How to Thaw Frozen Fruit? - The Ultimate Guide

If you’re a person who likes to freeze seasonal fruits to enjoy all year round, you’ve probably run into trouble thawing them.

How can you defrost frozen fruit?

The best way to thaw frozen fruit depends on the type of fruit, but there are three general ways to thaw fruit. You can thaw fruit in the fridge, in cold water, and sometimes even in the microwave.

These options can take anywhere from hours to minutes, but not all methods work for all fruits. Thawing times will also vary depending on the type of fruit you have.

Fortunately, in this article we have tried to offer the definitive guide to defrosting the fruit. Read on for step-by-step instructions for defrosting different types of fruit in the way that works best for them.

How to defrost different types of fruit

Different types of fruit may require different ways to thaw. Here are the best defrosting methods for berries, citrus, tropical and stone fruits, as well as apples and pears.

How to defrost berries

Freezing berries is a great way to extend the life of these delicate fruits. You can use them frozen to make juices or smoothies. But when it comes to making berry salads or using them as a garnish on your morning oatmeal, you don’t want to deal with frozen berries.

There are several methods to choose from when it comes to thawing frozen berries. Choose one depending on the time you have and the use you are going to give the fruit.

Defrost in the fridge

Defrosting berries in the fridge is easy. However, this method is only good if you have the time.

To thaw berries in the fridge, follow these steps:

1. Transfer the required amount of frozen berries to a bowl or plastic container.
2. If you use a bowl, be sure to cover it with food paper.
3. Check the berries after 5 hours. If you need the berries to be firmer, take them out. You can leave the berries to thaw in the fridge overnight if you don’t mind them being softer.

Thawing in cold water

If you only have a few minutes to defrost your frozen berries, this method is the quickest for when you need the fruit to not get soggy.

1. Measure the amount of berries you need to defrost and put them in a bowl.
2. Fill the bowl with cold water so that it covers the berries.
3. Wait a few minutes until the berries have thawed, then drain and use.

Thawing berries with cold water is also easy when you want to thaw the fruit in a plastic bag. Submerge the bag of berries in a bowl of cold water. However, you should expect to spend more time thawing berries this way.

Defrost in the microwave

Defrosting berries in the microwave is quick and easy. Be aware, however, that this method can leave the berries slightly mushy. If this doesn’t bother you with how you’re going to use the berries, follow these directions for thawing berries in the microwave.

1. Line a microwave-safe plate with two layers of kitchen paper.
2. Distribute the berries evenly on the plate.
3. Defrost for 30 seconds and check.
4. Defrost for another 30 seconds and repeat the operation for a maximum of 2 minutes until the fruit is completely defrosted.
5. Do not microwave the berries any longer than necessary or you will overcook them.
6. Take out the plate and remove the berries from the kitchen paper.

How to defrost citrus

Depending on how you have frozen your citrus, including limes, lemons, and oranges, you may want to consider defrosting it in different ways.

Thaw Whole Citrus

Storing whole lemons or limes in the freezer for later use takes no time or effort. And it’s just as easy to defrost these whole fruits in the microwave by following the process below:

1. Place the frozen fruit on a microwave-safe plate.
2. Pop it in the microwave for about 30 seconds and use it.

If you don’t have access to a microwave, you can let the fruit thaw at room temperature. However, this will take you a few hours.

Thaw Citrus Wedges and Slices

You can thaw citrus wedges, slices, or cubes in cold water in no time at all with these steps:

1. Place the citrus slices or wedges in a plastic bag.
2. Fill a container with cold water and immerse the bag in it for about 15 minutes.
3. You can also hold the bag of cut citrus under cold running water.

How to defrost tropical fruits

Fruits that grow in warm climates are the favorites of many. They are packed with vitamins and antioxidants and are easy to store in the freezer.

Tropical fruits, such as bananas, pineapples, mangoes, coconuts, and kiwis, are often frozen in chunks.

Some tropical fruits are better frozen whole, like figs and dates.

Regardless of how you freeze tropical fruits, the thawing method that will work best for them is thawing in the refrigerator or thawing in cold water. Defrosting in the microwave may work in certain cases, but be sure to check exactly which fruits are suitable for it.

Defrosting in the refrigerator

Thawing in the fridge takes hours, but it’s the easiest way to thaw frozen tropical fruits. You just have to follow these steps:

1. Transfer the required amount of fruit from the freezer to the refrigerator.
2. Put the fruit in a bowl and cover it with food paper.
3. Leave the fruit in the fridge for a few hours until it is thawed enough for your liking. It normally takes one to two hours to defrost 100 grams of fruit.
4. If the fruit is in a plastic bag, turn it over occasionally to speed up the thawing process.

Thawing in cold water

Thawing in cold water is ideal if you have frozen fruit pieces in a plastic bag. Here’s how to quickly thaw frozen tropical fruits with the help of cold water:

1. Place the plastic bag with the fruits in a bowl.
2. Put the bowl in the sink and let the cold water run over the bag. You can also just leave the bag in the cold water. However, running water will thaw the fruit faster.
3. Turn the bag over every few minutes and try to spread out the pieces of fruit so they are better exposed to water.
4. Remove the fruit from the plastic bag when it has thawed.

Defrost in the microwave

Microwave thawing is only suitable for some types of tropical fruits, such as frozen whole bananas or dates.

1. Place the fruit on a microwave-safe plate.
2. Put the microwave on low.
3. Microwave for 30 seconds. Check if the fruit has defrosted sufficiently. If not, repeat the operation for another 30 seconds or until you are satisfied with the result.

How to thaw melons

If you choose to freeze melons, such as cantaloupe or cantaloupe, do so in moderately sized pieces to ease the thawing process.

The best way to thaw melons is to let them thaw in the fridge.

Defrost melons in the fridge

Follow these steps to thaw melon chunks in the fridge:

1. Transfer the amount of fruit you want to a bowl and put it in the fridge.
2. Or, if you are thawing the melons in the container (plastic bag) they were frozen in, put a plate underneath to prevent water from seeping everywhere.
3. Let the melon thaw until it is soft enough to eat. If you have a large container of melon chunks, it may take a day or more for them to fully thaw. Check the fruit from time to time to see what state it is in.

The time it takes for the fruit to thaw depends on the size of the pieces and the type of melon. Watermelon, for example, thaws much faster than cantaloupe.

A cold water bath at room temperature will speed up the thawing process of the melons.

How to defrost stone fruit

Stone fruits, that is, fruits with stones, such as cherries, peaches, plums, etc., are usually frozen after removing the stone and cutting them into pieces or wedges. You can also freeze these fruits whole. However, they will take much longer to thaw.

Thawing stone fruit is no different than thawing other types of fruit.

Defrost in the fridge

Here is how you can defrost stone fruit in the fridge:

1. Put the fruit in a container or plastic bag in the fridge.
2. Be sure to keep it covered to prevent the fruit from absorbing odors from other items in the fridge.
3. Let the fruit thaw for a few hours. The larger the pieces of fruit, the longer it will take to soften.

Thawing in cold water

Thawing stone fruit in cold water is much faster than in the fridge and works just as well. do it as follows

1. Put the fruit in a resealable plastic bag.
2. Submerge the bag in a bowl filled with cold water.
3. Change the water every 20 minutes or leave the bowl in the sink under the tap until the fruit is completely thawed.

How to defrost apples and pears

Apples and pears are the most commonly eaten pome fruits and can be frozen whole or cut into smaller pieces.

When thawing apples, you should keep in mind that they are not the type of fruit that thaws quickly. A quick thawing process will make your fruit, whether whole or sliced, more soggy and watery.

To keep your apples and pears in good condition, you must defrost them in the refrigerator as follows

1. Transfer all the fruit that you are going to use to the fridge.
2. Let it rest in the fridge overnight until completely thawed. Frozen whole apples, as well as frozen whole peeled pears, will take longer to thaw.

There you have it! A complete guide to thawing frozen fruit.