Can You Freeze Satsumas?

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The satsuma growing season doesn’t last all year, meaning that you might not find these delicious fruits on the supermarket shelves all year round. So, it begs the question – what’s the best way to preserve them?

How to Freeze Satsumas

You will be pleased to hear that freezing satsumas is a relatively straightforward process.

While you technically can freeze them whole, we’d recommend peeling and flash freezing satsumas first, as it makes things easier when you come to defrost the fruit.

Below are the steps you need to follow to freeze satsumas the quick and easy way: 

1. Peel
   Remove the peel from the satsumas and set it to one side. Then, prise the individual segments away from one another. 
2. Flash Freeze
   Line a tray with baking parchment and place each of the satsuma segments on top. Make sure they’re well spaced out and not overlapping, as the goal here is to allow them to freeze individually.
   
   You then need to place the tray in the freezer, where you should leave it for 2-3 hours until the satsuma segments are frozen solid. 
3. Bag Up
   Once the satsuma segments have frozen individually, remove the tray from the freezer. You can then empty the satsuma pieces into a suitably sized freezer-safe bag. Make sure you press out as much air as you can from the bag before sealing. 
4. Label and Freeze
   Write today’s date and the use by date on the front of the bag before placing the satsumas in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze satsumas for around three months.

3 Tips for Freezing Satsumas

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

Always Peel First
Although it can be tempting to just place whole satsumas directly into the freezer, avoid the temptation of doing so.

This is because the satsuma segments don’t freeze as well when they’re still in the peel, so make sure you take the time to peel and flash freeze them before placing them in the freezer. 

Freeze the Peel
Satsuma peel is great for various purposes, particularly when it’s grated. For instance, it can be a delicious addition to a cake or speciality dessert. So, once you’ve frozen your satsuma segments, bag up the peel and keep it in the freezer, too. 

Freeze Other Citrus Fruits
As well as freezing satsumas; you can also freeze mandarins, oranges, and tangerines by following the same steps as above. In reality, most of us can’t tell the difference between satsumas and tangerines, so whichever you’ve picked up from the supermarket, you can go ahead and freeze them without issue! 

How Long Can You Freeze Satsumas?

You can freeze satsumas for around three months. Technically, there’s nothing wrong with freezing them for longer than this, but it’s best to use them within this timeframe as you don’t want their taste or texture to deteriorate.

Make sure you freeze satsumas while they’re still fresh and check that they haven’t been sitting out at room temperature for too long.

Of course, if you freeze a satsuma that is on the turn, it won’t be fresh and delicious when you come to defrost it in the future!

You Can Freeze Satsumas for up to 3 Months

How Do You Defrost Satsumas?

If you’re adding satsuma segments to a morning smoothie, you don’t need to defrost them. Simply remove them from the freezer and add them to the mixer.

However, if you’re planning to enjoy your frozen satsuma segments as a snack, transfer them from the freezer to the fridge the night before you plan to enjoy them.

This will allow them sufficient time to thaw and will enable you to enjoy them as you ordinarily would.

Can You Refreeze Satsumas?

While you can refreeze satsumas, we wouldn’t recommend doing so. This is because the freezing and thawing process can affect the consistency of the fruit, which may cause it to go mushy.

So, if you have a particularly big batch of satsuma segments, it’s a good idea to freeze them in smaller portion sizes so you can easily remove what you need at any given time.

Do Satsumas Freeze Well?

Overall, satsumas freeze really well. You will need to peel and segment them before flash freezing them, and they should then be good in the freezer for around three months.

You can then use your satsumas in smoothies or enjoy them as a snack after defrosting them.