Can grapefruit be frozen? - The complete guide

Without a doubt, one of the most refreshing and healthy fruits out there is the good old grapefruit. Its signature flavor may not be everyone’s favorite, but many of us crave that sweet and sour flavor.

Nowadays, grapefruits can be bought almost all year round, but they do have a peak season. It would be a great idea to buy more of what you need during this time and save them for later, because that is when they are at their highest quality and lowest price.

Of course, you’ll need to keep the leftover grapefruit from spoiling until you’re ready to use it.

So can grapefruit be frozen?

Yes, you can safely freeze grapefruits. Peel the grapefruit and cut it into small pieces. Place the fruit on a tray covered with waxed paper and freeze. Once the grapefruit is completely frozen, transfer it to an airtight container. Grapefruit will keep well in the freezer for up to 12 months.

For the best results, there are a few important steps to take when preparing your grapefruit for the freezer. Read on for our recommended method for freezing grapefruit.

The Complete Guide to Freezing Grapefruits

Grapefruit is eaten raw, sometimes lightly sweetened. It is often used in fruitcakes, fruit salads, jellies, and puddings. Grapefruit is also usually preserved in syrup.

In Australia, the grapefruit is used to make jam and jelly.

Grapefruit juice is also available as a drink: fresh, canned, powdered, concentrated, or frozen. It can be used to make an excellent vinegar or wine, with careful fermentation.

How to freeze grapefruit

Freezing grapefruits is quick and easy, but requires some preparation.

You can freeze grapefruit whole or in halves, but we think slicing is the best method . We suggest cutting it into slices or separating each small piece.

Here’s our step-by-step guide to freezing grapefruit: 

• Step 1 : Wash the grapefruit.
• Step 2 : Peel the grapefruit - Take care to peel it without damaging the fruit. You can peel the grapefruit whole or cut it in half. (You can then simply use a large spoon to remove the skin, with no risk of cutting yourself or damaging the fruit.)
• Step 3: Cut or separate into pieces.
• Step 4 : Arrange the pieces on a tray on waxed paper, in a single layer.
• Step 5: Cover the tray with plastic wrap and put it in the freezer for several hours until the grapefruit is completely frozen.
• Step 6: When the fruit is frozen, transfer it to a trusted airtight container or resealable plastic bag and return it to the freezer.

You can skip the tray and go straight to the container or bag. However, this is not recommended as it will result in a large block of grapefruit. Using the tray to freeze chunks will give much better results.

In general, frozen grapefruits should be safe for up to 12 months, but as always, we recommend consuming them as soon as possible.

Alternative storage methods

If you plan to consume them in a few days, the most appropriate place for grapefruits is the counter.

If you need to keep your grapefruits fresh for a few weeks, store them in the fridge.

Be careful not to stack too many on top of each other, as grapefruits are delicate and damaging them will cause them to spoil more quickly.

When storing grapefruits in the fridge, avoid plastic bags and containers, as they could cause mold and spoilage. Instead, store them in the crisper drawer.

Once you plan to eat your grapefruits, letting them come to room temperature will keep them juicy and flavorful.

Ideally, you can leave them out for a day before eating, but several hours should do the trick.

Can grapefruit juice be frozen?

Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice can be frozen for up to 3-4 months. Some people even make ice cubes out of grapefruit juice, which is as simple as making regular ice.

To freeze your grapefruit juice, you need to choose an airtight container suitable for liquids. Look for one that leaves you extra free space.

You shouldn’t fill the container to the top, as liquids expand when frozen and grapefruit juice is no different.

Leave at least half an inch of free space, seal the container and put it in the freezer.

Related questions

How can I select the perfect grapefruit?

The color of the skin can be deceiving: the red on the outside does not always mean that it is well ripe. It is more important that the rind of the grapefruit shine.

Choose a fruit that is heavy and can be pressed lightly. Avoid fruits with soft spots or an altered oval shape (this can be a sign of bruising).

How do you know if a grapefruit has gone bad?

Unless you pick your own grapefruit, you won’t know how long the fruit has been in storage or exactly when it was removed from the tree. Fruit rarely comes with an expiration or best before date, making it more difficult to know how long a shelf life is left.

In general, you should look for several distinctive signs.

The fruit will begin to soften, and as the soft parts progress, they become moist and give rise to mold. It is then that you should get rid of spoiled fruits.

As with any other fruit, you should look for loss of texture and possible discoloration. It’s rare for a grapefruit to completely lose its color, but look out for white spots that can be a sign of mold.

What is the history of grapefruit?

Grapefruit grows on trees. The subtropical citrus tree reaches about 5-6 meters. Its leaves are dark green, thin and up to one and a half meters in length.

Grapefruits are yellow to yellow-pink in color and are four to six inches in diameter. The weight of a grapefruit varies between 300 and 600 g. They contain a soft and sour core of different colors: red, pink and white.

Before the 19th century, grapefruit leaves were more valuable than the fruit for their decorative value. The fruit became a popular food in the late 19th century, until then only eaten in Britain’s island colonies.

Once it began to grow in popularity, the United States quickly assimilated the new crop, and to this day it continues to lead the world in production. Now you can find grapefruits year-round in stores.