Is it possible to freeze bananas in the freezer at home

Almost everyone knows about the benefits of bananas. They can always be found on the vegetable layouts of supermarkets and markets. But these fruits are prone to rapid overripening, many housewives have a question, how to increase the storage time? Is it possible to freeze overripe bananas in the freezer? How to keep them fresh longer?

Why do bananas freeze

The question of freezing bananas for the winter period will seem strange. Perhaps such measures are resorted to in those regions where these exotic fruits are not always on sale.

Under normal conditions, this procedure will be an excellent way to process overripe fruits.Fresh fruit has a short shelf life and quickly loses its marketability. If you do not take special measures and leave it in a room with a normal temperature, in just a day a ripe banana begins to deteriorate. To increase the storage period, the banana is frozen. The frozen product is used as one of the main components in the preparation of desserts and chilled cocktails.

Selection and preparation of bananas

Freezing is carried out with ripe or slightly overripe fruits. Green fruits are not suitable for freezing.

Before sending bananas to the freezer, be sure to wash them well.

This process is considered quite appropriate, given that they have undergone a long transportation and repeated movement to the supermarket shelves. Leave the washed fruits to dry completely.

Preparing the freezer

To speed up the freezing process, one of the compartments of the freezer is prepared in advance, the lowest temperature zone is freed from the products previously placed for storage. Then turn on its “Freeze” function or adjust the temperature control knob to set a lower temperature. At this time, the temperature inside the freezer will become lower, which helps to protect against unwanted heat caused by placing warm food.

How to freeze bananas at home

There are several recipes and methods for freezing bananas. They use both peeled fruits and whole peeled ones, also crushed into cubes or circles, in the form of mashed potatoes. Each method has its own merits.

Skinned

Many people are attracted by the low cost of this method. Fresh fruits are put in freezer bags and placed in the freezer. Each of them must indicate the date of the bookmark. Frozen fruits have a slightly dark skin, but this does not affect their taste, they remain the same, only a little softer.

Before use, bananas are taken out for defrosting, leaving them indoors at room temperature. They clean up as usual. These fruits are used in smoothies, baked goods and as a filling in cereals.

Skinless

This is a pretty practical way to store overripe bananas. For this you need:

remove the prepared fruits from the peel;
prepare them for pre-freezing.To do this, on a baking sheet, dish or other flat object covered with parchment or foil, place fruits at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other. Send them to the freezer for 60 minutes and let them freeze. The temperature in the refrigeration appliance should be between -18 °C and -22 °C, preferably not exceeding these values. This process will prevent the fruits from sticking together;
pour the frozen product into polyethylene bags, remove as much air as possible from the inside and close tightly.

Place prepared foods in the freezer for further storage.

Banana Puree

The most affordable and convenient kitchen unit, for example, a blender, is used to grind fruits. After removing the peel, their pieces are placed in the bowl of the device and brought to a homogeneous mass. Some housewives grind them with a sieve with large holes, a potato masher, a fork.

To preserve the color and extend the shelf life, add lemon juice in the proportion of 1 tbsp. spoon: 1 cup puree. The prepared product is laid out in cells for freezing ice and left in the freezer until completely frozen (about 60 minutes).

The temperature inside the refrigeration appliance is set to -18 °C. Ready cubes of banana puree are taken out of the cells and laid out in bags or vessels. Tie tightly or close and indicate the date of the bookmark.

For freezing banana puree, paper and plastic cups are used. After spreading the cooked product, without adding a little to the top edge of the cups, tighten it with cling film.

Sliced bananas

Before sending the fruits to the freezer, they are cut into portions. The thickness is arbitrary. To make them evenly frozen, cutting is done in the same size.

These pieces are placed on a board or dish and sent to the freezer for 60-90 minutes. Frozen pieces are scattered into bags or containers, on which the date must be indicated. Having removed the air to the maximum, they are placed back in the chamber.

Banana ice cream

Dessert is prepared from ripe fruits, the skin of which is covered with black dots. Prepared fruits are peeled and cut into two halves, inserted into each special ice cream stick or skewer. Dishes with crushed chocolate are placed in a water bath and kept until it is completely dissolved. Each banana blank is dipped in a warm mass and sent for freezing.

How to store frozen food

Frozen fruits are stored in special containers or plastic bags for freezing. Try not to violate the temperature regime from -18° to -22°.

Shelf life

Peeled bananas last 90 days, peeled bananas 60 days.

How to defrost properly

To get a defrosted product, it is left indoors at room temperature until completely thawed.

Following the recommendations and tips above, it is easy to increase the shelf life of tropical fruits, as well as enjoy their taste and aroma for a long time.