Freezing Avocados?

[DC Sunshine]

There are some quite inexpensive avocados - Hass variety - on the market here at the moment and I'd like to take advantage of it, and am wondering if anyone has successfully frozen them?

Have googled it, and seems like they need to be pureed, add lemon juice, then pack with some head space.

Was wondering if the result is any good - anybody tried it? Is it worth doing? Or do they end up too mushy - like grating and freezing zucchinis?

Any comments appreciated

DC

[MattFin]

It looks like nobody is sure here, and I myself have no idea. But the food scientist in me says "if they're cheap, what do you have to lose by giving it a try?"

I'd not only try that technique people mention, but I'd just throw a whole one in the freezer as well - just to see what happens.

Either way, be sure to come back and tell us the results!

[DC Sunshine]

Fair comment Matt Got nothing to lose - might even try slicing one and coating with lemon juice then freeze it flat - stay tuned!

[Ma Facon]

I know one can buy avacado wedges IQF.

[Tolina]

as to the question "can whole avocado can be freezed."
when i tried freezing avocado it was destroyed. the texture was totally destroyed with grainy texture.

[Anneke]

You can buy frozen guacamole that isn't too bad. Doesn't beat fresh, but it should be doable.

[Luc_H]

As per Mattfin advice I would just do it.

Avocado pieces or whole don't freeze properly (at home at least don't know about IQF) because the water swells during freezing and destroys the cell structure of the fruit.

(I have not tried this)
I would dice, juice with lime (to prevent blackening) then puree the avocado and freeze in resealable bags as one portion. When guacamole is called for, thaw a bag, whip up the puree, add the guacamole ingredients and some diced fresh avocado.

I think it could work.

(caution: remove every black tissue you see before pureeing. The blackening process in avocados is a chain reaction and when it starts is can quickly blacken the puree).

Luc H.

[shroomgirl]

I just bought avacado puree in a 5# bag.....was actually really good.....worth using again.

[Salliem]

I have bought IQF avacados at GFS and they pretty good..(and they are Haas)..the flavor is true to what a Haas taste like fresh. They are peeled and pitted..I would at least give it a try.

[MikeLM]

It ain't easy to freeze avocados.

About 40 years ago I knew a rancher in Santa Barbara who was a Director of CalAvo, the marketing association. He told me they were beating their brains out trying to freeze them to lengthen the selling season. They had to maintain the color, texture, and flavor.

I think they finally figured out that flash freezing with liquid nitrogen was the only way to meet these goals. You can't do this at home.

Trader Joe's has a frozen and also a refrigerated guacamole which are pretty good, especially if you dress it up with some diced onion and the like.

I guess they have got it fairly well worked out.

Mike

[shroomgirl]

Calavo is the avacado puree I bought at Restaurant Depot....it was 3# @ $6...took a chance and won. This shtuff is just great. One of the buyers said they did a tasting with a couple latino guys with this frozen and some fresh.....they could not tell the difference. I like having it in the freezer for quick guacamole....gotta be cheaper than buying fresh avacados in most cases.

[Luc_H]

Hey Shroom,

I wonder if any ingredient tricks are used in that product or is it only a freezing technique. Can you please post the ingredients?

Luc H

[shroomgirl]

will do, it's at the kitchen and I'll post tonight.

[shroomgirl]

dangit, left it on the counter on the way out.....was mopping, rushed out to see a movie with a friend and didn't go by that door.

But it was Calavo, Hass Avacados, sugar, salt. polysorbi....something or other, Citric acid, onions are at the end of the list, several other things in the middle but that was the initial 4 ingredients. Good stuff.

[thetincook]

Luc H, I think that they use a sort of High Pressure High Temp pastaurization process with the bagged avocado pulp. Except, I can't find anything to back that up. Ah, well.

I love the stuff! It is way more consistent then whole avocados, and it's never ever been watery. They even have "plain" which I prefer.

The only bad thing is that the shape is completly destroyed during packing.