In general, fruits contribute to a significant portion of your diet every day. The main reason is fruits have thousands of nutrients that can keep your body healthy. Guava is also of valuable fruit that has the ability to boost the cells of the tongue and your health.
But most people have a problem keeping guava fresh longer when they buy some fruits. So, can you keep guava fresh long or not? If you can, how do you keep it longer? These are the main questions that are raised in your mind now.
Generally, you can keep guava on your counter for about 2 to 3 days. So, if you want to enjoy your guava longer, you can try out the below methods. They will be simple and easy but is valuable.
METHOD 1: REFRIGERATING THE GUAVA
STEP 1: LET THEM RIPEN
If you pick unripe guava, let them ripen by keeping them on the counter for 2 to 3 days. Because softness and strong fragrance are the signs that emphasize the time you should refrigerate the guavas.
However, do not keep the guavas in the place where they are exposed to direct sunlight. Hence heat and light may ripen the guava too quickly.
Anyhow if your guava takes too much time to ripen, you can put them in a paper bag with the top slightly open.
STEP 2: PUT THE GUAVA INTO A PLASTIC OR PAPER BAG
If you make sure that your guava ripens, it is a must to put guava into a paper or plastic bag before refrigerating it. Here you should highly care about the below factors.
- The bag should be clean and dry. Because the moisture and dirt will lead guava to ripen further in the refrigerator.
- Moreover, it is better to label with the date. It will help you for future reference.
Similarly, the important thing to keep your mind is that the other ripe fruits will speed up the ripening process of your guava. Therefore, you should ensure that your guava is safe.
STEP 3: PLACE GUAVA IN A REFRIGERATOR’S CRISPER DRAWER
First of all, you must set the medium humidity of the crisper drawer. It avoids becoming your guava too dry or too moist. However, if you can, it is better to store the guava bag in a separate drawer to keep away other fruits, especially apples and oranges. Because they can cause to spoil guava quickly.
Plus, keep the bag slightly open at the top to allow air to circulate through the bag and the drawer.
STEP 4: EAT YOUR GUAVAS WITHIN 3 TO 4 DAYS OF REFRIGERATING
As you know, storing in a refrigerator will increase the lifespan of guava fruits. But you should consume them in a timely manner.
Generally, after around 4 days, guava stored in the refrigerator starts to spoil. Therefore, if you do not consume, you have to throw out them away.
Here how do you recognize overripe guavas? When you press on the outer skin of guava, ripe fruits are very soft, while overripe guavas will dent.
METHOD 2: FREEZING GUAVA
STEP 1: CLEAN YOUR GUAVAS
First of all, wash all guavas using cool water. After that, blot the washed guavas dry with a paper towel. You can use a clean cloth as an alternate for paper towels.
STEP 2: REMOVE THE OUTER SKIN OF THE GUAVA
Under this step, you should carefully remove all of each guava’s outer skin using a peeler or knife. When peeling the skin, make sure not to remove the flesh with it. However, you can add the removed guava skin to your compost bin if you make compost.
STEP 3: CUT EACH GUAVA IN HALF
Here are the important things you should have a sharp knife and a cutting board. So, now you know what you have to do. Simply slice each guava in half through the widest part in the middle of the fruit.
However, you can cut the halves again and again. But this is optional, and you can leave halves as it is too.
STEP 4: PLACE THE GUAVA CUTS IN THE AIRTIGHT BAG OR CONTAINER
You should find a freezer bag or airtight container with a lid as soon as you cut the guavas. The container or bag should be large enough to put guavas with about 0.5 to 1 inch or 1.3 to 2.5 cm of empty space at the top of the bag or container.
This empty space is named headspace, and it will support to lead a quicker freezing time. Resulting in the guavas can be kept for a fresh longer without any issue.
STEP 5: POUR THE SIMPLE SYRUP OVER THE GUAVA CUTS
You can make the syrup by following below simple steps.
- Bring equal parts of water and sugar
- Then heat it to boil
- Now you have a sweet syrup
- Wait until cool it well. Because hot syrup has the ability to cook the guava, and it damages the taste of the fruit.
- This is time to pour cooled syrup over the guava
When you pour the syrup, you should pour until the guavas are submerged completely. Similarly, make sure that you leave headspace in the container or bag.
In addition to that, why do we use this syrup? Mainly, this syrup helps to preserve the taste of the guava.
STEP 6: SEAL THE BAG OR CONTAINER WELL
Here you may clarify why I before mentioned that you should find a container with a lid. Yes, because you should close the lid tightly. Plus, if you choose a bag, make sure the bag is properly sealed.
STEP 7: SIT THE BAG IN THE FREEZER
Before placing the bag in the freezer, it is better to label it with the date. Because it will help for future reference.
Then place it in the freezer. But if you preserve the guava for a long time, do not place it in the freezer’s door. Because the door area exposes to more temperature changes than the rest of the freezer area, it may lead to thawing.
Also, after placing it in the freezer, do not disturb it for at least 12 hours before thawing.
STEP 8: TASTE YOUR GUAVA WITHIN ONE YEAR
You can consume your preserved guava within 1 year unless the taste of the guava goes bad after a year.
However, please do not get it out directly when you need to eat it. First, keep it in the refrigerator for about 2 to 3 hours to thaw.
Finally, you can use this guava to make juice, bake guava-based pastries, or guava barbecue sauce.
