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How to Freeze Berries!
(blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries,
tayberries, loganberries, strawberries, saskatoons, cranberries, marionberries,
boysenberries, etc.)
Click
here for a PDF print version
If you like berries in the
winter, for muffins, pancakes, cobblers, pies 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 berries 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 berries listed above.
Strawberries are different in that you must remove the hulls (the green cap)
after washing, but otherwise the same.
Directions for Freezing Berries
Ingredients and Equipment
- fresh berries - any quantity
- Vacuum food sealer or "ziploc"
type freezer bags (the freezer bag version is heavier and protects
better against freezer burn.
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- a pan or tray that will fit in your freezer
- a strainer or colander
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Instructions
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Step 1 - Get yer berries!
Start with the freshest berries 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 - Drain the berries
Use a large sieve or colander to remove as much water as possible.
I usually let them sit for about 10 minutes in the colander NOTE
about blueberries: Do not wash blueberries and related (saskatoons).
According to U.Ga, and
Clemson University
extensions, washing results in a tougher skinned product. (Frankly, I've
never noticed a difference, but I use frozen blueberries in cooked pies,
anyway). They say to wash them after you remove them from the freezer
to use. This only applies to blueberries and saskatoons. |
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Step 3 - Spread the berries in a pan
There 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. |
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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. |
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Step 4 - Put them in the freezer
Pop 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 5 - bag the berries
I 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. Of course, you can use ziploc bags (see below), but they leave
a lot more air in, which allows some freezer burn.
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.
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Step 6 - 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.
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Step 7 - Done!
Pop them into the deep freeze, or in the coldest part of your regular
freezer! |
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When you are ready to use the berries - Thaw, wash and sort the berries.
To thaw 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!
You can wash the frozen berries in a bowl of plain cold water.Then
you need to pick out and remove any bits of stems, leaves and soft
or mushy berries. It is easiest to do this in a large bowl of water and
gently run your hands through the berries as they float. With your
fingers slightly apart, you will easily feel any soft or mushy berries
get caught in your fingers
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Tips:
- Harvest early in the morning, especially if the
weather is hot, to get peak flavor.
- Harvest the berries at its peak maturity, but not overripe and mushy.
- Process promptly after harvesting, or keep
cooled in the fridge or with ice until then.
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