Do Apples Need Refrigerated?
Yes! Experts agree, the refrigerator is THE best place to store apples, providing the ideal conditions for apples because they need very cold and humid storage. In fact, apples stored in the refrigerator will stay fresh for up to 10 times longer than fruit stored at room temperature. Storing apples properly is important for keeping them fresh and delicious as long as possible.
Apples prefer a very cold environment and keep best in the refrigerator held at 33 degrees Fahrenheit and high humidity (90-95%). Premier Honeycrisp, Honeycrisp, and EverCrisp apples need to be stored at 38 degrees Fahrenheit and high humidity (90-95%). For this reason, the crisper drawer is the best home for your favorite apples, but away from other produce. If your refrigerator has an option to adjust the humidity, in the crisper drawer, turn it up as high as it can go.
Apples continue to ripen long after they're picked. To reduce shrivel, store apples in the crisper drawer with a moist wet paper towel. Apples can be stored individually or in a ventilated plastic bag. You can also wrap each apple individually in a paper towel, newspaper or newsprint. The goal is to keep the temperature constant and keep them from bruising.
It's best to locate apples and other ethylene producing fruit, away from citrus and vegetables in the refrigerator. For example, don't store apples and oranges in the crisper drawer or apples and vegetables together. The ethylene from the apples will cause some produce, mostly vegetables, to spoil very quickly. Potatoes can make apples ripen faster, so store them elsewhere.
At room temperature, apples will last about 5 to 7 days. Beyond that, they begin to degrade in quality and nutritional content. They begin to lose their flavor and freshness and either shrivel or get mushy. Once that happens, most people would rather toss them than eat them. The sooner you store your fresh apples, the longer they will last.
So, don't leave them sitting out on the counter for very long, before storing them in the refrigerator. They can quickly become overripe on the counter, which means they will degrade much faster. The refrigerator keeps apples fresh anywhere from three weeks to three months (or longer) - making it the wiser choice for storing apples you buy in bulk.
There is NO substitute for refrigeration to properly store apples. A cool room in the basement is around 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit, which is not cold enough to prevent premature spoiling. If you don't have refrigerator space, use the apples for eating and baking right away. Or, come to Sunrise Orchards later in the season, as we store them under optimum conditions.
STORAGE TIPS - To ensure your apples have the longest lifespan possible:
- Store apples in a crisper drawer, away from other produce, with humidity set to maximum.
- Don't wash your apples until you're ready to eat them.
- Don't store a bruised apple for a long time. Even one apple that rots can spoil an entire bunch.
- Check your apples that are in storage for signs of spoiling. Remove any spoiled apples immediately before they spread.
- Keep apples away from fragrant foods. Apples absorb odors from other foods and can also speed up ripening of other vegetables and fruits.
How Do You Freeze Apples?
Freezing apples for use in cooking and baking, is a great way to keep apples available all year long. Sweeter apples than as Fuji’s and Galas, are more likely to hold their flavor, than tart varieties.
Any apple will keep well in the freezer however for 6-9 months. The texture of the apple, will be altered by freezing, leaving the flesh spongier than that of a fresh apple. That change in texture, doesn’t affect cooking and baking applications. The freezing method will depend on how they’ll be used later.
Peeled, cored and sliced apples can be used later in any cooked recipe. Pies, muffins, cobblers and even applesauce, can be made from frozen apples. A swivel peeler or a sturdy slicer/corer, make preparation easier. Both peelers and slicer/corers are available to Sunrise Orchards.
Sliced apples dipped in a bowl of water with a little lemon juice (about a tablespoon per gallon) prevents browning. Cortland apples resist browning naturally.
To prevent the apples from clumping, arrange slices on a plate or baking tray lined with parchment or waxed paper. Pre-freeze the apple slices between 4 hours – 24 hours, before bagging them in airtight containers or freezer bags. Date and label contents. Apples can be stored frozen for up to 1 year.
When baking with frozen apples, there's no need to thaw them first. Simply place the frozen slices into a pie crust with the rest of your filing, cover with dough and bake. Just be sure to keep an eye on your pie as you may need to add an additional 20 minutes to the total bake time.
SUNRISE ORCHARDS HOURS:
November 1 - December 21: 9am - 4pm DAILY (closed Thanksgiving Day)
Last Day of Season: Dec 22nd 9 am – Noon
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Retail Season 8/14/2023 - 12/22/2023
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Sunrise Orchards
48340 State Hwy 171
Gays Mills, WI 54631
608-735-4645