Freezing Strawberries – Sustainable Cooks

Be taught all the guidelines and tips for freezing strawberries to increase the harvest. Freezing contemporary strawberries is an effective way to protect this glorious summer season fruit with no need to know any particular kitchen abilities (like canning). 

True strawberry season, the place native berries are ripe, juicy, and superb, is so very brief. They’re not the unhappy berries that are available in plastic out of your grocery retailer. I’m speaking in regards to the berries that style like summer season. 

And since I like you, this submit has a kitchen hack in it that you simply gained’t discover wherever else! It cuts down on time and helps you freeze extra berries directly, and is ideal for anybody with a small freezer.

Find out how to Put together Strawberries For Freezing

That is the most effective half – there’s nothing particular it’s essential do! In contrast to fruits that brown when reduce (apples, apricots, and so on.), freezing contemporary strawberries could be very easy.

• Rinse (don’t submerge in water)
• Take away tops
• Depart entire, reduce into halves or slices

Some individuals select to make use of a little bit of sugar with their frozen berries. It’s completely non-obligatory however pointless.

Find out how to Freeze Strawberries

Rinse your strawberries in a colander/strainer. You don’t wish to submerge them in water as a result of it could actually trigger them to grow to be waterlogged.

Take away the tops both with a strawberry corer, this multipurpose device, or a pointy paring knife. I usually simply use a knife as a result of it’s sooner and my yard chickens LOVE strawberry tops!

Determine the way you wish to use your frozen berries – entire, halved, sliced, or macerated.

Place a bit of parchment on a rimmed baking sheet and lay strawberries cut-side down on the tray. Use the area effectively, however attempt to not allow them to contact an excessive amount of.

Now, right here is the most effective freezing strawberries kitchen hack ever! Lay one other piece of parchment on high of the berries and high with a further layer of berries. You are able to do as much as three layers of berries on the identical baking sheet earlier than it turns into precarious. Pre-berrious?

This trick works so nicely since you don’t want to seek out area for a number of trays of berries in your freezer. And, you don’t have to attend for a single layer of berries to freeze earlier than you can begin your subsequent batch.

Permit the strawberries to freeze by way of (about 3 hours, however should you’re like me, you’ll overlook about them and depart them in a single day…) after which switch them to freezer-proof storage containers. See the listing under for excellent storage choices!

If you happen to’re asking your self, “can I freeze strawberries in Ziploc baggage”, the reply is YES! A cool hack for eradicating further air from the bag will preserve your berries secure from freezer burn. 

Place a straw within the nook of a freezer bag and shut the bag as tightly as attainable. Suck the air out by way of the straw 1-2 instances and rapidly take away the straw and seal the bag. It can take you a number of instances to get the dangle of it, but it surely’s strong gold when you grasp this FREE approach.

How Do You Thaw Frozen Strawberries?

It will depend on the way you wish to use them. For issues like jam or in a single day oats, or yogurt cups, it’s nice to permit them to thaw in their very own juices.

For fast thawing – place the (sealed) freezer bag in a big mixing bowl stuffed with heat water. Exchange the water each 20 minutes when it cools.

For fundamental thawing – place the freezer bag in a big mixing bowl and permit it to take a seat at room temperature or within the fridge. For a 1-gallon bag of strawberries, it can take as much as 24 hours within the fridge, or 12 hours at room temperature to utterly thaw.

Professional tip: irrespective of how nicely you sealed the bag, some juice will probably leak out in the course of the thawing course of. All the time place the freezer bag in a bowl, or on a deep plate to forestall a large number.

If any recipe requires the juices to be drained from the frozen berries, reserve and add to glowing water for a refreshing drink. Or, combine with slightly honey easy syrup, and frozen mint cubes and create a strawberry mojito mocktail! You can additionally refreeze the berry juice in ice dice trays so as to add to drinks.