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When it comes to avocados, eating them before they go off can be an art form. We think I’ll wait and then miss the perfect moment and are left with brown, overripe avocados.
Freezing them at that perfect moment could solve all our avocado needs. So can you freeze avocados?
Yes, you can! Avocado can be frozen once ripe to preserve its shelf lids and allow you to enjoy it when you want. It’s great for those who perhaps buy their avocados at a reduced price when ripe but don’t wish to eat them straight away.
You can bulk buy when there’s a bargain without feeling like you need to eat avocado for the next week!
Today, we will look at how to freeze avocados, defrost them, and provide you with some tips about freezing your avocados. Let’s have avo on toast and guacamole, whenever we desire!
How to freeze avocados?
It is best to cut, mash, or puree your avocado before freezing it for the best results. Freezing a whole avocado can leave you with a brown, mushy fruit when defrosted, not good!
Make sure the fruit is appropriately prepared before freezing it. Which option you choose will depend on how you like to eat or cook with your avocado. The flexibility is a tremendous advantage to freezing your avocado! Let’s look at how you freeze them now.
Freezing Pieces or Halves:
To freeze pieces or half of an avocado, begin by cutting a ripe avocado in half. Remove the pit and peel the skin of the avocado. Here, you may cut the avocado into smaller chunks if you would like.
Next, brush or spray the avocado flesh with lemon juice. The juice helps to avoid any browning of the avocado. Once done, wrap the avocado in plastic wrap or place it in a resealable bag. I would do both.
You need to ensure that as little air is touching the avocado as possible to avoid browning or any freezer burn, so why not double the layers!
Once sealed, date and label the avocado and put it in your freezer.
Freezing Mash or Puree:
If you would prefer, you can freeze your avocado as mash or puree. You can even freeze your homemade guacamole with this method!
Begin by peeling the avocado and removing the pit. You can then mash the avocado by hand or using a food processor. As long as the avocado is ripe, mashing by hand should be fine. Place the avocado in a small bowl and press down with a fork to mash the fruit.
Once mashed, or during the mashing, you can add any seasoning. Lemon juice, salt, pepper, and chili powder are popular additions here. Ensure the seasoning is mixed through the mashed or pureed avocado.
If you are using the avocado for guacamole, it is best to avoid adding tomatoes, onions, or any other vegetables you would put in your guacamole. This is because these often release water when defrosting and can impact the texture of your guacamole.
Once you are satisfied with the seasoning, place the avocado in a container, ice cube tray, or a resealable bag. Be sure to press out as much air as possible. You can use a vacuum sealer to do this, or the air can be pressed out by hand.
Remember to label and date the bags before placing them in the freezer.
You might also be interested in if you can freeze these other produce or not:
Asparagus
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Kale
Spinach
Lettuce
Garlic
Green beans
Bananas
How to defrost avocados?
Now that your avocado has been frozen let’s look at how you can defrost your avocado.
Defrosting avocado is an easy process that can be done in as little as one hour! Simply remove your avocado from the freezer and place it on the counter at room temperature. It should take an hour to thaw completely.
Once thawed, be sure to use your avocado straightaway. If you decide not to, you can place the avocado in the fridge for use later. It is good to keep the avocado in its wrap or sealed bag to avoid any air browning the avocado.
You can also defrost your avocado in the refrigerator if you would like. Simply remove the avocado from the freezer and place it into the refrigerator.
It can sometimes take a little longer to defrost your avocado this way as the temperature is cooler in the refrigerator than in the rest of your room. Once the avocado is thawed, you can begin to use it.
Factors to Consider Before Freezing Avocados:
Now that we know how to freeze and thaw our avocados, let’s look at what you need to be aware of when freezing your avocados!
The texture of your avocado can change when frozen. Despite our best efforts to freeze it securely, some texture changes are inevitable.
Ice particles can penetrate the avocado, and when defrosted, leave excess water in the fruit. You might also notice a slightly grainy texture we don’t usually see with avocado.
These changes do not affect the safety of eating your avocado; it just might not be as pleasant. To overcome this, it is best to use the avocado with other ingredients.
Frozen and thawed avocado is often used as guacamole in salad dressing, smoothies, or other spreads. You are less likely to notice the changes in texture when paired with other ingredients.
Some people also find that frozen avocado can be mushy after defrosting. This is less likely to be an issue for those who have mashed or pureed their avocado before freezing. Again, using these in smoothies or as dips will mask any changes in its texture.
Once frozen, your avocado can be kept in the freezer for up to six months before defrosting. It’s a dramatic increase on its usual shelf-life! However, once defrosted, it is best to use the avocado within the same day.
Any longer, and you risk your avocado browning and further degrading in texture. Be sure to pull it out only when you are ready to use it!
Summary
As you can see, avocados can be frozen! It is best to freeze them as soon as they are ripe to extend their shelf life and save you a mushy brown avocado in your fruit bowl!
Be sure to defrost your avocado thoroughly before use, and remember that any changes to its texture are perfectly normal! The avocado is best enjoyed with other ingredients where these changes are masked.