Can You Freeze Apples? Here's How to Do This the Right Way
Apples are commonly referred to as Nature's Original Superfood. This is not far-fetched, equally apples have lots of nutritional benefits so much that information technology is a known proverb that "an apple a 24-hour interval keeps the physician away."
Apples are not simply very nutritious and delicious, only they are also pocket-friendly during the long season (July to November) and perfect for many different dishes: pies, smoothies, salads, and you can even brand them into fries.
Tin Y'all Freeze Apples?
This is a superfood that I often buy in bulk. This got me one twenty-four hours thinking: can y'all freeze apples? The answer is yeah. Freezing is a great fashion to store apples and go along them fresh for different uses. Frozen apples will stay fresh for months without going bad, drying out, or becoming bitter.
If you are wondering what is the best way to freeze your apples and how to prepare them for the freezer so they don't go chocolate-brown; keep on reading as we have the answers to all your apple questions!
Aye, you can freeze apples. Freezing your apples is one of the best ways to proceed them from going bad.
While any apple tree varieties tin be frozen, apples that are hardy with a house and snappy texture fare very well in the freezer's farthermost cold environment.
The following types of apples will practise great in your freezer:
- Jonagold
- Cortland
- Golden Delicious
- Empire
One thing to continue in mind is that frozen apples do modify in texture and thus they volition not exist suitable for snacks, but they are perfect for everything else!
How Long Do Frozen Apples Last?
Apples have different shelf lives, depending on how you lot're going to keep them. Here's a bit of info on how long they'll exist good for:
- The counter will make them take a shelf life of five – vii days.
- The pantry will give them a shelf life of three weeks.
- The fridge will give them a shelf life of 4 – half-dozen weeks.
- The freezer will give them a shelf life of 8 months.
As you can see, freezing your apples volition lengthen their life considerably, so the respond is that frozen apples concluding for up to 8 months. Is that plenty to convince you to freeze them?
What Is The Best Style for Freezing Apples?
If you feel similar freezing apples, then you should know there are plenty of ways you go about this, as you tin freeze them equally a whole, sliced, pureed, and then on. Information technology really does depend on what you intend to do with them as the best mode for freezing apples is the one that suits your needs and storage space.
We're going to swoop in and check out all the different ways the apples can be frozen and how to gear up them for the freezer.
Tin Apples Exist Frozen Whole?
Yep, you lot can freeze whole apples.
To forbid the apples from turning into products that will not exist convenient to use when you take them out, ensure you freeze them separately first.
- Wash your apples thoroughly
- Identify them on a blistering sail leaving a little chip of space between the apples. Ensure they practise non bear on
- Put them in the freezer
- Freeze them for approximately 15 minutes until they are firm to the bear on. Exercise non leave them in the freezer without putting them in a bag for longer than an 60 minutes or y'all run the gamble of freeze fire. While freeze burn down does not cause health issues, information technology will make your apple tough and unpalatable!
- Transfer them into freezer bags and put them back in the freezer. This procedure prevents the apples from freezing up into clumps that volition make continuous freezer storage difficult. Clumps also make it difficult to separate and thaw them as need it.
Can You Freeze Peeled Apples?
Yes, you lot tin freeze peeled apples easily.
Frozen apples with their skin on can brown chop-chop once defrosted and thawed, every bit the skin can bruise very hands. Freezing apples with the skin off may reduce the take a chance of browning once defrosted and thawed. However, they need to be prepared properly to ensure they practice not go brown when cut.
The possibility of browning will largely depend on the processes you put the apples through before freezing. Observe a detailed explanation of the processes in the "How do y'all prepare Apples for freezing" section.
Can I Freeze Apples Without Cooking Them?
Yes, you can freeze apples without cooking them.
You do not need to cook apples before freezing. Instead, you tin flinch the apples to forestall them from browning, especially for sliced apple tree pieces. Blanching is the process whereby food is immersed briefly in humid h2o followed past an ice bathroom.
For a detailed description of blanching, do check out the "How practice y'all fix Apples for freezing" section. Blanching is encouraged to preserve the colours of sliced apples meant for the freezer.
How to Store Cooking Apples in Freezer?
Cooked apples tin can be frozen only similar all the rest we've discussed thus far.
To properly freeze your cooked apples follow the steps below:
- Cook your apples as desired.
- Leave them to cool downward at room temperature.
- Warning: The FDA recommends that cooked foods are not left at room temperatures for longer than 2 hours, as these volition induce the natural leaner from the nutrient to grow at dangerous levels increasing the risk of nutrient poisoning.
- Place them on a baking sail leaving a little bit of space betwixt the cooked apples. Ensure they exercise non touch each other
- Put them in the freezer.
- Freeze them for approximately 15 minutes until they are firm to the touch. Ensure y'all do non leave the apples on the baking canvass, without a bag, for longer than ane hr; or yous volition increment the risk of freeze fire.
- While freeze burn does not crusade a health concern, it will change the flavor of your apples, making them unappetizing.
- Transfer them into Ziploc bags, airtight containers, or vacuumed bags and put them dorsum in the freezer.
- If any of your recipes require spices, do not add them before freezing as some spices lose their season when frozen.
- Hence, it's best to add the spices to your cooked apples at the point of baking, or when you need them.
How to Freeze Cut Apples?
Much like all other methods, you can as well freeze raw apple slices. In this way you lot tin can shop your cutting apples in the freezer. Yeah you tin can freeze raw apple slices. While at that place is nix wrong with freezing whole apples, peculiarly with the right procedure, information technology is best to cut apples into slices before freezing. Sliced apples will freeze quicker and thaw easier than whole apples.
Unlike freezing whole apples, freezing raw apple tree slices has a bit of process to information technology. Lynne Mclandsborough on The Scientific American explains that when nosotros cutting apples, we betrayal the apple tree's natural enzymes to oxygen. Exposure of these enzymes to oxygen cause oxidation of the apple. In other words, your apple will go dark-brown the moment they are cut!
Hence, when you plan to freeze raw apple tree slices, you demand to put a measure in place to prevent browning.
There are two methods to assist with this:
- Dunking the sliced apples into lemon juice, salted water, or any ascorbic solution volition halt the browning procedure.
- The other method is blanching the apple slices.
For more data on any of the two methods addressed above, refer to the "How do you prepare apples for freezing" section below.
Once the raw apple tree slices have been processed to forestall browning, identify the pieces on a baking sheet and place them in the freezer for approximately x-15 minutes until they are firm to the touch on. Infinite the cuts to avoid clumping.
Transfer the slices from the cookie sheet into a ziploc bag, vacuum bag, or airtight container and render to the freezer.
How Exercise Yous Prepare Apples for Freezing?
Preparing your apples for freezing is straightforward when freezing whole apples. All y'all need to do is wash the apples thoroughly to clean them up, pre-freeze on a blistering sheet, transfer them into freezer numberless in one case frozen, then return them to the freezer.
The process is slightly more laborious if y'all are cutting your apples into slices, this is where information technology gets catchy because you demand to forestall the raw apple slices from browning before freezing.
Below we explore the different ways available to set raw apple slices for freezing.
Lemon Juice
- Fill a large bowl with lemon juice and water; ane tablespoon of lemon juice to every cup of water. Dip the apple slices in the mixture before freezing.
- Please be aware that this method changes the flavor of the apple.
If the apple is to be used in pies, or whatsoever cooked meals, and so this process is piece of cake, cheap and efficient. If however, you are to use the apples for smoothies or teas I wouldn't recommend this method!
Ascorbic Acid
Concentrated vitamin C, commonly referred to every bit ascorbic acid, works the same fashion as lemon juice.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of ascorbic acid in a gallon of water.
- Dip the raw apple slices into the mixture.
You lot can get ascorbic acid from the canning section of whatsoever grocery store, or from the comfort of your home by visiting Amazon.
Salt Water
- In a large bowl of h2o, fill with enough table table salt to cover the bowl'south bottom.
- Drop your apples in the solution as y'all slice through.
- Once you are done with cutting, drain h2o out of the bowl and strain the sliced apples.
Blanching
Like the above processes, blanching helps preserve your apples' colors, preserves freshness, and prevents browning.
- Place raw sliced apples briefly in humid water for 30 seconds to sixty seconds maximum. Remove the slices and shock them by plunging them into an iced water bath to prevent further cooking.
- Exercise non go out to sit down in the h2o for too long or they will go mushy. Check regularly to ensure the water remains freezing cold, and to find if the slices accept lost warmth.
- Drain the h2o and strain your apple slices.
- If you practice non mind the slices clumping together place them within your bag/container and freeze them.
- If however, you want to used them individually; pre-freeze the slices.
- To pre-freeze, your apples, place them on a blistering sheet (ensuring the pieces practice not impact each other) and freeze them for 10 – xv minutes. So transfer them to their freezer-safe bag/container and place them dorsum in the freezer.
Are Apples Still Practiced If They Freeze?
While freezing apples won't ruin them, the texture volition change.The texture of frozen apples won't be crispy like fresh apples, but rather strong and snappy.
Hence, you may not go the same satisfaction from eating defrosted and thawed apples compared to fresh apples.
What to Do With Frozen Apples?
Frozen apples, whether whole or sliced, can be used for different recipes:
- Crisps – My kids love this snack and I love to give it to them. Simply cut the apple into thin slices without the pare and freeze them. To ensure they do non go brown follow the procedures in the "how to gear up apples for freezing" department higher up. One time you are set up to make them into crisps, thaw the slices in the refrigerator and pat them dry out. And then add cinnamon and place them in the oven for two hours at 374 °F (190 °C).
- Smoothies – Some other winner with my kids. Mix the frozen apples with yogurt and some honey and whiz away.
- Stewed apples – Yum! I love this with ice cream. A nice and quick dessert that will win the heart of all your family. For this, I freeze the apple already stewed. One time yous are ready to utilize them, get the stewed out, put information technology in the microwave for 15 seconds, and voila, you have your dessert!
- Apple tree butter – Brand the butter and freeze it and so it does non get bad. Go along out what you will need to use in 3 or four days maximum.
- Applesauce – Great with pork. Make the apple sauce, freeze it, and defrost it past putting it in the refrigerator the solar day earlier you employ it!
- Jam – No demand to defrost your apples when making your jam.
- Jelly – No need to defrost your apples when making apple tree jelly
- Cakes and pies – Freeze your apples in slices (for pies) or cut (for cakes), depending on what your intent is. Do not need to defrost them before you put them in the pie or cake.
- Baked apples – Freeze your apples whole. No demand to defrost them before baking.
- Tea – Back in the day when I was younger, my grandmother used to make me apple tea. Simply boil the frozen apples in water and utilize as much or equally niggling sugar equally you want, so potable it hot (or common cold). I used to love this tea every time, simply it was particularly great to soothe me when I was feeling anxious about my school exams!
Basically, frozen apples can exist used for a wide variety of cooked or baked dishes.
What to Do With Apples Going Bad?
If you detect that your apples are going bad and no one is eating them, y'all may want to consider a few options. One of these options is, of grade, to freeze them. We've already gone through a few ways you can freeze your apples.
Another thing yous can practice is to juice the apples in your processor. So, you can freeze the apple tree juice then you can serve information technology to your kids, use information technology while blistering, and so on.
Of course, you lot can too make a bunch of recipes with your apples before they go completely bad. Here are some suggestions of recipes we beloved:
- Apple tree Cinnamon Pull-Apart Staff of life With Vanilla Edible bean Glaze
- Crescent Apple Pie Bites
- Healthy Apple Muffins with Spiced Crumble Recipe
- Homemade Granola Recipe With Caramel and Apple
- Healthy Baked Apple Oatmeal Recipe
- Autumn Caramel Apple and Honeycomb Eton Mess Recipe
Final Thoughts
Apples are a wonderful fruit total of vitamins, and minerals. They are too versatile and super cheap, so not surprising that most of us end up with huge amount of apples during their flavour.
Well, now in that location is no demand to throw away those extra apples that no ane had a chance to eat. Instead, freeze them; whole, sliced, with or without skin, and employ them for a variety of cooked/baked meals.
Only ensure yous freeze them properly to avoid them going dark-brown. This is especially truthful for those apples being frozen cutting or without pare.
Source: https://www.diys.com/can-you-freeze-apples/
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