Kitchen Hints and Tips #4 … How to Freeze Bananas …

Kitchen Hints and Tips #4 … How to Freeze Bananas 001

 

My family loves bananas and I use them a lot in cooking as well but occasionally I end up with too many.  I don’t like throwing them out or wasting bananas that are over ripe so I simply freeze them.

 

Choose bananas that have completely ripened as they will be the sweetest but, having said that, I do avoid bananas that have really started to blacken substantially. Try also to avoid freezing bananas that are still partly green as freezing won’t help them to ripen or improve their flavour.

 

There are three different methods that work quite well so it’s worth trying them all to see which one you prefer.  Whichever method you settle on, it really doesn’t take much effort and the result will be a supply of bananas conveniently on hand for baking, smoothies or your favourite dessert. Bananas will freeze well for up to 4 months.

 

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Method 1 …

 

Peel the bananas you intend to freeze.  Cut into thick slices or chunks.  Place the pieces on a baking tray lined with baking paper in a single layer, and freeze for approximately 2 hours.  Once all the pieces have frozen completely, remove the tray from the freezer, place the frozen pieces in a zip lock bag, remove as much air as possible from the bag, seal and return to the freezer. Remember to clearly label the bag with the contents and the date it is being frozen. It’s a good idea to freeze the individual banana pieces before placing them in the zip lock bag otherwise, freshly cut pieces put straight in the zip lock bag will probably freeze stuck together in a big lump, making them hard to separate if you only need a couple of pieces.

 

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Method 2 …

 

Freeze the bananas whole with the skin on. This is faster and takes less effort initially but generally it will take longer for the banana to defrost when it’s needed. You will need to wait for the banana to at least partially defrost before peeling and the banana also tends to be more mushy once the skin is removed. It’s still a good idea to store whole, unpeeled bananas in a zip lock bag and again, be sure to clearly label the bag with the contents and the date it is being frozen. Be warned, the skins will most likely go black in the freezer, but the banana flesh inside will still be okay, so don’t let it put you off! And here’s a sneaky tip, once the banana has defrosted, cut off one end and simply squeeze the banana from the bottom (just like you would a tube of toothpaste) straight into a bowl … saves you touching the mushy banana.

 

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Method 3 …

 

Peel the bananas you would like to freeze, mash with a fork, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for each cup of banana and stir through. Spoon the mashed banana into either a zip lock or a container. Label with the contents and the date but also a measurement of how much is stored. I usually store mashed banana in either ½ cup or 1 cup portions. Using this method, the banana will need to be thawed before use.

 

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Frozen banana pieces are perfect to use in muffins, smoothies, banana bread, cakes and desserts. So if you don’t currently freeze bananas, give it a go … it’s also a great way to save some money if you buy and freeze a lot when they are on special at the supermarket.

 

So tell me, are bananas one of your favourite fruits and do you currently freeze them?

 

Here are some fantastic Banana recipes that you might like to try:

 

Banana Bread 001

 

 

Date and Banana Muffins

 

 

Chocolate, Coconut and Banana Muffins

 

 

Apple Banana Bread 001

 

 

Banana and Carrot Muffins with Chocolate Chips