How To Freeze Plums In Four Easy Steps

In the cold months of winter, there's nothing we crave more than a bite of juicy fresh fruit. That's why we're planning ahead and freezing our extra farmers' market produce now. Plums are in season from May through October. Once ripe, they'll only last a day or two on the counter or in the refrigerator for three to five days. If you have an abundance of ripe, juicy plums, your best bet is to freeze them to enjoy later. Freezing plums is as easy as can be, and the fruit wedges will last up to six months in your freezer. Use your frozen plums to make jam or preserves, add them into smoothies, or eat the wedges straight out of the freezer for a cool treat. Here's how you can freeze plums to enjoy all year long.

1. Make sure your plums are ripe.

You'll want to freeze plums at their peak of freshness. Bite into one to make sure it's nice and juicy before freezing a whole batch.

2. Rinse, cut, and pit your plums.

Cut your plums into wedges and remove the pits. You can keep the skins on or off. It's up to you.

If you want to peel your plums, you'll need a pot of boiling water and a bowl of ice water. Start by making shallow X-shaped cuts on the bottoms of your plums. Place the plums in the boiling water to blanch them for 30 seconds to one minute. With tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the plums from the boiling water and immediately place them in the ice bath for three to five minutes to stop the cooking process. Remove each plum and pat dry. At the X, gently peel back the skin. Then proceed with cutting and pitting.

3. Space them out.

Place your plum wedges on a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap or wax paper. Space the plums apart so they are not touching and can freeze individually. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for an hour until the plums are solid.

4. Transfer to a freezer bag.

After an hour in the freezer, your plum slices should feel firm. At this point, you can remove them from the baking sheet and pack the slices together in a plastic freezer bag. To prevent freezer burn, ensure that the bag is sealed tightly with no air trapped inside.

Freezing Whole Plums

The sliced freezing method is great for storing frozen plums for an extended period of time, but one of our favorite summer hacks is freezing our plums whole. All you need to do is wash the plums and place the whole fruits in a plastic bag in the freezer. Bite into these whole frozen plums for an instantly refreshing burst of cool juice. It's like an all-natural popsicle.

Your frozen plums will be good for up to six months, providing a much-welcome treat come wintertime.

Thawing Plums

When you're ready to use your stock of plums—think warm cobbler and spiced compote—place the bag of frozen fruit in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. If you need the fruit the day of, place the bag in a bowl of cool water and gently massage the bag every 15 minutes to help it thaw. If you need only part of the bag of plums, place what you need on a plate and thaw at room temperature.

More Fresh Summer Produce To Freeze

Plums aren't the only fresh produce we're freezing. You can freeze fresh corn, sweet strawberries, fresh herbs, and even summertime peaches to enjoy all year long.