There's a reason bananas appear so often in desserts; they're delicious, and they work well in a surprising variety of contexts. In addition to obvious things like banana pudding, you can turn bananas -- even ones that are a little past their prime -- intobaked goods like banana breadwith no problem. But even though you can use overripe bananas to bake with, sometimes you still need to freeze them to preserve them for longer.
But what's the best way to deal with it when it's finally time to take those bananas out of the freezer and get them ready for whatever you'd like to do with them? It turns out, the key to thawing bananas so they'll be perfect for baking is based on time -- specifically, take your time with it. You shouldn't try to thaw too quickly if you can avoid it, and the reason is because of science.
The thing about freezing and thawing is they should be conducted at opposite speeds: freezing should happen as quickly as possible, while thawing should be done as slowly as possible. The reason why is the science of what happens when you freeze and thaw food.
When food is frozen, crystals form from the water within the food itself. If these crystals are large enough, they can cause the cell walls within the food to rupture, ruining its texture (and potentially taste). It's for this reason that you want food to freeze as quickly as possible, which is why frozen food wasn't popular until after thecreation of the double belt freezer by Clarence Birdseye -- if food freezes faster, it only has time to form smaller crystals.
Thawing, however, works in the opposite direction. Thawing food slowly causes less rapid disruption from those crystals turning back into water, which is why doing so preserves texture as much as possible. Bananas are no exception to this rule.
If You Have To Thaw Bananas Quickly, It's Possible
The best way to thaw bananas is the best way to thaw anything: Let them thaw slowly overnight in the fridge on a covered plate or bowl. This will give the bananas the longest possible time to hold as much of their flavor as possible. But what if you absolutely need to thaw them quicker?
Even if it won't turn out quite as well as using the slower method, you do have a couple of options for speedier thawing methods. The first is to seal them in a ziplock bag, fill a bowl with lukewarm water and set it out on the counter. At most, this should take a few hours. And if you really need them thawed immediately, you can use the defrost setting on the microwave. It's not ideal, as they are likely not going to be evenly thawed, but after three to four minutes the bananas will be ready.
The first is to seal them in a ziplock bag, fill a bowl with lukewarm water and set it out on the counter. At most, this should take a few hours. And if you really need them thawed immediately, you can use the defrost setting on the microwave.
The first is to seal them in a ziplock bag, fill a bowl with lukewarm water and set it out on the counter. At most, this should take a few hours. And if you really need them thawed immediately, you can use the defrost setting on the microwave.
Microwave the bananas on low for 3-4 minutes as an alternative. This is an option if you want to thaw your bananas as fast as possible. If you don't have a bag, you can put the bananas in a plastic or ceramic bowl, or some other kind of container. Make sure you don't put any metal in the microwave.
Note: When frozen fruit thaws, it tends to release quite a bit of excess liquid. (Thawed bananas look slimy, brown, and unappealing, but don't let this scare you.) You can use the liquid they release in baking recipes that call for mashed bananas because fresh bananas contain the same moisture.
To prevent the bananas from turning brown in the freezer, make sure to use an airtight container, or freezer-safe plastic bag. Exposure to air is what causes bananas to brown, so as long as they're sealed tightly, you won't have any issues with browning.
Bananas release liquid as they thaw. For best success in your baking recipe, pour all or most of this liquid out because it could add too much liquid to your batter. (Tip: If your banana baked good recipe calls for a liquid like milk, you could use this brown banana liquid instead.
Make sure the pieces of banana are arranged in a single layer and that they are not touching each other so they can freeze without sticking together. Smaller slices are great if you like adding slices to oatmeal or smoothies or if your blender can't handle larger chunks of frozen banana.
The microwave can soften a too-hard banana, but it doesn't accelerate the ripening process—the conversion from starches to sugars—the way an oven does because an oven uses consistent, dry heat. Microwaves heat bananas too fast for ripening to take place.
Yes, you can definitely eat a frozen banana without thawing it first. In fact, many people enjoy the unique texture and taste of a frozen banana as a refreshing snack.
Bananas are easy to freeze and easy to thaw. Once the bananas are thawed, if you are not using them right away, place the bananas in the refrigerator. As long as they are stored in a sealed container, they will last 48-72 hours. The bananas will have a soft texture and release liquid after being frozen.
Many people have concerns about the flavour and consistency of frozen bananas. While it is true that bananas will lose their firmness when thawing takes place, the flavour and nutritional value will remain the same as fresh bananas.
Bananas will bitter when frozen if underripe. To prevent the bitter taste of frozen bananas, chose to freeze them when ripe, and even better is over riped, but not banana bread ripe (brown and mushy).
You can freeze bananas right in the skins if you're super rushed, but they'll be more convenient to use if they're peeled first: Remove the skins and freeze them whole in a resealable bag, or slice them, freeze them in a single layer on a sheet pan and then transfer them to a bag.
Place the bananas in an airtight resealable plastic bag, label it with the date, and freeze 2 to 3 months. If you add banana pieces to smoothies, there's no need to let them thaw; they can go straight from your freezer to the blender.
If you have banana bread tucked away in the freezer, take it out to thaw and enjoy a treat. Leave the loaf wrapped and let it sit out on the counter for two to three hours to fully thaw. If you'd prefer to speed up the process, remove the plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
It will take about two hours for bananas to defrost at room temperature, or a few minutes in the microwave. On the counter: Place bananas on a counter in a bowl or on a plate. They'll be a little watery, so you'll want to contain the mess.
Introduction: My name is Dan Stracke, I am a homely, gleaming, glamorous, inquisitive, homely, gorgeous, light person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
