Selecting, Ripening and Freezing Avocados
Did you know that you can freeze avocados? I sure didn’t. Tomorrow we are heading out-of-town and as I was prepping the house for our departure I realized that I had 6 RIPE avocados that needed to be eaten. Well, I can’t possibly eat 6 of them in a day so I did a little research and found out that a person can freeze them! Yay! Avocados–which are fruits, not vegetables–are commonly used in recipes but are temperamental to store. Once the skin is punctured and air is exposed to the fleshy part inside, they will begin to turn brown. Ripe avocados can be stored in the refrigerator for five to seven days at most, assuming they are kept in airtight containers, but they can last in the freezer for up to five months.
Freezing Avocados
- Cut the avocado in half. Beware of the seed in the middle.
- Remove and discard the seed.
- Remove the fleshy part with a spoon. An easy way to do this is to cut the flesh horizontally and vertically to make little squares and then scoop them into a bowl.
- Mash the avocado pieces into a puree using a fork, a large spoon or even a potato masher.
- Add 1 tbsp. of lemon juice for every two avocados, and mix it in well.
- Scoop the puree into an airtight container, making sure to leave a little extra room, as it will expand when it is frozen.
- When it’s time to thaw the frozen avocados put them in the refrigerator or place the container in a bowl of cool water to accelerate thawing.
- It may be helpful to mark the date of when the puree was placed into the freezer with a marker or a label so you will know whether it has expired. The puree should be discarded after five months in the freezer.
This is my little trick… I use a glass to hold the Zip-lock bag open.
That way I can easily scoop the mashed avocado into the bag without making a mess. It’s my 3rd hand!
Whenever you store foods in the fridge or freezer, it is a good habit to label it with the measurements and the date on it. This way you can avoid mystery foods and make sure you use them before they get to old. I try to think ahead and measure my quantities into amounts that I am likely to use all at once. That way I avoid defrosting too much and causing waste.
How to Ripen Avocados
- To ripen avocados slowly, put them in the fruit bin of your refrigerator (no apples please, that would be mixed signals). Avocados can be kept for up to two weeks this way. They will ripening very slowly, so when you take them out of the refrigerator they will be ready to eat in a couple of days.
- To ripen an avocado faster, place in a brown paper bag and set in your oven with only the oven light on.
- Once avocados are at a desired stage of ripeness, they may be refrigerated for up to 5 to 7 days
Purchasing & Using Avocados
- Avocados must be used when fully ripe. They do not ripen on the tree and are rarely found ripe in markets. Fresh avocados are almost always shipped in an unripe condition.
- To test for ripeness by cradling an avocado gently in your hand. Ripe fruit will yield will be firm, yet will yield to gentle pressure. If pressing leaves a dent, the avocado is very ripe and suitable for mashing.
- You can also remove the little plug where the avocado grew from the branch, if it is a bright green underneath the avocado is ripe.
- They are best served at room temperature.
Types of Avocados
- The two most widely marketed avocado varieties are the rough-skinned, almost black Hass and the smooth, thin-skinned green Fuerte.
- The Hass has a smaller pit and a more buttery texture than the Fuerte.
Posted on Monday, February 6th, 2012 at 9:56 am. Filed under: Raw Techniques, Special Ingredients RSS 2.0 feed.
Well, I’ll be, I sure did learn something new today. Thanks Amie Sue for informing me that Avo’s can be frozen. This will be a great $$ saver for me as I’m always discarding them if I don’t use them in time. x
Wow I had no idea I could freeze avocado! They’re still 50 cents each around here.. I need to stock back up and freeze some!
Thank you so much!!
Thank you! That was very helpful. I love avocados and always have them when I can get them. It’s good to know that you can freeze them. I also like that trick you showed with placing the plastic baggie in a glass to hold it open. I will definitely use that one a lot!
Great tip thanks so much. I need to stock up when they’re cheap for all my green smoothies and guacamole.
What a great tip. Thanks now we don’t have to discard them before we get to us them.
I just hate wasting food so this discovery was a god-send!! Have a blessed day, amie sue
Thank you thank you thank you! I live in FL, and people just bring boxes into my office all of the time. Organic one are 6/$3 at the height of season. Had nooooo idea you can freeze them. You are my hero Miss Amie-Sue!
Oh wow Val….I would love to get organic avocados for that price!!! Have a great day Val!
Hello Amie-sue,
Have you ever dried avacados? I have a recipe in my head for kale and spinach chips that include avocados, with lemon juice as another ingredient. I’m not sure if I should attempt it. :)
Hello Ana,
Hmm, I have thought of using avocados but had a slight concern as to how it would dry. It’s a high fat veggie and I worry that it wouldn’t crisp up… but there is one way to find out. haha I have an avocado in the fridge that needs some attention so I will give it a try tonight and let you know. :)
UPDATE 6pm Wed. – Pizza Kale Chips are now in the dehydrator that are avocado based!
UPDATE 7:46am Thurs. – No go on the avocado based kale chips. Shoot. Last night the aroma was causing my stomach to rumble with hunger. They smelt just like Pizza Rolls cooking. Just heavenly. So this morning, I couldn’t wait to give them a try. The pizza flavor is spot on… but the avocado hit me a weird aftertaste. You can tell that it is avocado, but it’s an odd lingering. I will make a new Pizza Kale chip in a different base. But I tried for you. Although, my taste buds differ from yours so you might like it so if you are really intrigued, do try. If you do, please let me know. amie sue :)
It is great to know someone has tried to freeze avocados, and the experiment worked; necessity being the mother of invention!
I too feel uncomfortable wasting food, so I have used avocados in soup bases, and pasta sauces, and now I feel a sense of relief knowing I can store them by freezing till needed again.
Thanks for sharing this great tip, it makes me feel more confident about experimenting with different food storage processes rather than storing it on my hips…lol!
Roz from Vancouver Island
Hello Rosalind,
You made me laugh, I too don’t want to store any more on my hips that required. lol I have 5 avocados in my fridge that I HAVE to deal with today so thank you for the reminder! Have a happy day. I insist. hehe amie sue
Yay! I had no clue I could freeze them – VERY BIG NEWS as I’m up in Canada in a rather remote location and Avacados are no less than $1.99 EACH!! Envious of the people who only pay .50 each!
I understand Tammy… they were a real treat when I was living in Alaska due to pricing as well.
Thanks for all the great info I’ve found on your site today, Amie Sue. Just found it, discovered it, stumbled on it today!!!:)…That was a good fall!!:) May God continue to bless you and yours, Grandma Shelley!!!
Welcome and I am so glad you found my site. I hope it brings you much inspiration. Blessings, amie sue
Thank you for sharing this great tip ,and ,thank you for the great recipes.
Your welcome Cerasela!