Can You Freeze Cantaloupe?

Quick Answer : Can You Freeze Cantaloupe?

You can freeze cantaloupe and consume it later. Generally, melons have a high-water content. For example, watermelon has water dripping all over it when you slice it. Similarly, cantaloupe has 95% water content. But, it has denser flesh than its pink-fleshed cousin, the watermelon. So, it freezes well and emerges with a more substantive texture than the watermelon. Though its texture can change slightly after freezing, the taste remains the same. Besides, frosty cantaloupe tastes better than a fresh piece. So, if you have stacked up a massive batch of cantaloupe, you can consider freezing it. Here is how you freeze cantaloupe.

How Do You Freeze Cantaloupe?

Freezing cantaloupe is easy. But, it is essential to choose suitable fruits for freezing. We suggest selecting ripe cantaloupes for freezing. Please avoid the overripe melons because they start decaying fast. It is better to consume them fresh without freezing them. Let us see how to freeze cantaloupe.

Freezing Cantaloupe The Right Way

Select the ideal fruit before starting the freezing process.

1. Wash the cantaloupe with soap and water. Please remove the dirt and mud residue on the fruits before preparing them for freezing.
2. Cut the fruit in half. If the flesh is firm, fully colored, and juicy, you can select it for freezing. If it is a bit mushy, you can freeze it. But the fruit will emerge with a mushier texture after freezing.
3. Remove the seeds and slice the flesh from the rind. Ensure to remove the green-colored area between the skin and the orange flesh. This area will not taste sweet.
4. You can freeze the cantaloupe in different ways. Slice them thin, cube them, or even scoop melon balls if required. An ice cream scoop can be handy for scooping melon balls.
5. Line a baking tray with parchment or greaseproof paper. Place the sliced or cut cantaloupe on the tray, maintaining a distance between each piece. It ensures that the fruits do not stick together when freezing. Besides, it becomes easy to remove the frozen slices.
6. Push the baking tray in the freezer, allowing the fruit slices to flash freeze. The fruits should solidify within two hours.
7. Remove the solidified cantaloupe pieces and place them inside a freezer bag or airtight containers. Vacuum sealing the freezer bags is ideal. However, you can use a straw to suck the excess air from the bags before sealing them airtight. Another easy method to remove air is to dip the freezer bag into the water while holding the open end above the surface. The air inside the bag gest forced out of the bag. You can quickly seal the bag while keeping the contents below water level.
8. Note the freezing date using a marker pen and keep the bags inside the freezer, enabling the cantaloupe pieces to freeze well.

Freezing Cantaloupe Puree

While people generally freeze cantaloupe pieces, it is possible to freeze cantaloupe puree and use it in various recipes.

1. Wash the fruits and cut them in half. Remove the seeds and scoop the flesh out from the skin.
2. Prepare the cantaloupe puree according to its recipe.
3. Once the cantaloupe puree is ready, pour it into an ice cube tray. Next, place the tray inside the freezer, allowing the puree to solidify. It will take around two to three hours.
4. Remove the frozen puree cubes and transfer them to freezer bags. Seal the bags well after squeezing the air from them.
5. Stick the freezing date label and push the bags into the freezer.

Freezing Cantaloupe In Sugar Syrup

You can freeze the cantaloupe slices or pieces in sugar syrup. The advantage of freezing it in syrup is that the fruit maintains its yellow color and sweetness.

1. As discussed above, wash the fruits as usual and cut them into slices.
2. Place the fruit slices into an airtight plastic container or glass jar.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the sugar syrup and allow it to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, add the syrup to the fruits submerging them.
4. Leave some space at the top before closing the lid airtight.
5. Label the jars and place them inside the freezer compartment, allowing the contents to freeze.

How Long Can Cantaloupe Remain Frozen In The Freezer Without Damaging Its Texture?

Cantaloupe freezes well. So, you can keep the puree frozen for nine to twelve months, provided you follow the freezing method discussed here. The cantaloupe slices or cubes can remain fresh for nine to ten months. The cantaloupe frozen in sugar syrup can last for six months.

How Do You Defrost The Frozen Cantaloupe?

You can consume the frozen cantaloupe directly from the freezer. However, if they are hard to chew, you can transfer the fruits to the refrigerator and let them defrost naturally. You can also thaw a cantaloupe at room temperature by placing the frozen fruits in a bowl wrapped loosely with plastic or aluminum foil.

Can You Refreeze Cantaloupe?

We do not recommend refreezing cantaloupe because the fruit can lose its texture and become mushy. The defrosting process causes the ice crystals to melt and make the fruit mushy. Refreezing it can destroy its texture completely.

Can You Freeze Cantaloupe And Honeydew Melon?

Cantaloupe and honeydew melon are similar fruits. However, honeydew melon has less water content than a cantaloupe. Therefore, you can freeze cantaloupe and honeydew melon.

Can You Freeze Cantaloupe Slices?

Yes. You can slice a cantaloupe after peeling off the skin and removing the seeds. Freezing cantaloupe slices is possible.

Can You Freeze Cantaloupe Melon?

Yes. You can freeze the cantaloupe melon the way described here.

Can You Freeze Cantaloupe And Watermelon?

Watermelon has more water content than a cantaloupe. Though it can be challenging to freeze watermelon and cantaloupe, you can do so after taking the necessary precautions.

Can You Freeze Cantaloupe Seeds?

You can freeze cantaloupe seeds after drying them thoroughly. Otherwise, they can become moldy. Transfer the seeds to a jar and keep them in the freezer for two days. Subsequently, move the pot to the refrigerator and preserve the seeds.

Can You Freeze Cantaloupe Juice?

Yes. It is possible to freeze cantaloupe juice. Extract the cantaloupe juice using a masticating juicer and freeze it in ziplock bags or airtight plastic containers.

Final Thoughts

Cantaloupe is one of the tastiest fruits to consume in summer because of its high-water content. So, if you have stacked up several fruits at a time, it can be challenging to finish them immediately. So, freezing the cantaloupe is a viable option. We have discussed how to freeze the fruit and consume it later.