then cut into slices before freezing.
• Berries : Wash blackberries, blueberries, raspberries or strawberries, stem, if necessary, and dry thoroughly before freezing whole. (Strawberries cut well too.)
• Citrus fruits : The best way to store lemons, limes, grapefruits, or oranges in the freezer is to keep the zest and juice separate. Squeeze the juice out of the citrus fruits and transfer the juice to an ice tray to freeze. (You can also freeze in an airtight plastic bag and place it flat to freeze.) You can just put the citrus zest directly into the freezer bag, but here’s a tip we love, courtesy of Baking Bites : Divide the citrus zest for portioned portions. (such as teaspoons or tablespoons) for convenience.
• Kiwi : Peel first, then slice before freezing.
• Mango : Peel and slice the mango before freezing.
• Melons : Cantaloupe, Honeydew and Crenshaw freeze well; watermelon does not do this due to its very high water content.
• Pineapple : Peel and core the pineapple before slicing and slicing, then freezing. If your pineapple is especially ripe, save the leftover juice and freeze it.
• Stone fruits : Peel peaches, plums and fruits before slicing and freezing. Apricots do not need to be peeled. The cherries must be pitted before freezing.

Why not just buy pre-frozen fruit?

First, a caveat: I buy frozen fruit all the time. I’m an avid smoothie lover and love experimenting with flavors, so I often buy bags of certain foods that aren’t available in season, like cherries and peaches, to add to my cocktails. But I still freeze my fruit because this is the best way to control the quality, especially the ripeness level. Case in point: Take a look at the store-bought frozen strawberry-blueberry-blackberry mix I bought on the left and compare it to the strawberries I freeze myself on the right.

Another example: Store-bought, frozen pineapple often includes an irritating fruit core. But when I put my frozen pineapple in a blender, I know my smoothie will only have sweet, tender pineapple pieces. It’s the same with the mango slices; Note the freshly opened pre-packaged version on the left and the home-frozen version on the right.

Freezing your own fruit also allows you to control parameters such as size and cut. And while store-bought frozen fruits often come with chunks of ice, if you blot them dry thoroughly, you won’t have to deal with the frost-related dilution.

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