How to Preserve Guava

Guava is a sweet-tasting, tropical fruit.

Eating a guava will transport you to the tropics with each bite. The pink-fleshed fruit is grown in many warm weather climates, such as Mexico and Central America. If you've stocked up on fresh guava at a farmers' market, preserve any ripe fruit you can't eat within a few days by storing it in a refrigerator or freezer. If you choose to freeze the guava, you'll need to cover it with a homemade syrup to ensure optimum taste and texture.

Things You'll Need

• Perforated plastic refrigerator bags
• Paper towels
• Cutting board
• Vegetable peeler
• Sharp paring knife
• Spoon
• Saucepan
• 1 3/4 cup white, granulated sugar
• Freezer-safe plastic storage containers with airtight lids
• Storage label

Instructions

1. Place whole, ripe guavas into perforated plastic bags to allow for air circulation. Store the bags of fruit in a refrigerator's crisper for three to four days for the best flavor.

2. Prepare ripe guava for freezer storage. Rinse the guavas with cool tap water and dry them with paper towels. Peel the guavas with a vegetable peeler. Place the fruit on a cutting board and cut them in half crosswise using a sharp paring knife. Remove the seeds by scooping them out with a spoon.

3. Create a syrup in which to store the guava by combining 1 3/4 cups of white granulated sugar and 4 cups of water in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

4. Place the guava halves into freezer-safe plastic food storage containers. Pour the cooled sugar syrup over the guava, allowing a 1/2-inch head space for expansion. Press an airtight lid onto the container. Label the container with the guava's storage date.

5. Freeze the guava at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below for 10 to 12 months.

References

• Purdue University; Guava; Julia F. Morton; 1987
• Still Tasty: Fresh, Raw, Whole Guava
• Michigan State University Extension; Freezing Guavas; August 1999