A trip to a strawberry garden or your local farmer’s market is an exciting way to spend the weekend. Furthermore, there’s a sweet reward in the form of juicy strawberries too. But, sometimes, you end up with a lot more berries than you can afford to eat. If you have used up your batch and want to put them away, we have our comprehensive guide on how to freeze strawberries!
How to Freeze Strawberries?
When you freeze strawberries the right way, you maintain its quality and preserve most of the flavor and nutritional value. However, keep in mind after they thaw, the strawberries become a bit darker, and the texture turns soft. So, it is not advisable to stuff them in a bag or use them as props. But don’t worry, we will show you step-by-step on how to freeze them the right way!
Step 1: Prep your berries. Choose the ones that are red, dark, and fully ripe. Wash them and drain carefully, removing the stems and caps. Dry the berries on a towel in a single layer.
Step 2: Place the berries on a parchment-lined baking sheet and in the freezer for at least sixty minutes and up to four hours. They keep your berries from sticking together when you store it. Also, they can be frozen whole, crushed, or sliced.
Step 3: Store the strawberries. Once they freeze, pop them into plastic ziplock bags. Try squeezing as much air as possible, sealing them well. Then place it in the back of your freezer. Try to avoid keeping them in the freezer door as the temperature fluctuates, causing the berries to form ice crystals. To retain maximum flavor, use frozen berries within six months.
Freezing strawberries is the best way to preserve their flavor. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
How to Use Frozen Strawberries?
These delicious berries are healthy and packed with antioxidants and polyphenols. Not incorporating them into various recipes will only be a mistake. There are ways to fetch their health benefits, we will tell you how: [1]
- Add frozen berries to smoothies to get a creamy milkshake. Blend the frozen strawberries with milk (or a non-dairy substitute), add little yogurt, your favorite fruit, and sweetener of your choice.
- Stock up these red tots for jam. Frozen strawberries are ideal and fresh for making yummy jams. Stockpile it in the freezer during the harvest and use it when you crave some.
- You can make your very own summer treat on a hot summer day with Strawberries and Cream: The Classic English Dessert Recipe. Just pair it with whipped cream, and you have a gorgeous non-chocoholic dessert ready to devour!
- Fancy some strawberry sauce? Just blend one-third of the remaining pieces and add to a mixture for a tasty sauce.
FAQs
How to defrost strawberries?
Depending on how you wish to use them, you can either use them right away or thaw in the refrigerator. To make smoothies and baked desserts, use them straight from the freezer.
How long can you freeze fresh strawberries?
Frozen strawberries keep up to one year in the freezer. It is advisable to use a chest freezer as they provide higher quality freshness to the frozen berries.
