Can You Freeze Key Limes – How Long Can You Freeze Key Limes?

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Can You Freeze Key Limes?: Bought a bunch of limes and wondering what to do with the excess. Worried that some of them would go bad? Or maybe you have some unexpected leftovers that you don’t want to discard and wish to know about their best storage method. Can you freeze limes?

Well, don’t worry; we are here to help. Keep reading to find out the best ways to store, defrost, and reuse limes, along with some other interesting lime details.

Can You Freeze Key Limes

Can You Freeze Key Limes?

Yes, key limes can surely be frozen like any other lime. Key limes can be a little more delicate, so you should only keep them in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Key limes are quite versatile when it comes to freezing, and you have a few options. You can choose the freezing method based on how you plan to use the key limes and whether it would be best to freeze them whole or as wedges or slices.

Knowing that, in the next section, we will talk about all the freezing options you have and how to freeze the limes in the best manner.

How To Freeze Key Limes?

Follow the below-given steps to know how to properly freeze key limes:

  • Wash the limes: Always choose the best quality limes with no blemishes or signs of damage. Then wash and dry your key limes. You want to give the limes a good scrub, especially if they are waxed because this wax should be removed before freezing.
  • Cut: Then cut the key limes into wedges or slices. You don’t need to worry about peeling the key limes as long as they are thoroughly washed.
  • Flash Freeze: For this, add a layer of parchment paper to a baking sheet or any flat-bottomed roasting dish. Then lay out the lime wedges or slices on the baking sheet and put the tray into the freezer for two to three hours, until the limes get solid.
  • Transfer to Bags: Once the key limes become solid from flash freezing, you can take the baking sheet out of the freezer. Then transfer the key limes into a freezer bag.
  • Label and seal: Label the freezer bag with the date and contents. Then seal the bag tightly, ensuring you squeeze out as much air as possible.
  • Freeze: Lastly, pop the bag into the freezer. And your key limes will be nicely frozen.

How Long Can You Freeze Key Limes?

Key limes are delicious to eat and add an extra kick of flavor to multiple dishes. On top of that, you can also keep the key limes frozen for absolute ages – up to twelve months!

It doesn’t even matter which method you use to freeze the limes; they should all last for up to twelve months. Then, whenever you need a few wedges or slices of key lime, you can grab out the number you need and reseal the bag.

Whole limes can stay good for at least 3 to 4 weeks in the refrigerator. And if you go with the best way to store limes, which is by refrigerating them in a freezer bag, you can even get an extra week or more of good quality. In other words, key limes have a pretty long shelf life, so if yours are reasonably fresh, you still have a couple of weeks to use them.

You may think that using a fresh lime is a more pleasant experience than using one that’s been frozen and defrosted. But honestly, frozen key limes also remain good for use for a pretty long time.

Key Limes  Shelf Life 
In the refrigerator 3 to 4 weeks
In the freezer 12 months

Do Limes Freeze Well?

It is easy to freeze limes, but they may soften after freezing and thawing. You can still juice or zest frozen key limes just fine, but they don’t work well in dishes that don’t involve cooking or baking.

The defrosted limes, wedges, or slices are soft and squishy, and that means using them as a garnish or leaving them on the table for your guests to get some extra lime can leave a bitter taste.

Therefore, you should consider various cooked and baked dishes, where the difference between fresh and defrosted limes is difficult to spot.

Alternatively, you might decide to juice and/or zest your frozen key limes if you don’t need the fruit itself. Both the juice and zest of key limes freeze fine, so if that’s what you usually use in your cooking, you might as well process the limes beforehand.

How To Defrost Key Limes?

Just like freezing, defrosting limes will depend on the state of the key limes prior to freezing. For whole limes, simply place the frozen fruits in a bowl of cold water for 10 to 15 minutes, and they’ll be good to use.

For thawing frozen lime zest, just transfer the container from the freezer to the fridge and leave it to defrost for a few hours. Alternatively, you can also use the frozen lime zest directly in cooking, no thawing is needed. The same thing goes for using frozen lime juice. Just pop a couple of frozen lime juice cubes from the ice cube tray and add them to your favorite drinks or dishes, and voila, you’re done.

For frozen lime slices or lime wedges, take the plastic bag out of the freezer and place the tightly sealed bag in a bowl of cold water.

Leave it there to thaw for 10 to 20 minutes then the slices or wedges of limes will be thawed, and ready to use. Alternatively, if you need those slices to top your fish or cake, you can simply skip defrosting and place them where they need to be while still frozen. The oven or stove will take care of defrosting and cooking the lime slices in minutes.

Find Out:

Can You Refreeze Key Limes?

No, we wouldn’t recommend you refreeze your key limes. The fruit will undergo changes in texture and structure during the first freezing process, and therefore it is unlikely to survive the process a second time.

What To Do With Leftover Key Limes?

Frozen lime slices work great in multiple baked dishes like lime-baked salmon. Or you can use frozen lime slices to make limeade if you like. Although zesting or juicing slices doesn’t make sense, if you’ve opted for wedges, both should still be doable.

Also, the slices will be soft after defrosting, so using them as garnishes is far from ideal. Therefore, it is suggested to freeze limes in slices or wedges only if you have a plan for how you’re going to use them afterward.

Luckily, freezing a whole lime allows you to use it however you want, including slicing, zesting, and juicing the fruit. The only downside is that defrosting the whole lime takes quite some time, which means you need to plan.

Also, note that even the whole lime will be super soft after thawing, so slicing it might be a bit cumbersome but still doable. Yet again, you can use those slices in a cooked or baked dish, not to decorate your mojito or margarita.

For more updates on articles like Can you Freeze Jackfruit you can always look up to us and clear your concerns.

FAQs On Freezing Key Limes

1. Can You Freeze Key Lime Juice?

Yes, you can definitely freeze lime juice. For this, just pour lime juice into the slots of an ice cube tray and freeze. Once solid, you can pop the cubes of lime juice out and store them in a bag.

2. Can You Freeze Finger Limes?

Yes, finger limes can be frozen in the same way as key limes. As always, it’s vital that you store the limes in an airtight container or a good-quality freezer bag.

3. Can You Freeze Lime Wedges?

Yes, you can surely freeze lime wedges. But you should be prepared to see a change in texture in the wedges after defrosting. This means they will only be useful for the flavor.

4. How do you know when key limes go bad?

If you notice any specs of mold, or if they are super soft, shriveled, or slimy, discard the limes. Some softness is a good indicator that your lime is a bit on the older side and contains a lot of juice. But if the whole lime is super soft, shriveled feels hollow, or the skin is wrinkly, it’s time for it to go.

Wrapping Up

Lime is one of the easiest citrus fruits to store in the freezer. And when you’ve impulsively bought more limes than you can handle, it’s best to store them in the freezer for long-term use. Now that you know how to freeze limes, you can stock up on these tasty citrus fruits and follow our guidelines to freeze them for future use.

If you try to freeze key limes using our tips, then do share your experience in the comments. Keep checking out our latest articles like Can you Freeze Limes and others.

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