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Freezing bananas is a fantastic way to make them last longer so you can use them whenever you like for baking, smoothies, or even just eating plain. You can freeze bananas with the skin either on or off. Once your bananas are frozen, it's a fairly straightforward process to defrost them. With a few tips and tricks on your side, your bananas will be ready to eat soon!
Steps
Letting the Bananas Thaw Naturally
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1Put the bananas in a bowl to catch the leaking liquid. Find a nice big bowl that holds all your bananas, then put them in it. Try to spread the bananas out as best you can so they aren't bunched up together.[1]
- As the bananas begin to thaw, they will inevitably leak some liquid, which is why putting them in the bowl is really useful.
- If you don't have a bowl around, feel free to put the bananas inside a plastic bag. If you froze the bananas in a bag in the first place, you can just use this bag.
- If you're concerned about flies or other bugs, cover the bowl with foil or plastic wrap.
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2Leave the bananas to sit for 2 hours. Try to time it so that you are ready to use them right as they become fully thawed out. Put the bowl somewhere where it receives a lot of light if you want to make it go a little faster.[2]
- Letting the bananas sit for 2 hours is just a rough estimate, this may take more time or less time depending on the climate you are in.
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3Take the banana peels off with a paring knife. Flip the bananas upside down so the brown tip is facing upward, and insert your knife at the top. Then, slowly shave down the side of the banana being careful to not take too much flesh of the banana. Shave the peel down and away from you so your hands aren't in danger.[3]
- Try to use a paring knife for this process as paring knives are really good for peeling and shaping. However, if you don't have one, a regular chef's knife will do just fine.
Speeding up the Defrosting Process
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1Place the bananas in a plastic bag. If you don't have a plastic bag, try to find another container you can use, such as a plastic bowl or something similar. A paper bag won't work as it will fall apart in the water.[4]
- The reason for putting the bananas in a bag is so that the water you put the bananas in to defrost doesn't affect the flavor/texture of the bananas. This is particularly important if you peeled the bananas before you froze them.
- The peels can either be on or off for this process, but it's simpler just to leave them on.
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2Submerge the bag of bananas in a bowl full of cool water. Make sure the water is cool enough that you can put your hands in it comfortably. Take this chance to spread the bananas out so they all have as much exposure to the water as possible.[5]
- The water acts like a heater here and gently increases the temperature of the bananas to help them defrost.
- Make sure you fully submerge the bananas in the water.
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3Leave the bananas for about 10 minutes. Feel free to change the water after 5 minutes or so if you want to speed up the process a little bit.[6]
- Make sure to check how firm the bananas feel before you take them out. Do this by picking one up and squeezing it gently. If it still feels frozen, put it back to continue thawing.
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4Microwave the bananas on low for 3-4 minutes as an alternative. This is an option if you want to thaw your bananas as fast as possible. If you don't have a bag, you can put the bananas in a plastic or ceramic bowl, or some other kind of container. Make sure you don't put any metal in the microwave.[7]
- The power level of microwaves does vary, so stop the microwave after a few minutes to check how defrosted the bananas are.
- Make sure that the microwave is definitely set to low, as food items can very easily start to cook in microwaves. The last thing you want is a partially cooked banana!
References
- ↑ http://www.cbc.ca/parents/food/view/what-to-bake-with-frozen-bananas
- ↑ http://living.thebump.com/use-frozen-bananas-baking-9071.html
- ↑ http://living.thebump.com/use-frozen-bananas-baking-9071.html
- ↑ https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/thawing.html
- ↑ https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/thawing.html
- ↑ http://www.cbc.ca/parents/food/view/what-to-bake-with-frozen-bananas
- ↑ http://living.thebump.com/use-frozen-bananas-baking-9071.html
About This Article
There are a few ways to defrost your bananas, depending on how much time you have. The easiest way is to put your bananas in a bowl and leave them out for around 2 hours. The bowl will catch the liquid that drips off them as they thaw. If you need your bananas in a hurry, place them in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave them on a low heat setting for a few minutes. Alternatively, place them in a sealable bag or a plastic container, submerge them in a bowl of cool water, and leave them for about 10 minutes. You’ll probably need to use a knife to cut down the banana skins instead of opening them like normal, since the skin will be soaked. For more tips, including how long to store your bananas in the freezer, read on!
