Can You Freeze Oranges With the Peel?
You’ve seen the videos, you know the drill: you take an orange, cut it in half, remove the peel and freeze it. But what if you didn’t have to cut it in half? What if you could just freeze it raw? The answer is, you can! If you’re looking to quickly capture that fresh citrus flavor and brightness without all of the work and prep involved with peeling and cutting oranges, then freezing them is for you.
The downside is that freezing requires a change in mindset — one that might be a bit uncomfortable at first. Let’s take a look at what freezing actually entails so that when your oranges come out of the freezer on Monday morning feeling great, you won’t just survive but thrive as well.
What is Freezing?
Freezing is the process of bringing food to a temperature that stops the growth of life-sustaining bacteria, fungus and viruses. Once the food reaches the freezing point, it stays frozen even if you take it out of the freezer. This method of storing food is commonly used in the hospitality industry to keep food fresh for extended periods of time.
How Does Freezing Work?
Freezing actually involves lowering the temperature at which foods are kept in order to preserve them. Lowering the temperature reduces the volume of enzymes, acids, and other nutritive substances within the food, preventing further microbial and nutritional degradation. Low temperature also prevents the growth of microorganisms that cause food to spoil.
The Best Way to Freeze Oranges
Freezing oranges is similar to how you store other fruits, vegetables and meats. Choose an appropriate container with a tight-fitting lid. For example, you can place cantaloupe or honeydew melon halves in a quart mason jar, or place grapefruit or orange halves in a gallon-size bag. Make sure the bag or container is airtight so that no oxygen can get into the contents. Place the bag in a sealed plastic bag or jar, and freeze.
Similarly, oranges can be frozen like other fruit, vegetables and meats. Choose an appropriate container with a tight-fitting lid. For example, you can place orange halves in a glass juice bottle, or place grapefruit or orange halves in a gallon-size bag. Make sure the bag or container is airtight so that no oxygen can get into the contents. Place the bag in a sealed plastic bag or jar, and freeze.
The Downside of Freezing Oranges
Freezing doesn’t guarantee that your oranges will be as orange as when they were fresh. The flavor in an orange is determined by a complex web of factors, including the type of apples used to make the juice, the weather where you live and the time of year. If you want to guarantee a vibrant orange flavor, you should let your oranges ripen at home. In order to get the most out of your frozen oranges, you should drink them as soon as possible.
If you’re looking to save the oranges for later, you can let them sit in the bag or container for a few minutes before discarding them. Alternatively, you can place the bag in a glass jar and add ice to create a frozen drink. This will ensure that the flavor is extracted as much as possible from the fruit.
Conclusion
Frozen foods are a great way to keep your food fresh for longer periods of time. You can also use them as a delicious, low-key diversion or as a prepper tool. Basically, there are many uses for frozen oranges. The only downside to freezing them is that you’ll miss the fresh orange flavor when you use them in a drink. This can be rectified by drinking them immediately, or by adding orange juice to a smoothie or making orange sherbet.