I can't keep up with the output of my fig tree and I hate to see them go to waste (actually, if I leave them on the tree, they won't go to waste, they'll go to the birds - and I don't begrudge them a meal - but I'd rather save some figs for me too).

Has anyone ever frozen fresh figs?

I've read the thread about "preserving fresh figs" and there are a lot of good ideas but I don't think anyone spoke about freezing figs.

If I were to do it, I would put clean, dry figs into a Ziploc bag, squeeze out the air and pop the bag into the freezer.

I would then take them out and use them in "cooked" fig recipes because I wouldn't expect them to taste like fresh after they've been frozen and then thawed.

Is there anyone out there with any experience in freezing fresh figs?

Thanx all!

My parents used to have a fig tree in Bklyn and
at times they couldn't keep up with the amount the tree produced. My mother froze the figs once but din't like the way they turned out so she never did it again. I would think you could as long as you used them up quickly. Did you google a search?

Q. Can fresh figs be frozen for use at a later date, i.e., a month or two from now? I want to save fresh figs for cooking later.
A. One of the great selling points of fresh figs is that their flesh is so tender and delicate. Freezing will devalue your figs, because it causes cell walls to rupture and produces a somewhat mushy texture in most thawed fruits. But you can certainly freeze figs.

The other issue you have to manage is that figs, like apples, apricots, and peaches, are particularly prone to discoloring. So you need to treat them with an acid to keep them looking good. This can be a thawed frozen fruit juice concentrate, such as orange or cranberry, lemon juice, or a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) dissolved in a quart of water. This treatment can alter the flavor of the fruit. Ascorbic acid, especially, can be bitter, while you might appreciate a lemon or orange hint in your figs.

To freeze figs, wash them and remove the stem. Peel them if you like. They can be sliced or frozen whole. Dip them in the acid wash and either pack them directly in a container for freezing, or freeze them separately on baking sheets and then pack the frozen figs in an airtight container.

Another alternative is to freeze the figs in syrup. Make a sugar syrup with 3 cups of sugar and 4 cups of water, heat to a boil, and then chill it thoroughly. Or mix 2 cups of a mild honey with 3 cups of warm water, blend them, and chill. Then pack your figs in a container and cover with the syrup, leaving a half-inch to an inch of room at the top for expansion. A benefit of wet-pack freezing, is that you can add the lemon juice to inhibit discoloration to the syrup and skip one step in the process
Hope this helps.... Ida

Thanks Ida

Annie,

I have been freezing lots of figs over the last couple of weeks. I do not freeze them whole though. I don't think the texture would hold up well to freezing anyway.

I chop them up - actually put them in a food processor. The reason I do this is because it lends itself to the things I want to use them for anyway: fig bread and fig glaze for meat. I do not add any lemon juice and haven't had a problem with discoloring.

So far I have frozen about 10 pounds and the trees are still full!

Christine

quote:

Originally posted by PDXtine:
Annie,

I have been freezing lots of figs over the last couple of weeks. I do not freeze them whole though. I don't think the texture would hold up well to freezing anyway.

I chop them up - actually put them in a food processor. The reason I do this is because it lends itself to the things I want to use them for anyway: fig bread and fig glaze for meat. I do not add any lemon juice and haven't had a problem with discoloring.

So far I have frozen about 10 pounds and the trees are still full!

Christine

Thanks Christine.

So, my lil' ol' fig tree in NYC isn't such an oddity - there you are in Oregon with all those figs!

Anyway, I know fig trees in NYC (Bklyn) aren't oddities at all - after all this is where so many of us immigrants ( and ancestors of immigrants) ended up.

I'll try your method too - thanks!