How To Freeze Oranges: Easy As 1,2,3

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Winter is up! The holiday season is near! Oranges included in holiday baskets, yum! But hold on! Don’t eat all the oranges at once!

Why? What if they go bad before you can eat them all?

Oranges are a very fickle fruit when it comes to storage. If not stored properly (i.e. – keeping them at the right temperature), oranges can go bad in as little as two days.

People often ask questions like: Can we freeze citrus fruits, or can we freeze oranges? Do oranges freeze? How to use frozen citrus or any other frozen fruit?

There is a simple answer to these questions: Yes! However, there are some important things to know before you freeze oranges.

Otherwise, you could come back to a freezer full of bags of orange chunks when you want to have frozen citrus in the morning.

In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know to freeze unpeeled orange slices.

But first, let’s start with a few quick questions and answers.

Does freezing make oranges taste better? No, it doesn’t! But then again it’s good to be able to freeze citrus fruits if you have them in abundance.

What Is the Nutrition Value of Frozen Oranges?

Frozen oranges are full of healthy nutrients. They are low in calories and fat, but very high in vitamin C! If you want to add more nutrition to your diet, add oranges to your meals.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Freezing Oranges?

The good things about freezing oranges are that they keep the taste of oranges, they keep their nutrients and vitamins, but you can also eat them when they thaw.

The bad things about oranges are that they take up a lot of space and the peels may crack if you freeze them for too long.

Following are the Reasons Why You May Want to Freeze Oranges:

1. You like having juice every morning, but oranges often go bad before you can drink all the juice.

2. Oranges aren’t in season; it is too expensive or you can’t find them anywhere! Let’s freeze some oranges to get juice any time we want!

3. You like oranges especially in an ice cube, but you don’t like seeds or peels. By freezing the orange whole (or in chunks), you can take out the seeds and peel them.

4. You like oranges, but not for breakfast or during meals; you eat them when you feel like it (fresh orange or frozen fruit).

5. You don’t like oranges much, but you like the juice. So, why not freeze oranges and use them as ice cubes? That way, you can have fresh juice whenever you want!

6. You like oranges, but you don’t like drinking them. You prefer to make orange-flavored candy, jelly, or marmalade.

7. You like oranges, but you don’t like them whole. So, you have cut the orange into slices or chunks and then froze them.In this article, we will cover all these topics and provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to freeze and thaw frozen oranges and use thawed oranges.

Let’s start with the basic question:

Can we freeze citrus fruits?

Yes, you can! Freezing oranges is quite easy and it won’t affect the flavor or quality of oranges.You’ll still end up with good-tasting oranges after freezing them, but not-so-good-looking oranges.

Can we freeze orange juice?

Yes! It is quite easy to do, but keep in mind that the frozen orange will have a different texture from what you are used to.It will also have a lower nutritional value!

Can we freeze orange slices?

Yes! You can freeze orange slices. If you want to use the orange slices, later on, make sure you cook the slices first.

Can we freeze orange chunks?

Yes! They are so easy to do and you can use them at any time after they thaw!

Can we freeze orange wedges?

Yes, you can easily do that by cutting the oranges into wedges and then putting them into a zipper bag.

However, if you need to use the wedges for cooking or other things, try not to thaw all of them at once.

Let some of the wedges stay in the freezer for making jelly, marmalade, or other things later on!

Freezing oranges is very simple and easy. However, there are some important things to keep in mind:

• Make sure you choose good oranges otherwise, the texture and taste of your oranges may not be very good after you thaw them.
• Use gallon-size bags and put the oranges vertically into the bags. This way, you can remove as much air as possible from the bag.
• You can use a vacuum sealer to remove the maximum amount of air from the bags.
• For freezing orange segments in ice cube trays, you should remove as much air as possible, just like when you freeze oranges.
• Try to seal the zipper bags properly; otherwise, your oranges may taste bitter!
• You can use most kinds of oranges for freezing, including Valencia, Navel, and Hamlin.
• Do not overfill your zipper bags; otherwise, the juice may spill out and make a mess!
• Do not freeze oranges if their quality isn’t very good.
• You can use other containers for freezing oranges; just make sure they are watertight and that the lid is tightly closed!
• You can use your freezer for storing your oranges! Let them stay in the freezer until they are completely frozen. Then, you can move them to the refrigerator.
• Do not thaw your oranges before you use them; otherwise, their texture will change! If you need to use them before they thaw, put them in the refrigerator and let them stay there until they defrost.
• If you want to use orange slices for cooking, you should cook the oranges until they are tender first!
• You can use your oranges after they thaw!
• After your oranges thaw, they can easily be crushed if you leave them in their juices for a long time. If you want to peel them, use a fork and pull the skin!

Now you have the information that was essential, let’s go to the main body:Now that we’ve covered all this, let’s go to step-by-step instructions on how to freeze your oranges

How to Freeze Oranges?

First, prepare a bowl of cold water and put the oranges in the bowl. Leave them for about an hour so their skin will be soft.

Second, peel the oranges and remove their seeds! Make sure you handle them with care to avoid damaging or breaking them.

Third, cut the oranges into small pieces. It is recommended that you use a sharp knife for this step!

Fourth, seal the bag and put it in the freezer so it can freeze for a few hours or overnight.

Fifth, remove them from the refrigerator and let them thaw on your kitchen counter so they won’t be too cold!

Sixth, use the oranges in your favorite recipes, such as orange smoothies or bars.

Remember that you can also use them in other recipes that require orange juice instead of fresh oranges!

How to Freeze Oranges with Peels on?

You can freeze oranges without peeling them, which means you can add their peels to the bag when you freeze them. However, the peeled oranges will taste better than the ones with peels on when freezing.

How to Thaw Frozen Oranges?

You can thaw your oranges in many ways; however, the best way to do it is by putting them in the refrigerator at least overnight. You can also put them in a bowl of cold water to speed up the process!

You can also thaw oranges by putting them on your kitchen counter. They will thaw gradually, which is why it may take more time than putting them in the refrigerator overnight.

How to Freeze Whole Oranges?

Freezing whole oranges is easy. Just wash them, put them in a bowl and freeze them. When you freeze them, the skin regulates the internal temperature of the oranges.

How to Freeze Orange Juice?

The best way to freeze orange juice is in an ice cube tray. When you want to use it, all you need to do is remove the amount of orange juice that you need and let it thaw in your refrigerator.

You can also use other containers for freezing orange juice, but make sure the container is watertight!

You can also freeze without a container. You can pour it into a flat tray and let it freeze overnight.

When you use the frozen orange juice, you can break it into small pieces by hitting the tray on your counter.

How Long Can I Keep Frozen Oranges?

You can keep frozen oranges for up to 6 months. You can also keep it for about 3 to 4 months! If you go for more than this, the taste and texture of the oranges will change a lot!

Usually, if you want to eat oranges after 3 months, it is better to refreeze them!

How to Use Frozen Orange Slices?

You can eat oranges alone or you can add frozen orange slices to your favorite desserts and meals. Some people even use orange peels in their recipes!

You can also add frozen orange slices to other fruits that don’t have a lot of flavors, such as bananas, apples, or strawberries!

FAQs:

How do you freeze citrus fruit? 

You can freeze a lot of citrus fruit, but oranges are the easiest ones to freeze.

To freeze citrus fruit, you have to peel them off first! Make sure you wash them before peeling them! After that, place their peels in a container and put them in your freezer until you need them for cooking or baking.

After that, cut the oranges into pieces and place them in a freezer bag. Finally, label the freezer bag and put them back in your freezer! It’s that easy!

How long do frozen oranges last? 

Frozen oranges can last up to 6 months and sometimes even longer if you know how to preserve oranges.

Make sure you put the bags in your freezer and keep them away from your door or any other opening! If you don’t do that, they may thaw and spoil.

Can you freeze whole clementines? 

Yes, you can! Clementines are great to freeze and they taste just as good after being frozen.

Unlike orange zest, clementines don’t have thick skin, which makes them very easy to peel off! Make sure you wash your clementines before freezing them and remove any seeds or stems!

And if you want to teach the little ones about fruit and eating healthy, you can even print out a fruits printable as you enjoy your oranges.

Conclusion

So, there you have it! Now you know how to use frozen and thawed oranges. Oranges are great to freeze and they can last up to 6 months.

If you want to make it easier for yourself, peel them off before putting them in the freezer!

When it comes to using frozen oranges, you can use them anywhere you want! You can add them to other foods or eat them alone!

If you want to save time, use ice cube trays or glass jars to preserve them!