How To Store Granny Smith Apples

If you've been wondering how to store Granny Smith apples, don't worry for a second longer. We have researched all about Granny Smith apples for you.

The best way to store Granny Smith apples is by making them cold and keeping them there. If you keep them in a crisper drawer inside your refrigerator, they will either need to be loose, or you should poke holes in the grocery bag they are in.

Keep reading to have more of your questions about Granny Smith apples answered. We will talk about how long you can store Granny Smith apples, whether they last longer in the fridge or on the counter, and more.

Storing Granny Smith Apples

There are a few ways you can store Granny Smith apples. If you want to keep your Granny Smith apples for longer than a week, place them in the crisper drawer in your fridge and let them be.

You must store them by themselves because while apples are ripening, they release a gas that will cause your other fruit and vegetables to go bad faster.

Do not rinse your apples before storing them. They will go bad even faster if they have been washed. A short-term solution to make sliced apples last longer than they would otherwise is by adding lemon juice and water for the apples to soak in while you prepare the other ingredients for fried apples or apple pie filling.

It is also important to soak your apple slices in a water lemon juice mixture before freezing them. This will help prevent them from turning brown during the freezing process.

Apples that have been peeled do not last nearly as long as apples with the peel still on. It is okay to peel your apples before cooking them if you so choose. Do not peel them any sooner than necessary, though.

Ripe Granny Smith apples last the longest if kept in the freezer. You can make apple pie filling ahead of time then freeze it until you are ready for it. Apples last approximately eight months to one year in the freezer.

More About Granny Smith Apples

Granny Smith apples are the iconic large tart green apples that you see in your local grocery store, in movies, or magazines advertising homemade apple pie recipes. They are a long-time favorite fruit to make apple pie because Granny Smith apples retain their flavor even after being cooked.

Granny Smith apples also pair well with other sweeter apples such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Gala. When you mix sweet apple slices with Granny Smith apple slices, you get a balance between sweet and tart. Granny Smith apples are one of the types of apples that are preferred to keep longer.

As for rinsing or cleaning your apples before consumption, water may not be enough on its own. You can make a baking soda water mixture to soak them in to fully clean your apples by removing any leftover pesticide residue.

Granny Smith apples have been proven to help you lose weight. They are fibrous and can help balance your diet. You can eat them raw or cooked, whichever you prefer.

How long can you store Granny Smith apples?

The answer to this question varies depending on whether the apples are out at room temperature, cold, or frozen. You can store Granny Smith apples for five to seven days on the counter at room temperature. Granny Smith apples are amongst a short list of favorite apples to keep longer than others alongside Ambrosia and Aurora.

Granny Smith apples will last the longest if they are kept cold and either frozen or in a crisper drawer by themselves in your fridge. They can be kept cold in the refrigerator for four to six weeks. If they have been cut, they will only last three to five days in the fridge.

Keep in mind the riper the apple is when it is put away, the less time it will stay good. If your Granny Smith apples are only part of the way ripe, they can be kept in cold storage for up to three months. Technically they will still be good frozen for up to a year, then begin to lose flavor or become freezer burned after that.

You always have the option to dehydrate apples to store them for a longer period of time. Regardless, Granny Smith apples tend to outlast sweet apples.

How long do Granny Smith apples last at room temperature?

Granny Smith apples are a hearty variety of apple. They are still no match to room temperature, though. Granny Smith apples only stay good for about one week when kept at room temperature. This refers to when the peel is kept intact.

Do apples last longer in the fridge or on the counter?

Apples last the longest when they are kept cold. Therefore, they last longer in the fridge than they do on the counter. When apples are left out on the counter, they ripen more quickly. They also release ethylene gas which will cause nearby fruit to ripen faster than they would otherwise.

Since apples cause other fruits to ripen more quickly, you can put them out on the counter to ripen if you specifically want your fruit, such as bananas or oranges, to ripen faster. If you are trying to soften your apples before baking a pie, you can set them on the counter for a few days. Doing so causes them to ripen faster than they would have because they are not being kept cold.

Storing your apples in the crisper drawer inside of your refrigerator is your best bet. You can place them into the crisper drawer individually or still in the grocery bag that you bought them in. If they are left in a grocery bag, poke holes in it so that the fruit can get some air.

It is essential to understand that not all apples fair well when refrigerated. Something called "chilling sensitivity" happens in Fuji, Gala, Red Delicious, Honeycrisp, Cortland, and sometimes Granny Smith apples. A good idea is to monitor them regularly and try to eat them sooner than later.

Apple butter and applesauce are two great things you can make with your apples if they are getting too soft for your preference, but you do not want to waste them.

To avoid "chilling sensitivity," you can store your apples at a temperature between fifty and sixty-eight degrees Fahrenheit for about seven to ten days before exposing them to lower temperatures. Doing this is called giving the apples a preconditioning period.

It has been said to decrease the likelihood that your apples will sustain injury from being kept too cold.

What type of container should I store my Granny Smith apples in long-term?

The type of container that works best for freezing Granny Smith apples after making them into apple pie filling is an air-tight container. Granny Smith apples may not fair well frozen raw but last longer if made into apple pie filling than frozen for up to a year.

You can check the original packaging or product description to ensure that the air-tight container you choose is deemed freezer safe.

Click here to see these on Amazon.

How to tell if Granny Smith apples are bad

There are a few indicators that your Granny Smith apples are bad or are headed in that direction. Their appearance is the biggest indicator. Watch for physical changes as you determine if your Granny Smith apples are good or bad.

They become mushy and brown or get mushy brown spots over time. The skin on them will appear wrinkled as the fruit goes bad. Apples tend to develop a grainy texture when they are going bad as well.

If you catch them in time, you can turn apples that are just beginning to be too soft into a different delicious treat such as applesauce, apple butter, or fried apples for oatmeal.

Like other apple varieties, Granny Smith apples lose their flavor when they have gone bad. Sometimes apples begin to release their liquids when they are going bad. If you notice your Granny Smith apples are turning brown or leaving the liquid behind, it is likely time to toss them.

Granny Smith apples are safe to eat even when they have a couple of brown spots. It is when you see mold developing that you should not consume the apples anymore. Apples that have been bruised tend to mold more quickly, so it is best to eat or cook with these as soon as possible.

In Closing

The most successful way of storing Granny Smith apples is either in the crisper drawer inside your fridge or by freezing them. You can prepare apple pie filling ahead of time then freeze it until you can bake a pie.

Granny Smith apples are susceptible to more damage if they are not preconditioned before being stored at temperatures below fifty degrees Fahrenheit.

Before you go, check out the following links about apples:

Can You Use Frozen Apples For Pies?

How To Freeze Apple Butter—4 Steps To Follow!

Is Apple Pie Okay Left Out Overnight? [Best Storage Tips]