Can bananas be frozen successfully for any length of time?

Question

Can they be frozen cut up or is it best to freeze them whole?
Do you leave the skin on or peel them?
I'm so tired of bananas going bad so quickly, any advice?

Answer 1

Yes!

Banana Ice Cream
Yield: about 1 quart

6 (approximately 2-1/4 pounds) ripe bananas
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 vanilla bean, scraped
1-1/2 cups heavy cream

Place whole bananas in the freezer and freeze overnight. Remove bananas from freezer and allow to thaw for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Peel bananas and place in bowl of food processor along with the lemon juice. Process for 10-15 seconds. Add corn syrup and vanilla bean seeds and turn processor on. Slowly pour in the heavy cream. Process until smooth.

Chill mixture in refrigerator until it reaches 40ºF. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's instructions. Place mixture in an airtight container and freeze for 3-6 hours before serving.

Answer 2

I've had the same problem. Fortunately, my husband eats them well beyond the time most other humans might. I like them still a tad green.

Yes, they can be frozen, but they aren't the same. You can coat them in chocolate and freeze them and eat them frozen - if you let them thaw you won't like the result.

What I do is make banana bread - which freezes very nicely by the way - but if I don't feel like it that very day the gnats have come to gnaw on the banana peels, I peel them and mix them with the surgar that the recipe calls for. They can then be frozen for a couple of weeks, then thawed and used in the bread when you're ready.

I have also learned not to buy more than 1/2 dozen at a time...

Answer 3

Yes. In Baker's Illustrated - by the people of Cook's Illustrated - they instruct you wait until the skin is mottled with large brown spots, then simply put the whole banana in a freezer bag. You can add to that bag as other bananas get ripe. Defrost for about 8 hours. Any recipe that bakes with bananas can use pre-frozen fruit; they are also good in smoothies.

Answer 4

Yummmm I'm gonna try that white chocolate thing!

If you freeze a banana with it's skin, it will freeze but will not hold up for any length of time. The skin WILL become a bit brown and once you defrost them, they will be a bit mushy inside.

If you're freezing them to cook with, then sure, go for it! I often freeze ripe bananas so that they won't spoil and then I use them eventually for Banana Fritters:

Mashed ripe bananas
Sugar
All purpose flour
Bit of baking powder
Dash of salt

Fry until golded brown and top with powdered sugar! Yumm.

Sorry, I'm not sure of the exact measurements for the fritters but: Good luck!

Answer 5

Absolutely... what "peggy" said... I freeze mine in the skin. When I get enough to make a banana bread I pull them out and peel them after about 10 minutes of thawing.

I have found I can freeze almost anything... how you make it work for you depends upon how badly you want it to work!

Experimenting is my best buddy! Happy baking! : )

Answer 6

i freeze the eternal one banana left then when i have 3 or 4 I'll make banana bread or use them individually for smoothies but as far as for eating not so good.

Answer 7

if you see you bananas going bad fast peel and place them in a bowl with a tad bit of suger and smash them up then freeze them in a freezer bag and when you get the erge to make bread or muffins you can thaw them out and hav it ready to bake ....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm save me one


jan

Answer 8

These people are nuts. If you freeze a banana and thaw it out, it will be mush. I freeze em and then use them for banana bread.

Answer 9

yes they can be frozen. I peel them, put a Popsicle stick in one end, then dip in chocolate. Lay them on a rack while the chocolate hardens then place each in a freezer bag and place in freezer.

Answer 10

oh yes, I freeze mine all the time, I keep the skins on, they are perfect for shakes, keep them frozen, add a spalsh of milk, peanut butter, and cinnamon....delicious!

they are also great for baking with, defrost at room temperature or in the microwave, they turn to mush, but for baking that's fine.