If you want to store apples in the freezer for all year round use, you can use a very simple system. Apples must be peeled, cored and sliced before being frozen and added with lemon juice, salted water or a fruit preservative to ensure that they do not blacken and do not spoil. Use containers suitable for storing food in the freezer and eat the apples by the next harvest.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Peel and Slice the Apples
Step 1. Wash them under cold running water
Turn on the tap and scrub them under the water with your fingers to remove dust and any traces of impurities. After washing them, dry the apples with a clean tea towel or kitchen paper.
Step 2. Peel the apples with the vegetable peeler
Use it slowly and carefully so as not to cut yourself and not to remove too much pulp from the fruit. Peel the apples in a spiral, starting from the stalk until reaching the lower end. Remove the peel from the entire batch of apples you intend to freeze before cutting them into slices.
If you don't have a vegetable peeler, you can use a small, pointed knife with a short blade
Step 3. Remove the core from the apples using a sharp knife
Cut them first in half and then in quarters starting from the side with the petiole. After cutting them in four, remove the core from each piece, which is the central part of the fruit where the seeds are enclosed.
Work on the kitchen cutting board for less effort
Step 4. Cut the apples into smaller pieces to make them easier to store in the freezer
The number or size of the slices depends on your personal preferences, 8-12 slices are a good option. You can use a handy apple cutter to quickly slice them (and remove the core at the same time) or you can cut them with a knife.
- Use the kitchen cutting board to slice the apple quarters into smaller pieces.
- Cut them into slices or pieces according to the use you intend to make of them. To make an apple pie it is best to slice them precisely, while if you want to add them in a smoothie you can also cut them into coarse chunks.
Part 2 of 3: Pretreat the Apples
Step 1. Use lemon juice to prevent them from blackening
Pour a liter of water into a bowl and add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon juice. Stir with the spoon and then soak the apple slices for 5 minutes.
- Make sure all slices are submerged in water.
- This diluted solution shouldn't affect the taste of apples much.
Step 2. Use salt to keep apples fresh
Pour a liter of water into a bowl and add a tablespoon (15 g) of salt. Stir until the salt has dissolved completely, then soak the lemon slices for a few minutes. Finally drain them from the salted water.
- Make sure all apple slices are submerged in water to keep them fresh for a long time.
- The salt acts as a preservative, extending the amount of time you can store apples in the freezer without the risk of them spoiling or causing cold burns.
- Once thawed, apples may taste a little salty. Before using them, rinse them under cold running water to remove excess salt.
Step 3. Sprinkle the apple slices with fruit preservative to extend their shelf life in the freezer
You can buy it online and follow the directions that accompany the product to apply it correctly on apples. Generally these preservatives are powdered and must be distributed evenly on the fruit to ensure a longer shelf life.
Fruit preservatives do not alter the taste
Part 3 of 3: Freezing the Apples
Step 1. Drain the apple slices after soaking them
If you have used one of the techniques described in the previous section to make them last longer, pour the entire contents of the bowl into a colander to drain them from the liquid solution. Shake the colander to drain them.
Do not rinse the apples after treating them so as not to wash off the lemon juice, salt or preservative agent
Step 2. Arrange the apple slices on a large baking sheet
Line it with parchment paper to prevent the fruit from sticking to the metal. Arrange the apple slices or pieces horizontally, spacing them apart.
It is important that the apple pieces do not touch each other while standing on the pan otherwise they will stick together during the freezing phase
Step 3. Place the pan in the freezer for 1-3 hours
Arrange it perfectly horizontally to prevent the apple slices from slipping and overlapping each other. If you cut the apples into small pieces or thin slices, leave them in the freezer for 1-2 hours, while if they are large, wait about 3 hours.
Freezing the apple slices spaced apart helps prevent them from sticking together, forming a single block
Step 4. Transfer the frozen apple slices to airtight containers
After you freeze them individually, you can move them to containers or freezer bags. Try to fill them as much as possible to limit the presence of air and prevent cold burns.
- Write the date of preparation on the outside of the bag or container and specify the type of content to remind you of what it is in the months to come.
- If you want to protect your fingers from the cold, use a flat kitchen spatula to peel the apple slices off the parchment paper you lined the pan with.
Step 5. Store the apples in the freezer and consume them by the next harvest season
Having pre-treated and hermetically sealed in bags or containers, they should remain good for several months. However, try to use them as soon as possible, and before the cold starts to burn them, to enjoy them at their best.
When you're ready to use them, transfer the bag or container to the refrigerator for at least six hours or soak them in water
Advice
- The texture and taste of apples change after they are frozen. Some varieties suffer less damage than others, for example sweet apples, such as Fuji and Gala, retain their flavor better than more acidic ones, such as Golden Delicious and Granny Smith. Sometimes the latter remain crispier and firmer than the floury ones by nature, such as Red Delicious.
- Apples that are overripe or have many bruises should be eaten immediately, they are not suitable for being frozen.
- Frozen apples can be used to make cakes, muffins and smoothies.
