Can You Freeze Apple Sauce?
Applesauce is a great recipe and is loved by everyone, especially children. You must be adding applesauce to your meal planning if you have guests coming over, or you are going for holiday outings. But such occasions come with leftover food.
Making applesauce is also a nice idea for using leftover apples in the fridge. It is simple to make the dish but needs effort. So, whether you have leftover applesauce or you want to make the sauce ahead of time, you have to look for proper storage techniques.
What can you do to store your applesauce for longer? Can you freeze apple sauce? Yes, you can freeze applesauce effectively. So, the next time you crave applesauce, you can use it from the freezer. Also, applesauce is a relatively healthy option.
Applesauce freezes longer in the freezer than many other freezer-friendly sauces. And because it does not contain milk or dairy products, it freezes really well. Read on to know more!
How Can You Freeze Applesauce?
It is a simple process to freeze applesauce and it does not require much effort. All you have to do is follow the freezing instructions properly so that you do not end up ruining your applesauce. Also, because applesauce has a semi-liquid consistency, you can freeze it either in portions or in the form of ice cubes in ice cube trays. Check out both the freezing processes of applesauce here.
Freeze Applesauce In Portions
- Prepare your favorite applesauce recipe and allow the dish to cool completely. You can transfer the sauce into a flat dish and set it aside for faster cooling. Make sure you allow the applesauce to cool at normal room temperature.
- After the sauce has cooled down, completely, take a ladle and pour portions of the applesauce into freezer bags carefully. It is suggested that you take meal-sized bags so that there are no wasting issues later.
- Squeeze out any extra air and firmly close the bag. Make sure you have properly sealed your bag, this will not only prevent spilling, but it will also keep the contents safe from freezer burns. You can also transfer the bags into airtight containers.
- After you have done all of these steps, label, and date the bags before freezing. This is an important step as it will let you know how long the applesauce has been in the freezer. Stack the bags into the freezer as they are ready to freeze.
Freeze Applesauce As Ice Cubes
- Take a clean ice tray and carefully pour your apple sauce into the provided compartments. Do it carefully, one portion at a time. And do not fill the compartment completely. Leave a little headspace as they will expand after freezing.
- The next important step is to flash-freeze the applesauce in the freezer. This will solidify the semi-liquid applesauce into ice cubes. Remember to keep the tray on a flat surface as this will ensure smooth freezing.
- After the applesauce has turned into ice cubes, take the ice cube tray out of the freezer, and transfer the ice cubes in freezer bags. Squeeze out all the air from the freezer bags and seal them tightly to protect the applesauce cubes from freezer burns.
- Lastly, label and date the bags, and stack them in the freezer. Keep the bags away from the edges of the freezer to protect the applesauce from ice frost. And your applesauce cubes are ready to be frozen.
Does Apple Sauce Freeze Well?
Yes, applesauce is one of those sauces that freeze well in the freezer. One of the main reasons for its freezer-friendly properties is that it does not contain any milk or other dairy products. Yes, milk and dairy products do not react to freezing well sometimes.
However, applesauce might develop small crystals if you are freezing it in portions. This is because the dish contains water. This might also cause a slight texture alteration. But this will not be an issue and you can resolve it by stirring your applesauce thoroughly after defrosting. There will be no change in the flavor of the sauce due to freezing.
How Long Can You Keep Apple Sauce In The Freezer?
If you freeze applesauce, it increases its shelf-life by up to a year. Yes, you can freeze homemade applesauce for about a year if you follow adequate freezing methods. But the longer you keep it in the freezer, it will start developing ice crystals. Therefore, use it up as soon as possible.
However, if you are trying to freeze store-bought applesauce, check the instructions on the packaging first. If it is freezable, follow the methods accordingly. You can keep store-bought applesauce in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. This is because store-bought sauce already undergoes so many processes and freezing for longer might spoil the applesauce.
Can You Refreeze Apple Sauce?
No, you can not refreeze applesauce. Refreezing will only degrade the texture and flavor of your applesauce and you would not want that to happen. The applesauce that has already been cooked, rested, and frozen does not react to refreezing well.
However, if you have defrosted too much applesauce, you can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. And because you are freezing your applesauce in portions or cubes, defrost them in the required amounts, so that you can avoid refreezing.
How Can You Thaw Frozen Applesauce?
You can thaw frozen applesauce quite easily. The defrosting method for both the portions and the cubes is the same. Check out the steps for defrosting frozen applesauce here.
- Take out the freezer bags with frozen applesauce from the freezer.
- Place them in the refrigerator and let them defrost overnight.
- Let the applesauce defrost completely before you intend to use it.
- If you want to speed up the process, run the bags under cold water for defrosting.
- Once the applesauce has defrosted completely, you can use it the way you wish.
However, while defrosting, you might notice water separating from the sauce. The texture can be restored by giving the applesauce a vigorous stir. Also, if you are planning to use the applesauce in smoothies, you can directly pour the cubes from the freezer and blend. This will also make your smoothie creamy and delicious.
Summing it up, that was all about ways to freeze applesauce. Making applesauce is simple and can be done with very few ingredients. It is not time-consuming, though. But you can make applesauce ahead of time and freeze it effectively at any time.