Freezing peaches for the winter: 6 best storage methods

Multi-healthy, juicy and soft peaches in winter - you can only dream about this. But if you freeze peaches for the winter, then dreams become reality! This sunny fruit is well stored in the cold, preserving its taste and vitamin composition.

Can peaches be frozen?

A frozen peach loses its shape a little, especially if soft and slightly overripe fruits were selected. But this does not reduce the benefits of freezing.

What is good about storing at low temperatures:

1. This is a great alternative to canning. Peaches are not subjected to long-term heat treatment, like jam, jam or compote, which means they remain as healthy as possible.
2. Frozen peaches are many times healthier and tastier than store-bought winter fruits.
3. In this form, the fruits are stored for up to 10-12 months.
4. This is a convenient preparation for fillings, decorating dishes, adding to porridge, cocktails or fruit salad.

How to freeze: 6 best ways

Before freezing peaches, you will have to select suitable specimens. We take ripe fruits, but not soft, otherwise they will turn into mush. Be sure to taste the fruit pulp: if there is any bitterness or sourness, then storage at sub-zero temperatures will only worsen the problem. Save only sweet peaches for the winter.

How to prepare fruits for freezing, all stages:

1. The pubescent skin must be removed. To do this, the fruit needs to be blanched in boiling water for about a minute, and then dipped in ice water to cool quickly. After this treatment, just pick up the skin with a knife, and it will come off easily.
2. All fruits are pitted.
3. Now, regardless of the cutting method for freezing, the pulp must be sprinkled with lemon juice or kept in a solution of 1 liter of water and 10 g of citric acid. Acidification will prevent the pulp from darkening.
4. The last step is drying the peach on a waffle towel. Excess moisture spoils the product during long-term storage.

In slices

To store fruits in slices, they need to be frozen separately, otherwise the pulp will stick together. To do this, spread the dried pieces in an even layer on a flat dish covered with cling film. Place everything in the freezer for several hours to harden the pulp. When the peaches are frozen, pour them into containers and store them permanently.

Important point: the packaging must be airtight. Tie the bags tightly and close the lids tightly, otherwise the pieces will become damp and lose their flavor. There is also no need to distribute the fruit into large bags. Make convenient portions so you can take them out as needed.

Re-freezing is prohibited: the pieces will be completely spoiled.

Advice
The magazine purity-en.htgetrid.com recommends freezing smooth peaches and nectarines in the same way.

As a puree

Peaches that are slightly overripe are suitable for making puree. Their soft structure is easy to knead.

Recipe:

1. Place the peeled fruits into a blender bowl. If you like purees with distinct pieces, then use a grater or meat grinder.
2. Pare the peaches in a convenient way, adding a little sugar and lemon juice if desired.
3. Distribute the puree into containers, cups or ice cube trays. This ice will be an ideal companion for cocktails in the future.

Advice
Remember that for peaches it is better to have a separate fruit and vegetable section in the freezer. Fruits can absorb foreign odors. It is unlikely that you will like peach compote with the aroma of fish or semi-finished meat products.

In sugar

Peaches, especially not the sweetest varieties, quickly lose their sugary taste when stored in the freezer for a long time. Housewives have adapted to storing pieces in sugar. So in winter you will always have a sweet fruit treat on hand.

How to cook:

1. Dry the washed and acidified fruits and cut into convenient pieces: halves, cubes or slices.
2. Place portions of fruit in small containers.
3. Sprinkle the fruits with granulated sugar. Its amount depends on personal preference and the sweetness of the fruit itself.
4. Pack the candied peach tightly. If you use plastic cups, use cling film as a lid. Unopened fruits should not be stored in the freezer, otherwise the preparation will become damp, covered with a crust of ice, and lose its aroma and taste.
5. Place in the freezer.

In syrup

Peaches come in varying degrees of ripeness. Those that are already releasing juice are unlikely to be preserved in pieces unless you have a turbo freezing function and the ability to keep the fruits at temperatures of -25 degrees and below. Soft and juicy fruits are well stored in their own juice and sugar syrup.

How to prepare a sweet dish for fillings and compotes:

1. Mix water and sugar in a 2:1 ratio. Melt the syrup and cool slightly.
2. Cut the peaches into manageable pieces and place them in containers.
3. Pour warm syrup over everything so that it covers the pieces by half.
4. Allow the fruits to absorb sugar and release juice.
5. When the mixture has cooled, cover it with a lid and place it in the freezer.

Entirely

A rare, but also possible way to store fruits. It is enough to rinse the skin well and wipe off excess moisture. Peaches are wrapped in parchment paper or placed in heavy-duty freezer bags. Then they are stored in a common container.

Dried peach

An interesting method, the essence of which is to evaporate excess moisture. This peach will not get soggy in the freezer; it is convenient to add it to fillings without additional defrosting.

How to cook:

1. Cut the peeled and pitted fruit into slices.
2. Treat with lemon juice or citric acid solution to avoid darkening of the pulp.
3. Place the pieces on a baking sheet and place in the oven preheated to 60 degrees.
4. Leave the cabinet door ajar and let the peaches sit for about an hour.
5. When the fruits have wilted, let them cool.
6. Pack into portioned bags and put in the freezer.

Have time to eat peaches in the first months of storage. The longer they sit, the less vitamins remain in them. Defrosting is carried out gradually, first in the refrigerator, then at room temperature. Do not use a microwave or hot water to quickly defrost. Eat peaches just like that, add them to salads, porridges, side dishes, cocktails and pie fillings, make compotes, preserves and jams.