Can You Freeze Watermelon – Watermelon is very refreshing especially when enjoyed during the hot day. There seemed to be nothing more delicious at the moment than a bite of a watermelon. It is a juicy and nutritious fruit making it great for consumption. Usually, I often buy watermelons in the garden of residents who harvest them directly. But I didn’t buy in large quantities for fear of rot and it wouldn’t last for several weeks. But if I had known that watermelons could last up to several weeks, I would have bought more.
Well, buying watermelon in the harvest season or directly to the watermelon garden, the price is cheap compared to buying it in the off season. That is why we should be able to buy watermelons in large quantities, we can enjoy the freshness of watermelons little by little.
Watermelon is very refreshing because it is loaded with water content, is high in minerals and vitamins as well as antioxidants. This fruit can provide instant energy because it also contains natural sugars.
The question is, how to be able to enjoy watermelon all year round even though it is not the season. This is an important question to be answered now. Ok, watermelon can be enjoyed year round if you store it properly. The correct way to store it is to freeze it. You can freeze watermelons for you to enjoy in the days to come. Frozen watermelon retains its flavor, and is still rich in nutrients.
However, it is possible that the texture will be slightly different between the watermelon that you thaw (after freezing) and the fresh watermelon. Watermelon that is thawed will have a slightly soft flesh and this is different from fresh watermelon.
More: Can You Freeze Bananas?
Can You Freeze Watermelon?
Watermelon is a juicy fruit that is rich in minerals, vitamins and electrolytes. This fresh fruit is also low in calories, in a cup it only contains 46 calories. 92% of watermelon is water which quenches thirst and refreshes the esophagus.
If you freeze watermelon, you can enjoy its freshness all year round. If kept in the freezer, watermelon can last 8 months or even 12 months. It’s so much fun, you can buy watermelons cheaply in the harvest season and store them in the freezer for the next few months.
When you want to consume it, of course you have to thaw it first. You can thaw it a few hours before enjoying it. The water content in watermelon turns to ice cubes when it is in the freezer.
Watermelon has a crunchy texture and is slightly softer. However, if you freeze the watermelon, and thaw it later, the watermelon flesh will taste a little soft. You can also enjoy frozen watermelon as a watermelon sorbet, smoothies, or as a dessert.
Watermelon that is frozen is also able to retain the taste and quality of fresh watermelon. So, prepare it properly, cut it according to the size of the shape you want and then freeze it, see the following method.
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How to Freeze Watermelon?
To freeze watermelon, it’s very easy to do. Just follow these steps:
Choose a watermelon that has the right maturity, not too raw or too ripe,
Wash the watermelon thoroughly under cold running water. You can also scrub the watermelon with a brush,
Dry using a towel,
If you don’t want to enjoy it yet, you can leave it in the fridge for a week,
- If left at room temperature, this can ripen the watermelons a little,
- Place the whole fruit in the refrigerator (less than 4 ° C or 39.2 ° F) can cause discoloration and cold injury,
Ok, now that you are ready to slice the watermelon you stored in the refrigerator, cut the watermelon in half.
Cut them into any shape you want, cubes, chunks, or spheres.
If it contains seeds, it’s best to remove the seeds and skins
- Place the watermelon chunks on a baking sheet, parchment paper or on a plate
- Put a few hours in the freezer until frozen and the texture is solid,
- If it is frozen, move it to a closed container or a bag that can be sealed, removing all air in the bag.
If you want it to be sweeter, before freezing it, you can add a sweetener such as sugar or syrup. Wrap properly in a well-sealed bag, write a label on the outside of the bag so you know when to finish this frozen meal.
