How to Freeze Strawberries

If you have ever wanted to preserve that delicious taste of early summer, try freezing strawberries. Frozen strawberries are not only a healthy and delicious snack, they're easy to prepare and store.Who doesn't like a nice, healthy treat? There are several methods, some that enable you to keep the strawberries longer than others; select the one that fits your needs best. See Step 1 below to get started!

1

Understand the process of freezing strawberries before choosing a method.Whichever method you choose, be aware that freezing doesn't sterilize strawberries; it preserves them. As such, be sure to only use the best qualitystrawberries and to ensure that they're well washed and dried first. Moreover, don't expect miracles from frozen strawberries. Upon thawing, they will be softer, sometimes quite mushy, and they will have darkened in color. They will also have a different tastetexture from fresh strawberries. Just be aware of this and be prepared to use them in ways befitting their condition upon thawing.

2

Make sure the strawberries are mostly dry before freezing them, or the water will freeze on them and make them hard and unpleasant to eat.

3

If you will be storing the frozen berries for a long time, make sure to remove as much air as possible from the plastic bags and seal them thoroughly. This will help to prevent freezer burn and keep the berries fresh.

• You may wish to cut the strawberries into smaller, bite-sized pieces. This can be done before freezing to lessen the freezing time needed, or after they come out of the freezer.

Freezing Strawberries Whole

 

1

Wash and hull the strawberries, leaving them intact. If you like, cut the green leaves off, along with a little of the top, leaving enough so that they can stand on the top as a base.

2

There are two ways to freeze strawberries whole:

• Pack into plastic containers or into plastic bags. They may, however, become stuck together.
• Freeze whole on flat trays. This will prevent them from sticking together.
  • Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper or paper towels. Stand the strawberries on their bases on the cookie tray, making sure that they don't touch.
  • Put the strawberries in the freezer.
  • Wait until they are frozen, then remove from the cookie tray and place in strong sealable plastic food bags to store.

3

Use the strawberries within two months.

Tips

• Be sure to label and date the strawberries so that you only keep them as long as the storage times outlined above.
• Frozen strawberries make a great addition to smoothies.
• When thawed, strawberries are often very mushy. These strawberries can be used for making jam and as an addition to fruit salads or dessert sauces. They can also be used for making cakes, cheesecakes, sorbets and ice cream. When cooking with them, you may not even need to thaw them (follow the recipe's instructions).
• Although unorthodox, using a liquid nitrogen bath will also produce very frozen strawberries. Make sure to allow strawberries to return to freezer-cold frozen before consuming, −196 °C (−321 °F) is too cold to eat!
• You can serve frozen strawberries straight out of the freezer or partially thawed. Partially thawed makes them into a delicious ice treat for dessert on a hot day.

EditWarnings

• Strawberries bruise easily; always wash gently either by placing the strawberries in a colander and dipping in water gently or using a soft faucet/tap spray.