Can You Freeze Watermelons? Recipes With Frozen Watermelon
Watermelons are the ultimate juicy and refreshing fruits for summer! But, what if you crave a watermelon martini anytime around the year? Well, then you should be aware of ways to freeze watermelon for future use.
Watermelons are the perfect combination of all the essential vitamins you’ll need. They are a great appetizer and helps in soothing unnecessary food cravings. You can incorporate watermelons into your diet to beat sugar cravings as well.
Watermelons keep your skin hydrated and plump. Every 100 g serving of watermelon has 91.4 g water in it! You can imagine how beneficial this fruit is for your health, right? Eating watermelon is good for your heart health, bone development, skin replenishment, and many more.
Tricks and Tips to Freeze Watermelon
Watermelon, a quintessential summer fruit, is best served with different drinks and as a staple snack throughout the year. Unfortunately, this fruit is only available in summer. But, we are here to share with you some simple tricks to freeze your juicy red fruit for an entire year!
1. Flash Freeze Watermelon Chunks or Slices
If you are into freezing food and stuff then you are already aware of the term flash freezing. However, if you are new to it then let us introduce it to you. This method is highly effective for storing watermelon cubes/chunks/slices.
Start by chopping your fresh watermelon into cubes or slices as per your use. If you are going to use them in drinks or smoothies, then you can cut cubes. However, if you wish to use them as a snack then cut slices of the watermelon. If you love to play with aesthetics then you can try to create round balls of watermelon using a melon chopper or two spoons.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper or else your watermelon pieces will freeze tightly to the tray. It will become messy and cumbersome to separate the pieces then. After lining the tray, place your chopped watermelon on the tray. Do not stack them too close to each other or else they will stick to each other.
Freeze them for a couple of hours and then shift them to airtight containers like Tupperware boxes or airtight bags. Squeeze out the excess air from the bags and then drop them in the freezer. You can freeze these watermelon chunks for a year now.
2. Freeze Watermelon Puree
One thing you must remember while freezing watermelons is that, they will lose their sweetness over time. Since watermelon is 90% water, it freezes quickly and will remain in a frozen state for a long time. But, in the meanwhile, it will start losing its flavor.
What good will it be if you have watermelons with the least sweetness? Well, to prevent this from happening, you can freeze watermelon puree in the freezer. There are two ways to do so:
a. Freeze prepared puree of watermelon: For this method, you must extract watermelon puree, crush it with a small whisk and add sugar to eat. Mix all the ingredients with an electric beater and freeze the ice cubes of watermelon puree. Then, transfer these ice cubes to freezer-safe bags or containers and freeze them further. You can use these puree ice cubes in squashes and smoothies.
b. Freeze sugar-diced watermelons: If you don’t want pureed watermelons, but wish to preserve their sweetness for a long time, this method is for you. Start by slicing or chopping watermelon as per your need. Then toss them with caster sugar and mix all the slices properly. Be sure, every slice is covered in sugar. To ease this process, you can also dip watermelon slices in a simple syrup solution as well. Then, flash freeze these sugar-diced watermelons and finally freeze them upon solidification.
Tips for Freezing Watermelons
Watermelons are a rich source of vitamin C, therefore, they are perfect for daily consumption. Wouldn’t it be great to store your watermelons for months so that you can savor them daily in your diet? By following the methods described above and the tips in the following section, you can freeze watermelons for a year!
- Always get rid of the seeds and rind off the watermelon before freezing them. Because after freezing, your watermelon will go rock hard, and then removing these things becomes tough.
- Try to flash-freeze watermelons before the actual freezing stage. It helps to preserve the texture better.
- Freezing sugar-diced watermelons helps in the long run. If you wish to use them as snacks across the year, then follow this method only.
- If you are using frozen watermelon for smoothies or squashes then do not defrost them. However, if you wish to eat them, then thaw them in the refrigerator for some hours.
Remember, you will get a puree-like consistency of the frozen watermelons upon thawing.
Recipes to Prepare With Frozen Watermelon
We all have to agree on one fact watermelons can be enjoyed in several different ways. Here are our top recommendations for using frozen watermelons at their best!
1. Frozen Watermelon Smoothie:
This recipe is perfect for an evening snack or post-workout snack. To prepare a frozen watermelon smoothie you will need- frozen watermelon cubes, vanilla yogurt, almond milk or other less-fat milk, vanilla essence, maple syrup, and some mint leaves for garnishing. In a blender, blend all the ingredients together in a thick and creamy smoothie. Serve it in chilled glasses or mason jars for better taste. Top it with some fresh mint leaves and crushed watermelon pieces.
2. Frozen Watermelon Beer:
If you are on a diet and craving some fresh beer then this recipe might be your lifesaver. Start by crushing some frozen watermelon cubes using a whisk. Then, strain the watermelon puree to get fresh and chilled watermelon juice. In a separate chilled glass jar, add vanilla syrup and then immediately pour the watermelon juice on it. Then top it with some wheat beer and viola! This gives you the ultimate chilled tangy-flavored beer right there.
3. Frozen Watermelon Martini:
To prepare this amazing drink, you will need- simple syrup, frozen watermelon juice, vodka, salt, sugar, lime juice, and watermelon slices freshly chopped. Take to chilled glasses and coat them on the rims with salt and sugar. Then add frozen watermelon juice prepared from frozen watermelon chunks, vodka, and lime juice. Top it with some fresh watermelon slices and you are done.
Does Freezing Watermelon Increase Its Shelf-life?
Watermelon can stay well for up to 12 months and thus, freezing watermelon is helpful to preserve it in the long run. One can freeze watermelon into popsicles, cubes, or slices as per your preference. Thus, we can say that freezing is a good option to increase the shelf-life of watermelons.
Does Frozen Watermelon Juice Taste Good?
Wondering how to freeze watermelon juice and whether it will taste good? Well, frozen watermelon will definitely taste best in all forms, however, in terms of juice, you will most likely get a slushie. When you freeze fresh watermelon in the form of juice, a major portion of it will freeze into a crystalline structure. Thus, when you thaw frozen juice, you need to give it a quick whisk before using it.
Conclusion
Watermelons are best served when fresh but do not underestimate the uses of frozen watermelons as well. The tips mentioned above will aid you in the process to freeze watermelons effectively. You can freeze batches of watermelon as per your requirement.