How to Freeze Bananas Without Turning Brown? Is a question every banana-lovers tend to ask.
Because of the flavorful and delicious taste this tropical fruit gives off, it’s comprehensible why people like to use it in pretty much anything.
Whether it’s for drinks, desserts or even cooking, this astounding fruit can certainly be put to many uses.
Because of the vitamins and minerals found in bananas like Potassium and vitamin C, many individuals implement it on their diet and meal plan.
Bananas play a considerable part in boosting your immune system and even gives you countless health benefits.
However, it’s a common problem for bananas to go brown if they are frozen.
But don’t worry!
In this article, we will talk about everything you need to know about freezing bananas and how you can avoid your favorite fruit from turning brown. Go forth and read on!
The Secret on Why Bananas Turn Brown
Before we start with the guide, it’s essential to know the reason or the “culprit” behind the bananas turning brown to give you a clearer idea on how you can stop this situation from happening in the future.
Bananas turn brown mainly because of the ice crystals formed from the fridge.
So if you place the fruit in your fridge, the ice crystals will grow, and they puncture or burst the banana’s skin cells.
This releases a compound known as polyphenol oxidase and, as the title implies, it operates to ventilate quinones into phenols that have a ring-like shape.
All of these quinones can then merge or polymerize and generate a black, brown, or even red pigment called polyphenol, and that’s what causes the fruit to turn brown.
Main Ways on How to Freeze Bananas Without Turning Brown
Now that you know why your favorite tropical fruit turns brown, you don’t have to open the fridge again with a disappointed face.
This is because we will now show you the three ways you can adequately freeze the fruit without dealing with that horrible issue!
Check out these remarkable methods below:
Method #1: Using the Power of Limes
As with other fruits, adding some lemon or lime juice to a peeled banana can help keep their freshness.
Typically, the citrus molecules hinder down the oxidation process. If you don’t have any lemon or lime juice, you may also use pineapple juice or orange juice.
Disclaimer: This may slightly change the taste of the banana
The Process:
If you plan to use the banana for a smoothie or toppings in your dessert, then it’s better to slice them before freezing.
Start by cutting them into your desired pieces and place them in a clean and empty bowl.
Next, grab a bottle of lime juice and transfer it to a cup to make it more accessible.
However, if you don’t have on hand, you can make your lime juice using a lemon reamer and real limes.
Once your lemon juice is ready, pour in 2 tablespoons of the fluid and make sure it covers all the sides of your sliced banana. Place them in the refrigerator to freeze,
If by chance your fruit is still whole or maybe just halved, you can take a small brush and coat it with the juice you’ve prepared before popping it in the freezer.
Method #2: Easy Hack with White Vinegar
It may come to you as a great surprise, but vinegar can be used to prevent your fruits from turning an ugly shade of dark.
Since vinegar is acidic and contains sodium, it works by lowering the pH levels of your fruit’s skin.
This makes the browning or darkening process slower than it usually is.
However, vinegar tends to be sour, so diluting it with water will certainly help avoid changing your fruit’s taste.
The Process:
Grab a small and clean bowl and place in your sliced banana. If your banana is still whole or is cut in half, you may use a bigger bowl to ensure everything fits perfectly.
Set it aside as you prepare the vinegar solution.
Place 2 teaspoons of white vinegar and a cup of water in a clean and empty spray bottle. Make sure to give it a fair shake before using.
A spray bottle is much better to utilize since it’s easier t to use, and it lessens the risk of overly-pouring the solution.
Let it sit for about 3 minutes to help the vinegar coat the bananas and place it in the freezer.
Method #3: The Good Old Ginger Ale
Did you know that Ginger ale isn’t just for drinking? That’s right! Even though this drink is deceivingly delicious, there are countless other ways to use it.
If you can manage to place the beverage down after taking a refreshing and cool swig, you can utilize the rest of the ginger ale to keep your fruit from browning.
This method is proven to work successfully and is among the safest ones that won’t alter your fruits’ taste!
The Process:
Grab your Ginger ale and pour it in a clean and empty bowl. Make sure the bowl is big enough to fit all your sliced bananas.
However, if your fruit is still whole or halved, better choose a deeper bowl to make sure everything fits.
Take out your banana and gently dip everything in the bowl. Make sure all the sides of the banana are covered.
Let it stay for about a minute or two. Be sure to don’t surpass the given time limit as long exposure might affect the taste.
After 2 minutes, place your soaked bananas in the freezer and wait for it to freeze up!
How Long Does It Take to Freeze Bananas?
If you’re wondering how long does it take to freeze bananas, the answer is solely depending on the purpose.
When it comes to baking and making some delicious smoothies, you wouldn’t want a fruit that’s hard as a rock.
Thus, it’s best to leave them in a fridge for an hour. This will give the fruit a chance to reach a state where you don’t need time to thaw it.
However, if you want the fruit to freeze faster, you can place it in a spaced-out tray but be sure to position them away from each other to ensure they will all evenly get frozen.
How Long Can You Freeze Bananas?
Surprisingly, a frozen banana can stay about 3 months in the freezer without going bad.
However, if you want to make sure that it can last more than the given time, place it in a plastic container that is totally air-shut tight.
This will help preserve the fruit’s freshness since it doesn’t get exposed to any bacteria or particles that can sabotage its properties.
In a situation that you have unripe bananas, placing them in the freezer can make it last for up to 6 months.
How to Quickly Thaw Your Frozen Banana
If you plan to use your frozen fruit to make an excellent savory pie and have no time to waste, then you can do this simple yet effective thawing method in order to defrost your banana correctly.
Not only will it save you the time but doing so won’t do any damage to your bananas taste!
The Process:
Place your frozen banana in a Ziplock. If you have much-frozen fruit, it’s good to use a bigger bag.
Be sure that it is tightly sealed, and no air or water can go inside the bag. By doing this, it can protect your fruit from any possible bacteria that may go through.
Grab a large bowl and fill it with warm water and let it sit for a minute to cool down.
Once the minute has passed, submerge your Ziplock and let it stay for about 5-10 minutes. The warm water will quickly defrost your fruit.
Once the banana has defrosted, take them out of the bag and place it in a clean and dry bowl. Enjoy!
Conclusion
Now that you know how to freeze bananas without turning brown is possible, then you can undoubtedly enjoy your fruit with an ever-lasting freshness and flavor that lingers in every bite!
The fruit is indeed a useful ingredient in various kinds of dishes.
Knowing how to properly freeze them without browning is a valuable tip you can utilize in your kitchen.
If you find yourself with any fruit that you can’t use now but don’t want it to go to waste, make sure to recheck this guide. It’ll surely help!
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