Cooked avocados are usually only delicious for a short time. If left at room temperature for too long, the fruit easily softens; and when cut, the flesh of the avocado quickly turns brown due to contact with the air. However, if you know how to handle and freeze them properly, you can preserve cooked avocados for gradual use for many months.
According to the instructions of the Iowa State University Extension, whole ripe avocados can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days, while cut avocados should be used for about 1-2 days. Therefore, if you want to keep avocados longer, freezing is a more suitable option.
First, choose medium-ripened avocados, with firm flesh, not crushed, waterlogged or having an unusual smell. Overripened avocados are often easily textured after thawing.
Wash the avocado under running water, dry it, then cut it in half, remove the seeds and separate the flesh from the skin. You can cut the avocado into bite-sized pieces or mash it, depending on the purpose of use later.
A simple tip to limit dark butter is to spread a very thin layer of lemon juice on the surface of the butter meat. Lemon juice is acidic, which helps slow down the oxidation process that causes the butter surface to change color. Iowa State University Extension also recommends using a small amount of lemon juice, lemon or white vinegar when storing cut butter in the refrigerator to help retain its color.
Then, put the butter in a zip bag or sealed container for frozen food. The less air in, the better, because oxygen not only promotes the oxidation process but can also make food dry and reduce quality during freezing. The Vietnam Food Safety Authority also recommends removing as much air as possible when packaging frozen food.
If you want to use it conveniently, you can divide the avocado into small portions before freezing. With ground avocado, you can put it in an ice tray, freeze it into balls and then transfer it to a sealed bag. Each time you make smoothies, butter sauces or dishes, just take just enough, avoid freezing the whole bag.
When storing, butter should be placed in the freezer at about -18°C or lower. The USDA recommends a freezer temperature of about 0°F, equivalent to -17.8°C or lower for freezing food storage.
An important note is that avocados after thawing will not retain the texture of fresh avocados completely. The avocado meat may be softer or slightly changed in smoothness. Therefore, frozen avocados are especially suitable for making smoothies, ice creams, guacamole sauces, beverages or processed dishes instead of eating them directly like fresh avocados.
In addition, do not think that freezing can keep avocados "permanently". Freezing mainly slows down the growth of microorganisms and extends the shelf life; the quality of color, smell and texture still gradually decreases over time.
