John Myers
Healthy, delicious, and refreshing: frozen grapes are a real summer snack. They are also suitable as an ice cube substitute in drinks. We share tips to keep the grapes looking fresh and crisp even after they’ve been thawed.
Grapes with a difference: In the warm season, it can be worthwhile not to put the grapes in the fruit basket or refrigerator as usual, but in the freezer. Because there they become refreshing, sweet appetizers.
Or: Simply add the iced grapes to the drink. They keep the summer drink cool without watering it down like ice cubes. In addition, they are a nice eye-catcher. Frozen grapes can also be a fruity highlight in dessert.
These grapes are best frozen
The question arises, which grapes are best for freezing? In theory, you can freeze any type of grape you like. In practice, green grapes are less suitable – regardless of whether they have seeds or not: their skin is less firm. That’s why they quickly become mushy after defrosting.
Blue and seedless grapes, on the other hand, freeze particularly well. Seedless varieties are also a better choice because they’re easier to eat later. No matter which variety you choose, it is important that the grapes are firm before freezing and have no bruises. This is the only way to keep them looking fresh and appetizing after defrosting.
Freeze grapes – step-by-step instructions
Freezing grapes is easy. All you need for this is:
- A portion of fresh grapes
- 1 sieve (optional)
- 1 cloth or kitchen paper
- 1 tray or plate
- 1 freezer bag or freezer container
That’s how it works:
- Remove the grapes from the stalks and wash them thoroughly in a colander under running, lukewarm water.
- Pat the grapes dry with a cloth or paper towels.
- Leave the grapes for a while. Spread the fruit out on a tray or plate. Make sure the grapes dry individually and don’t touch each other. Because: If they don’t dry properly, they can become soft from the water and later freeze together into a lump.
- Place the dry grapes in the freezer. They should be separated from each other as much as possible.
- After four to five hours, the grapes should be well frozen.
- Once the grapes are frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer bag or freezer box. This should be done as quickly as possible so that the fruit does not thaw.
If you would like to eat something sweet right away, you can speed up the process: simply take the grapes out of the freezer after around 30 minutes. Then they are cool on the outside, but not completely frozen on the inside.
How long can frozen grapes last?
Grapes can be stored in the freezer for up to six months. However, it is not necessarily recommended to keep them for so long: they lose their aroma over time, and the consistency also suffers from long freezing.
You should always thaw deep-frozen grapes carefully unless they end up in your mouth right away or serve as an ice cube substitute. To do this, prepare the fruit on a plate lined with kitchen paper and put it in the fridge for three to four hours.
Defrosted grapes should be consumed promptly, otherwise, they will become mushy. If it’s already too late and the grapes look a bit battered, you don’t have to throw them away right away: you can still use them to make jam, jelly, syrup, grape juice, or compote.
