Freezing Strawberries

Strawberries are a delicious indicator of summer. How can you not LOVE the look, smell and taste of this amazing fruit. The problem is that strawberry season is short-lived and buying strawberries out of season leaves you wondering where they came from and how far they had to travel to get to the grocery store.

If you are growing strawberries in your garden or a planter box, there is a wonderful benefit to the abundance of strawberries you can collect. If you do it right, you can freeze these beauties and enjoy them all year long. If you do it wrong (which we have learned and therefore is why we are writing this blog), you will simply have a big red frozen glob of strawberries with freezer burn. This is disappointing and we would like to support you in avoiding this mistake.

If you don’t have your own strawberries, it’s amazing how many people have an overabundance of strawberries they might not mind sharing. You can also purchase at local farmer’s markets (which is what we like to promote) or your local grocery store.

Here is a great guide to freezing strawberries:

What You Will Need:

Fresh Strawberries

Large Bowl with cold water

Paring Knife

Strainer

Cookie Sheet

Step One: Get your berries J   You will want to freeze your strawberries when they are fresh so you do not lose flavoring or nutrients.

Step Two: Rinse the berries in cool water.  Be sure to not leave them in the water too long or you will lose flavor.  From the water, pick through the berries and put them in a strainer for about 3-4 minutes and then gently pat them dry.

Step Three:  Hull the berries (remove the green stems) and remove and spoiled or soft spots on the berries.

Step Four: Place the strawberries in a single layer, not touching each other, on a cookie sheet.  Put cookie sheet in the freezer overnight or until berries are frozen completely.

Step Five: Transfer strawberries to an air-tight container or freezer bag.  Label with date and content and store in the freezer for up to six months.

These steps can also be followed for raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and grapes.  If you know someone with an overabundance of apples be sure to try our Ez Homemade Applesauce!  Does anyone have any other tips for preserving fruits?