Crunchy, sweet, and juicy! Fresh pears are delicious for snacking or as a low-cal, low-sugar dessert.
When you add them to a fresh smoothie, you have a filling breakfast. An instant meal brimming with the goodness of whole foods and vital nutrients.
Better yet, when you make smoothies at home, you avoid all the extra sugar and preservatives found in commercial versions.
Yet, making smoothies with fresh pear is not always an option. Sadly, these fruits are seasonal and not always available when you have the urge to get your pear on.
We at BetterFood have a way to enjoy this fruit well past the traditional window – freezing the pears.
We bring you techniques so simple that even novice cooks can do them with ease.
Prepare the Pears for Freezing
Before you get down to the actual freezing part, there are some things you ought to consider. Here are a few steps to ensure that your fruits freeze well for your future smoothie.
Select the Pears for Freezing
The first step is obviously choosing fruit that is ripe but not overripe. The pear shouldn’t be hard to touch or grainy. If your pear is not ready yet, leave them on the countertop for a couple of days to ripen.
At the same time, it shouldn’t be squishy (overripe). A perfectly ripe pear will be soft when you touch near the stem.
Wash and dry the fruits well.
Gather the Kitchen Tools
Next, get all the equipment ready that you need for freezing the pears.
These are some basic tools you’ll probably need depending on the method you use:
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Peeler
- Mixing bowl
- Baking sheet or big tray
- Parchment paper
- Ziploc bags or freezer containers
Chop the Pears
You can freeze the pears in a few different ways depending on the dish you plan to make. However, all these methods require you to core the pear and chop, cube, or slice it.
While the pear is often peeled and then frozen, you can choose to keep the skin intact for smoothies or purees. The peels have more nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber than the rest of the peeled fruit. Stick to organic varieties in this case to avoid pesticide residue on the skin.
For when you want to make sorbets, pies, desserts, jam, butter, and sauce, peeling is a better option as some people don’t like the grainy texture.
Special tip: Did you know you can freeze peels as well? Read on to find out how.
Why Should You Cut Pears Before Freezing?
Frozen whole fruit will not only turn mushy but be difficult to slice when defrosted due to the moisture content. Halves, slices, wedges, cubes, and rounds allow you to use them in the specified dish.
Soak the Pears
Pears, like many other fruits, tend to turn brown (oxidize) when they come in contact with air. To prevent this, soak the pears in lemon water.
- Fill a large bowl with one quart or four cups (1100ml) of water
- Add two to three tablespoons of lemon juice
- Add your pear slices and cubes and submerge them in it for four to five minutes
- You don’t have to rinse as the lemon juice doesn’t add unwanted flavor to the fruit pieces
The quantity of water you use will again depend on the amount of fruit you want to soak. This amount of water should be enough to soak six to eight medium-sized pears.
Are There Other Alternatives to Lemon Juice?
Definitely.
You can use any of these in the given proportion for four cups of water:
- 2/3 teaspoon of crystalline ascorbic acid
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ teaspoon citric acid
- (2) 500-mg vitamin C tablets
Ascorbic acid is usually sold in supermarkets as Fruit Fresh or similar.
If you using these substitutions, remember to rinse the pear slices before moving on to the next step
Drain the water completely using a sieve.
Pick Your Method to Freeze Pears for Smoothies
There are four ways to freeze pears, whether peeled or unpeeled. We'll be discussing each of these in detail.
The sweet syrup and sugar method are standard ways to freeze pears or similar fruits like apples, berries, peaches. The other two techniques are not used that often except when you are looking to avoid sugar or want a dry freeze method.
The method you choose will also depend on how firm the fruit is and how you plan to use it.
At this point, you’re wondering how much ripe fruit you’ll need and how this translates into frozen slices.
As a rule of thumb, one pound (450g) of fresh fruit will yield about two cups of slices. In other words, one pound of fresh pears will provide you with almost two cups of frozen fruit.
Now that you've done the pear math, let’s check out the freeze methods one by one.
Planning to use your frozen pears to make buttercream frosting? Check out this article: Does Buttercream Frosting Need To Be Refrigerated?
How to Freeze Pears with the Sweet Syrup Method
This method is brilliant as it best preserves the texture, flavor, and color of your fruit. Use pear frozen this way in dishes like salad, fruit bowls, or smoothies. You can use these pear slices or wedges directly in baking and cooking.
For this method, you first need to create a sweet syrup. You'll boil the syrup with the pears before cooling and storing in the freezer.
When it comes to sweet syrup, you have three options – heavy medium, and light syrup.
Most people prefer the medium syrup to freeze fruits as pears can do with a bit of sugar.
For the Medium Sweet Syrup Method:
- Peel (if opting for this) and core the pears. Slice and soak pieces in the solution.
- Create a medium syrup (40%) by mixing three cups of sugar in four cups of warm water.
- Boil this syrup for one minute and add pear slices. let this boil for two minutes more.
- Remove from stovetop and set aside to cool.
- Pack the pears and syrup in freezer-safe bags or containers and leave half-inch space at the top.
- Place a small piece of wax or parchment paper (prevents browning) and seal the lid tightly. Add a sealing tape to prevent leaks.
- Label and store for up to ten months.
For the Light Sweet Syrup Method:
If you want to reduce the sugar in the syrup, make a light syrup.
Add one and ½ cups of sugar for four cups of water and follow the steps mentioned above.
For the Heavy Sweet Syrup Method:
Want to increase the sugar in the syrup?
Add four cups of sugar for four cups of water and follow the steps mentioned above.
Important Tip: Two cups of sliced fruit will need ½ to ⅔ cup of syrup.
How to Freeze Pears with Sugar Method
Do you want to freeze pear to use in pies, galettes, and other dishes?
Then give this method a try.
You mix the pear slices with sugar and let it melt naturally to form a light syrup.
- Peel and core the pears. Soak pieces in solution.
- Add pear slices to a large bowl. Mix in half a cup of sugar for two cups of fruit.
- Set aside for 12-15 minutes until the sugar forms a light syrup. (You can boil it for one minute if desired.)
- Pack into freezer-safe bags or containers leaving half-inch headspace.
- Wipe the rim and add wax or parchment paper before sealing. Add a sealing tape if needed.
- Label bags or jars and store them for up to ten months.
- Use in the recipe directly without thawing.
Related: 5 of the Best Blenders for Shakeology [+ Our Number 1 Pick]
How to Freeze Pears Without Sugar
Disappointed that freezing methods so far are all about sugar?
Then this sugar-free freezing method should make you happy.
You hot or cold-pack the pear slices or wedges in either plain water, unsweetened apple juice, or unsweetened white grape juice.
- Core the pears with or without skin. Soak pieces in solution and rinse.
- Heat water or juice to a saucepan. Add pears and blanch for four to five minutes, and set aside to cool.
- Pack into freezer-safe bags or containers leaving half-inch headspace.
- Label and store for up to ten months.
For cold packing, simply add pears slices to warm water or unsweetened juice and freeze in sterilized containers. You can add a few drops of honey, maple syrup, or mix in sweet spices if desired.
Why cold pack pear?
This prevents the fruit from turning mushy.
See also: Best Blenders for Frozen Fruit Smoothies
How to Freeze Pears with the Dry Pack Method
Another method that avoids both sugar and liquids, this one is simple and easy. It requires nothing more than cutting the pears.
These frozen pear pieces are ideal for making sweetened recipes like pear butter, jams, and sauces.
- Peel and core the pears. Soak pieces in solution to prevent browning and rinse before using.
- Place the sliced or cubed fruit on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
- Place the sheet in the freezer until the slices freeze.
- Remove and add fruit to freezer bags.
- Label and store for up to ten months.
Did you know you can freeze vegetables too? Read this article on How to Freeze Potatoes Without Blanching?
How to Freeze Peels for Smoothies
If you’ve peeled your pears and frozen the fruit using any of the methods we’ve discussed, you’re probably left with a lot of skin shavings.
Don’t discard these as you can add them to smoothies or purees. Or, you can compost them if you prefer that!
On the other hand, if you’re interested in freezing peels, use either the sugar-free method or the dry freeze method.
Conclusion
Remember:
- Freeze cut fruit and not whole ones as they will turn mushy
- Use freezer-safe jars with tight lids instead of regular jars to prevent cracking in the freezer
- Thaw overnight in the fridge unless the freezing method allows direct use
If you're wondering whether you can freeze pears, the answer is a whopping yes! There are a couple of ways to freeze pears and numerous ways to enjoy the frozen fruit. In fact, now you know four unique ways to preserve this tasty fruit at its prime.
