My top tips on how to keep apples from browning, including simple methods using water, lemon juice, salt, honey or pineapple juice.
Most of the times I don’t tend to worry about apples browning, because I just eat them straightaway. Saying that I know that there are times when it’s good to have apples displayed cut up and not to show them browning, like if you are preparing your snacks in advance or want to display cut up apples as part of a meal.
The problem
Once you cut up apple into wedges, they start to turn brown within 30 minutes or so. It doesn’t impact on flavour and they are not going off, but it might look unsightly if you are thinking of preparing apple wedges to go with your meal, sandwiches or school or work lunch box.
The solution
Soak in a special water solution
To keep your apples from browning when they are cut up, it’s best to submerge them into a solution, that will prevent the browning. Keep in the solution until you are ready to serve. The solution could be made up with anything that’s slightly acidic, such as
- Vitamin C tablet dissolved in water
- Pineapple juice
- Lemon juice diluted in water
- Salt dissolved in water (1/2 – 1 teaspoon for about 500ml of water)
- Any fizzy carbonated lemon or citrus fruit drink such as 7-up, Orangina, Apple Cider or similar
- Citric Acid (2 teaspoons per 500ml of water)
- Honey dissolved in water
Use water
You can also use just plain water to keep your cut up apples in, although adding citric acid (see points above) will perform better.
Freeze
You could also prepare your apples, cut them up and then freeze them – first separately on their own on a tray and when they are frozen, put them in a bag or a freezer suitable container. Frozen apple wedges are great for making smoothies, adding to cakes or making apple sauce.
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