This is a common question people have!
People mainly have orange juice in the fridge to pair with a hearty breakfast.
We are here to tell you to break the norm and enjoy frozen orange juice on a hot afternoon in the summer.
So the answer to the question is yes, you can freeze orange juice, whether it is for storage or experimenting with recipes.
However, there are some things you should know before you freeze your stash of orange juice.
Let's take a look.
Upsides of Freezing:
- Research studies show that freezing orange juice and then defrosting it may provide healthier benefits.
- Store bought orange juice and freshly squeezed orange juice can both be frozen! However, store bought orange juice will last longer in the freezer due to added preservatives.
- If you went overboard on an orange juice sale and can't drink it all in time, freezing is a good way to store excessive juice. We go in depth about storage dates below.
Downsides of Freezing:
- Packaging is important when it comes to freezing your orange juice. This may call for some manual labor; you may have to transfer your orange juice out of its original packaging into freezer-safe containers.
- When you freeze orange juice, the water in the juice will turn to ice. This will cause the juice to expand and the container could possibly burst.
- If you love pulp in your orange juice, freezing orange juice may not be for you. Freezing orange juice with a large amount of pulp will affect the texture of the orange juice after it has been thawed. The pulp will clump up and have a grainy consistency.
How Long Can You Freeze Orange Juice?
- Unopened store bought orange juice - Up to 1 year
- Opened store bought orange juice- up to 6 months
- Freshly squeezed orange juice- up to 4 months
- Frozen orange juice concentrate- up to 1 year
- Thawed & opened frozen orange juice concentrate- not recommended to be frozen again.
Can Frozen Orange Juice Go Bad?
Frozen orange juice can go bad if kept longer than the time frame listed above. The quality of the orange juice will most likely decrease and flavor can be affected. Nobody wants to drink bland orange juice.
Can You Freeze Store Bought Orange Juice?
Yes, you can freeze store bought orange juice due to preservatives and how it is processed.
Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate are used to prevent food from molding. Store bought orange juice also undergoes deaeration and pasteurization in order to have a longer shelf life.
Can You Freeze Homemade Fresh Orange Juice?
Your hands may be tired from squeezing all those oranges but yes, you can freeze freshly squeezed orange juice! Because freshly squeezed is obviously all natural, it does not last as long as store bought orange juice in the freezer.
Can You Freeze Orange Juice From Concentrate?
For the frozen orange juice from concentrate cans, once thawed, it is not recommended to be frozen again.
Fresh concentrate or store bought orange juice from concentrate can be frozen up to one year.
Can You Freeze Orange Juice With Pulp?
Yes and no. As I mentioned earlier, the pulp affects the taste and texture of your orange juice after it has been thawed.
For best results, we recommend that you strain your orange juice before freezing. But if you absolutely love your pulp and do not mind the effects after thawing, then skip the straining step altogether!
How To Freeze Orange Juice
Method 1: Freezer Safe Containers
Remember when I mentioned additional manual labor for store bought orange juice? Well here it is. Leaving the orange juice in the original carton may not be a good idea. When the juice freezes, the carton can expand and end up exploding. Goodbye orange juice!
You will need to transfer the juice to a suitable, freezer safe container. We cover the different containers below. Next, label with the date and store in the freezer.
Method 2: Ice Cube Trays
Super simple and easy to complete! Just be sure your ice cube trays are clean before pouring orange juice into them. Batching orange juice into ice cubes helps with quantity control.
Method 3: Freezer bags
Warning, this does not require you to pour orange juice directly into the bag! Using the freezer bag is an optional additional step to method 2.
After your orange juice transforms into ice cubes, you can dump the cubes into a freezer bag. Seal, label and return to freezer.
Method 4: Freezer Safe Mason Jars
Mason jars are so popular in the kitchen. Might as well use it for orange juice! Just pour into the jar, leaving one inch of head space for the juice to expand.
How Do You Thaw Frozen Orange Juice?
Method 1: Refrigerator Method
This is the most common and straightforward way to thaw frozen orange juice. Simply remove the jug or container from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator overnight. Depending on the size of the container and volume, it may take between 3 to 24 hours to thaw.
Thawed juice usually last 2-3 days.
Method 2: Microwave Method
If you are in a hurry or forgot to take out your juice, this is the fastest way to defrost. Make sure your container is microwave-safe, pop it in the microwave and hit defrost.
Once thawed via microwave, it's best to consume the orange juice within the hour.
Method 3: No Method
Throw the ice cubes straight into a drink or blend into a cocktail.
What Should I Freeze Orange Juice In?
Carton
Main packaging of orange juice from the grocery store. When the orange juice starts to freeze, the carton will expand and may explode. This is not a recommended storage method.
Container
If you decide to use a container, make sure it is an airtight freezer-safe container. Don't forget to label and date!
Ice Cube Tray
This is great way to store orange juice if you would like to incorporate the cubes into cooking, or beverages. The ice cubes are also great when you don't want a large amount of orange juice thawed out.
Freezer Safe Mason Jar
These jars are great to store orange juice and drink out of. So no need to transfer glasses. Drink it straight from the jar!
Freezer Safe Ziploc
Please do not pour orange juice directly into a Ziploc bag. Do place your already frozen orange juice ice-cubes into a Ziploc bag, then return to freezer.
Favorite Frozen Orange Juice Recipes
Conclusion
Yes, you can freeze orange juice whether it is store bought or freshly squeezed. Freezing orange juice is a great way to preserve the juice for later use.
Be sure to use freezer safe storage vessels and label the date. The most common way to thaw frozen orange juice is by placing it in the refrigerator overnight.
Now that you know you can freeze orange juice, go get creative!
Amy
