Learn the easy ways to keep your apples for short-term and long-term storage. We’ll tell you how to store apples in the freezer, and more.
To store apples short-term: keep apples at room temperature, store apples in the crisper drawer, and squeeze lemon juice on apple slices. To store apples long-term: keep your apples in a dark, cool place, wrap the apples before storage, and freeze the apples.
Read on for more detailed information.
How to Store Apples Short-Term?
Follow these tips to properly store apples you plan on using in a few weeks:
Keep Apples at Room Temperature
Whole apples will keep for a week if left on the counter and out of the sun.
Store Apples in the Crisper Drawer
Apples whole can keep for up to six weeks in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. Put the apples in a plastic bag with holes or a damp paper towel to keep them fresh. Apples emit ethylene gas, which accelerates the ripening of other produce. As a result, it’s important to store apples separately from other produce.
Squeeze Lemon Juice on Apple Slices
Apples that have been cut will last three to five days in the refrigerator. To prevent browning, squeeze some lemon juice over the apple slices.
Tips for Storing Apples Long-Term
If you are looking to store apples for a few months, consider the following long-term storage options:
Keep Your Apples in a Dark, Cool Place
Traditionally, the best way to store apples long-term was in a root cellar. That environment is ideal for apples because it is dark and cold. You may not have a root cellar, but you can turn your unheated basement or garage into an apple storage room; make sure the room is cold and gets plenty of air circulation.
Wrap the Apples before Storage
Wrap each whole apple in paper before placing it gently in a box to store it for a long time. The wrapped apples won’t need to be taken out of the paper, but if your home is dry, you might want to mist them frequently. Every week, check the apples and take any that show signs of decay out of the basket. You can eat these apples fresh, or cook with them.
Freeze the Apples
The apples can also be frozen; they can be stored there for up to six months. To keep the apples from browning, toss them in lemon juice, then pat them dry. You can then flash freeze the cut apples, or even whole apples, overnight. To store them for a long time, put them in a freezer bag after flash freezing. Remember that apples lose some of their texture and crispness when they are frozen. Frozen apples work best for recipes that require cooked apples, such as apple pie, apple butter, or apple sauce.
How to Choose the Best Apples for Storage?
Avoid apples with soft spots, bruises, browning and holes or tears in the skin. Look for apples that are wrinkle-free, smooth, and spotless. Generally speaking, the apple should be firm but not solid when squeezed, and no liquid should ooze out. Since apples come in different colors, select the ones with bright, vibrant-looking skin. They should have a pleasant fruity aroma when sniffed, with no odor of rot or mustiness.
Because unwelcome fungi or bacteria could enter the apple where the stem once was, an apple with a stem typically lasts longer than one without. Apple waste and spoilage may result from this.
Finally, if you can purchase your apples directly from an orchard or farmers’ market, they will likely last longer. Before reaching the shelves of your neighborhood chain, let alone your crisper drawer, supermarket apples may have spent a considerable amount of time in commercial storage and shipping containers.
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How to Freeze Apples?
If you have plans to bake with apples—apple pies, apple crisp, apple cake—freezing apples is a great way to store your fresh apples. Here’s how to freeze apples:
- Slice the apples for pie and crisps or dice them for a cake or pastry filling after peeling, coring, and cutting them.
- Put the apples on a baking sheet that has been lined with silicone baking mat or parchment paper. To prevent them from freezing together, make sure the apples are not touching.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer for an hour.
- Place the apples in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months.
The apples can either be frozen when you’re ready to bake with them or thawed in the refrigerator. Either way, they’ll hold their shape and texture very well—particularly for apple pie filling. If you thaw them, place them in a strainer over a bowl so the extra water can drain.
Freeze Apple Pie Filling
If you want to make apple pie filling ahead of a big fall feast (we’re thinking about you, Thanksgiving), you can freeze your apple pie filling. Here’s how:
- Let the filling cool.
- Incorporate into a plastic container that is airtight.
- Keep frozen for up to six months.
To thaw the apple pie filling, transfer the container to the refrigerator and leave it there overnight.
FAQs
Do Apples Last Longer in the Fridge Or on the Counter?
They prefer the refrigeration. When kept between 31 and 36 degrees Fahrenheit, apples keep the longest. So, you should keep them in the refrigerator’s coldest section. Because your food would freeze in the rest of the refrigerator, most home refrigerators don’t get that cold, but the colder the better.
How Do They Keep Apples Fresh for Months?
Controlled Atmosphere Is The Key To Keeping Apples All Year Round : The Salt After harvest, apples can be stored for months in controlled atmosphere storage rooms where the temperature, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and humidity levels are adjusted to put them into hibernation.
Do Apples Need to Be Refrigerated?
Take note of the way apples are displayed when you go shopping at Market Basket the next time. They are unrefrigerated because apples do not need refrigeration until they began to soften slightly. For roughly 7 days following purchase, apples should be kept unfrozen. Apples refrigerated too soon lose flavor and sweetness.
Should I Wash Apples before Storing?
You can brush off visible dirt before you store apples, but it doesn’t make sense to wash them until you’re ready to eat or cook with them. When storing apples, leave them alone until you’re ready to eat them or use them in recipes that call for apples because washing them with water will only make them rot and decay more quickly.
Summary: How to Store Apples?
By properly storing your apples, you can get the most out of your harvest. Depending on the type, there are different methods for doing this, ranging from short-term storage in apple crates to long-term storage in the refrigerator to keep them fresh.
To store apples short-term: keep apples at room temperature, store apples in the crisper drawer, and squeeze lemon juice on apple slices. To store apples long-term: keep your apples in a dark, cool place, wrap the apples before storage, and freeze the apples.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment. My Prime Home tries to give you the best furniture information. Thank you for reading.
