How to Freeze Strawberries!
(Also works for blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries, tayberries, loganberries, saskatoons, cranberries, marionberries, boysenberries, etc.)
If you like strawberries in the winter, for cobblers, dessert, or just in a bowl; just imagine how good it would taste if you had picked a couple of quarts fresh or bought a them from a farm stand and then quickly froze them at home! It is also one of the simplest ways to put up a fruit for the winter. Here's how to do it, complete instructions in easy steps and completely illustrated. Your own frozen strawberries will taste MUCH better than anything you've ever had from a store. I'm using blueberries as an example, but this same process works exactly the same for any other strawberries listed above. Strawberries are different in that you must remove the hulls (the green cap) after washing, but otherwise the same.
Directions for Freezing strawberries
Ingredients and Equipment
|
|
Instructions
 |
Step 1 - Get yer berries!Start with the freshest strawberries you can get. Look for plump, full berries with a good color. I've used blueberries as an example, but these directions would equally well for any other berry (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc.) See the picking tips page for other berries.
|
Step 2 - Wash and sort the strawberries.Wash the strawberries in a bowl of plain cold water. Then you need to pick out and and remove any bits of stems, leaves and soft or mushy strawberries. It is easiest to do this in a large bowl of water and gently run your hands through the strawberries as they float. With your fingers slightly apart, you will easily feel any soft or mushy berries get caught in your fingers. |
|
 |
Step 3 - Drain the strawberriesUse a large sieve or colander to remove as much water as possible. I usually let them sit for about 10 minutes in the colander. |
Step 4 - Spread the strawberries in a panthere are two ways of doing this. If you have space in your freezer, spread the berries out in a large oven pan with a lip or ridge. Put enough on to make 1 layer. this way they will freeze quickly and not be frozen together in a lump, so later you can remove only what you need without thawing the rest. |
 |
| If your freezer isn't that big, just drain as much of the water as you can, then put them into whatever container will fit in your freezer. After they are frozen, they may stick together a little bit, but should break apart fairly easily. |
 |
 |
Step 5 - Put them in the freezerPop them into the coldest part of the freezer, or the quick freeze shelf, if your freezer has one! I leave them in the freezer overnight, to get completely frozen. |
Step 6 - bag the strawberriesI love the FoodSavers (see this page for more information) with their vacuum sealing! I am not paid by them, but these things really work. If you don't have one, ziploc bags work, too, but it is hard to get as much air out of the bags. remove the air to prevent drying and freezer burn. On the left is the bag with frozen berries before vacuum sealing, and to the right is the same bag after vacuum sealing. A tip for a low budget vacuum sealer:
To remove the excess air from a ziploc bag, put a
straw inside the bag and zip it closed as far as possible. Then suck the
air out of the bag, pinch the straw shut where it enters the bag and
pull it from the bag and quickly zip the bag the rest of the way.
|
  |
 |
Step 7 - Label the bags!Of course, you'll want to label them with the contents and date, or all this work could be wasted, if you can't identify them later, or don't know how old they are.
|
Step 8 - Done!Pop them into the deep freeze, or in the coldest part of your regular freezer! |
To use them, just set them in the fridge overnight, or on the counter for a couple of hours. I wouldn't recommend the microwave unless you are planning to cook with them! |
Tips:
- Harvest early in the morning, especially if the weather is hot, to get peak flavor.
- Harvest the strawberries at its peak maturity, but not overripe and mushy.
- Process promptly after harvesting, or keep cooled in the fridge or with ice until then.
 |
Home Canning KitsFeatures:* All the tools you need for hot waterbath canning - in one comprehensive set! * Complete with 21 1/2 qt. enameled waterbath canner and "Ball Blue Book" of canning. * Also includes canning rack, funnel, jar lifter, jar wrencher, bubble freer, tongs and lid lifter. * A Kitchen Krafts exclusive collection. This is the same type of standard canner that my grandmother
used to make everything from applesauce to jams and jellies to tomato and
spaghetti sauce!. This complete kit includes everything you need and
lasts for years: the canner, jar rack, jar grabber tongs,
lid lifting wand, a plastic funnel,
labels, bubble freer, and the bible of canning, the Ball Blue Book. It's much cheaper than buying the items separately. You'll never need anything else except jars and lids (and the jars are reusable). To see more canners, of different styles, makes and prices, click here! |
|
|
Lids, Rings, Jars, mixes, pectin, etc.Need lids, rings and replacement jars? Or pectin to make jam, spaghetti sauce or salsa mix or pickle mixes? Get them all here, and usually at lower prices than your local store! |
Visitors to this website since September 10, 2003:
Brookstone Coupons
