The plum is a delicious fruit. You can eat plums as they are, or you can stew them and serve them with custard or cream. They are delicious in a crumble, a pie, or a cake. You can make them into a jam or a sauce which goes well with duck.
However, what if you have a plum tree and end up with an abundance of plums? If they are fully ripe, they will only last for three to five days in the fridge.
The answer is simple. You can freeze them, and you can do this if they are raw and also if they are cooked in a dish. In this article, we will tell you how to freeze plums and how to defrost them.
How To Freeze Raw Plums
1. Sort out your plums.
You should only freeze raw plums that are ripe and juicy. They won’t ripen in the freezer and they won’t ripen when you defrost them. Don’t freeze any that are green or hard. In addition, they shouldn’t have blemishes and nor should they be overripe. If they are too ripe, they will be mushy when you thaw them out. If the plums aren’t ripe enough, leave them to ripen on your countertop.
2. Clean your plums.
Rinse the plums in cold water to remove dirt.
3. Remove the stone.
You need to cut the plums in half and remove the stones. The reason for this is that the pits can give the plums a bitter taste when they are frozen. Because of this, you can’t freeze the plums whole.
4. Put the plums in freezer bags.
Make sure that you squeeze all the air out of the bags so that freezer burn doesn’t occur. Freezer burn ruins the taste and texture of food. It is a good idea to divide up the plums into separate bags with as many as you think you will use within the few days they will last in the fridge. Put a label on the bags with the date frozen and the contents.
5. Freeze.
How To Freeze Raw Prepared Plums
1. Clean your plums.
Rinse the plums underneath cold water.
2. Slice your plums.
Slice the plums in the shape you want for your recipe. You might want wedges, or you could want slices. Remove the stones as they will make the plums bitter while freezing.
3. Flash freeze your plums.
Get a baking tray and line it with a sheet of greaseproof paper. Lay out the plums, making sure that they aren’t touching each other. This will ensure that they don’t stick together when they are bagged up so that you can remove just the amount you want. Cover the baking tray with cling film so that freezer burn doesn’t occur. Put the tray in the freezer for a few hours until the plums are hard.
4. Put the plums in freezer bags.
Remember to squeeze out all the air from the freezer bags so that freezer burn doesn’t occur. Put a label on the bags with the date frozen and the contents.
5. Put the bags in the freezer and freeze.
How To Freeze Plum Dishes
Plums can be turned into a myriad of dishes and the good news is that you can freeze them all. Here, we’ll tell you how to freeze a few of these.
How To Freeze Baked Plum Pie
1. Cool down completely.
Put the pie on a cooling rack. When it is cool to the touch, you can put it in the fridge to speed up the cooling process. Don’t cover the pie while it is still warm as this causes ice crystals to form and when put in the freezer, freezer burn will occur.
2. Wrap the pie in cling film.
Double wrap the pie to ensure freezer burn doesn’t occur.
3. Put the pie in a freezer bag.
Again, squeeze out all the air to prevent freezer burn. Put a label on the bag with the date frozen and the contents. If you freeze different pies, you won’t be able to tell which is which by just looking at the bag.
4. Freeze.
How to Freeze Stewed Plums
Stewed plums freeze particularly well. The sugary syrup they are packed in brings out a tart-sweet flavor which is delicious. This is the way to freeze them.
1. Prepare the plums.
Rinse them in cold water, peel them, and slice them to the size you want.
2. Stew the plums.
Place sugar, water, orange juice, and a cinnamon stick in a pot and bring to the boil. Then add the plum slices and simmer for ten minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick.
3. Cool down the plums.
Remove the plums from the hot pan and put them in a cold bowl to speed up the cooling process. You don’t want to leave them out for longer than two hours because, after this time, bacteria can start to form.
4. Put the stewed plums in a freezer bag or airtight container.
Remember to squeeze out all the air from the bag to prevent freezer burn. Don’t fill the bag or airtight container right up to the top as the contents will expand in the freezer.
5. Freeze.
How To Freeze Unbaked Plum Crumble
1. Prepare the crumble.
Make the crumble to your favorite recipe but don’t bake. However, if you have baked a crumble and have a lot left over, you can freeze it once it has cooled down.
2. Wrap the crumble in cling film and then aluminum foil.
Wrap it tightly to prevent freezer burn.
3. Put the crumble in a freezer bag.
Squeeze out all the air to prevent freezer burn.
4. Freeze.
Tips For Freezing Plums
- Use fresh plums whether you freeze them raw or in a dish.
- Always remove the pit as it makes the plums bitter if they are frozen intact.
- Freeze out the air from the freezer bags to prevent freezer burn.
- Always write the contents of the container or freezer bag on the label so you know what you have frozen. It can sometimes be difficult to tell, especially if you have frozen different fruits.
- Freeze other stone fruits such as peaches, nectarines, and apricots (see also How To Freeze Apricots) together with your plums and then take them out of the freezer and roast them without defrosting. You should put some sugar and spices of your choice in the freezer bag or container to give a lovely flavor.
For How Long Can You Freeze Plums For?
If you freeze raw plums, they will last for six months in the freezer without losing taste or texture. However, If you freeze stewed plums or plums in syrup, they will last for a year. Plum pie will remain good for four months in the freezer but crumble only lasts for a month. This is why it is important to put labels on the containers or bags with the contents and the date frozen.
How Do You Defrost Plums?
The best way to defrost raw plums is to thaw them out in the fridge. You can speed it up by putting them in the microwave but it can make them a bit soggy. Slices for use in dishes can be left to cool on the countertop for ten minutes and then put in the dish and baked.
Stewed plums need to be defrosted in the fridge overnight. They can then either be eaten cold or warmed on the hob.
If you have frozen a plum pie or plum crumble, leave it on the countertop for ten minutes and then heat at 375 F. The length of cooking time will depend on whether the pie or crumble is cooked or uncooked.
Can You Refreeze Plums?
It is not a good idea to refreeze plums. They contain a lot of moisture and this will be lost if the plums are frozen, defrosted, and then frozen again. The procedure also encourages bacteria to form. This is why it is best to freeze the amount you think you can eat within a few days in each bag.
However, if you have frozen raw plums and then use them in a dish such as pie or crumble, you can freeze the dish.
Is It a Good Idea To Freeze Plums?
Yes, as long as you take the steps we have given you. Because they retain taste and texture for so long in the freezer, you will be able to enjoy plums even when they aren’t in season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, you now know all there is to know about freezing plums but in case you are still curious, we have answered a couple of questions here.
Can you freeze plum jam?
You can, but there isn’t any point. There is so much sugar in jam that if unopened, it lasts for six to twelve months after its best by date which can be a couple of years.
What else can I make with defrosted plums?
There are so many recipes out there. Try grilled plums with lemon curd whipped cream, plum and apple galette, honey and plum smoothies, pickled plums, and peach and plum Caprese salad. You could also make a compote with other fruits or roasted plums.
