Can You Freeze Buddha’s Hand?

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Buddha’s hand is a delightful citrus fruit that looks as good as it tastes. It is covered in a bright yellow citrus peel, and the fragrant outer layer consists of essential oils that have a rich and delicious texture and taste. But what’s the best way to preserve it?

How to Freeze Buddha’s Hand

If you’ve managed to get your hands on some delicious Buddha’s hand fruit, then you undoubtedly don’t want it to go to waste.

Thankfully, freezing this unique fruit is relatively straightforward, and we explain the steps you need to follow below: 

1. Cut
   If you want to use your Buddha’s hand at different stages in future, it’s best to prepare and cut the fruit in advance. If you freeze a whole Buddha’s hand in one go, it’s best to use it all at the same time, as it doesn’t refreeze particularly well.
   
   You can cut Buddha’s hand however you like, but just think about how you plan to enjoy it in the future before portioning it. 
2. Bag up
   Once sliced, place your Buddha’s hand pieces in a freezer-safe bag. Then, press out as much air from the freezer-safe bag as you can before sealing it. 
3. Label and Freeze
   Write today’s date and the use-by date on the front of the bag and place your Buddha’s hand in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze Buddha’s hand for around three months.

3 Tips for Freezing Buddha’s Hand

Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing Buddha’s hand to have the best results:

Store at Room Temperature
While freezing Buddha’s hand is a good idea if you want to preserve it for several months, it is actually a hearty fruit that can withstand time on the countertop.

If you buy it fresh, you can keep Buddha’s hand on the countertop for around two weeks. Not only does it look great on your kitchen counter, but you will benefit from a delicious fragrance at the same time. 

Refrigerate
As well as freezing Buddha’s hand; you can place it in the fridge for around one month. This is an ideal way of extending its shelf life without freezing it, but you won’t benefit from the delightful fragrance and aesthetic charm of the fruit, as mentioned above.

Still, if you want your Buddha’s hand to last a little longer and you don’t want to freeze it, storing it in the fridge is a good alternative. 

Use From Frozen
If you don’t want to defrost your Buddha’s hand before using it, you don’t have to. Instead, you can slice it up and add it to a smoothie or another recipe that doesn’t call for fresh fruit. This saves a lot of time and effort in the kitchen and means you don’t need to worry about thawing it ahead of time. 

How Long Can You Freeze Buddha’s Hand?

You can freeze Buddha’s hand for around three months. This is true of most fruits, and you can even store them in the fridge for up to one month.

As mentioned, Buddha’s hand doesn’t need to be refrigerated or frozen, and it will be good at room temperature for around two weeks. No matter how you decide to store it, you can be sure that your Buddha’s hand will taste delicious when you come to enjoy it!

You Can Freeze Buddha’s Hand for up to 3 Months

How Do You Defrost Buddha’s Hand?

You can use Buddha’s hand from frozen if you’re planning to use it in certain recipes like smoothies, meaning you don’t need to worry about thawing it.

However, if you want to enjoy Buddha’s hand without it being frozen, you can simply transfer it from the freezer to the fridge the night before you plan to enjoy it.

This will be sufficient time for the fruit to thaw, and you can go ahead and use it in any way that you choose.

Can You Refreeze Buddha’s Hand?

While you can technically freeze Buddha’s hand more than once, it’s best to freeze it once. This is because refreezing the fruit may alter its consistency and taste, and its taste might not be as potent when you come to enjoy it.

Still, there’s nothing dangerous from a health perspective about refreezing Buddha’s hand, so feel free if you have some leftovers.

Does Buddha’s Hand Freeze Well?

Overall, Buddha’s hand freezes really well. It’s actually a great fruit to preserve long into the future, and you can keep it at room temperature, in the fridge, or in the freezer.

If you follow the steps listed above and wrap your Buddha’s hand well, it should be good for around three months before you need to use it up.