A pick-your-own strawberry farm near our place has started bearing fruits. This is the first time me and my family picked our own strawberries. We wanted to go back again and bring lots of it so we could stock up and use them throughout the year. What is the best way of preserving strawberries? If frozen, do strawberries still taste good even after a year?
You have the chance of selecting the best ones if you pick strawberries by yourself or if you buy them from a local strawberry stand.
The freshness of whole strawberries is maintained up to five days when refrigerated under optimum conditions. You can freeze them up to six months. Exceptional quality of frozen strawberries is preserved up to one year if you pack them in sugar. Unsweetened strawberries, however, deteriorate more rapidly. Still, it’s safe to eat even if its highest quality lapsed beyond that time.
Can You Freeze Strawberries?
The best way to freeze strawberries depends on their qualities and what you intend to do with them. Large strawberries are suitable for sliced or crushed strawberry products.
If you want to preserve whole strawberries for recipes, select the smaller ones. Frozen whole strawberries are good substitute for dried berries in cereal.
It’s also best served and eaten while ice crystals still adhere to the strawberries. The texture becomes soggy when they are completely thawed.
The quality of strawberries is enhanced if you freeze them in sweetened packs. Sliced or crushed large strawberries are usually more preferable if you freeze them in sugar or syrup packs.
Some use artificial sweeteners to reduce the calories in frozen strawberries. But this method only sweetens the strawberry. It will not preserve its richness of color or thickness.
Strawberries freeze harder and longer to thaw if you freeze them in unsweetened packs such as water, unsweetened juice or pectin syrup. But this method does not yield the same plumpness and color that fruits packed with sugar have.
How to Freeze Strawberries?
Freezing unsweetened whole strawberries is the most popular and simplest method of preserving strawberries. For improved flavor and color, you can pack them in sugar or syrup.
- Select only the fully-ripe strawberries without white or patches of green in its surface
- Wash in running water, drain and pat dry with a clean towel
- Remove the cap or leafy part with a small knife or strawberry huller
- Slice or crush the larger fruits and keep the smaller ones whole
- Do not let the sliced or crushed fruits remain in the open for 2 hours
- For syrup packs, melt 4 cups of sugar in 4 cups of lukewarm water
- Let it cool for three to four hours
- For sugar packs, add ¾ cup of sugar for each quart of strawberries
- Pack the sweetened berries in tight plastic container or freezer jars
- Put a piece of crumpled parchment or wax paper to keep the berries from floating above the syrup
- Leave ½ inch headspace, seal and freeze
How To Thaw Frozen Strawberries
You can thaw frozen strawberries by following these steps:
1. Remove the frozen strawberries from the packaging.
2. Place them in a bowl and fill the bowl with cold water.
3. Let the strawberries sit in the water for about 15-20 minutes, or until they are thawed.
4. Drain the strawberries and discard any excess water.
5. The strawberries are now ready to be consumed or used in your favorite recipe.
How Long Does Strawberries Last (Stays Fresh) Outside at Room Temperature?
It all depends on the type of strawberry. Ones that are usually firmer, like the Alpine Strawberries, will last a little longer than softer types like the Fragola strawberries. Usually, they’ll stay fresh for about 2-3 days if they’re left at room temperature.
If you want them to last a little bit longer, you can store them in the fridge in a sealed container or bag. They should last for about 4-5 days that way. However, don’t wash them before you put them in the fridge because excess moisture will cause them to rot faster.
How Long Does Strawberries Last (Stays Fresh) in the Fridge?
The fridge will usually keep strawberries fresh for about two weeks. However, if you want them to last a little bit longer, you can store them in the freezer. They will keep for about six months that way. As long as they are in good condition before you freeze them – no bruises or cuts – they will be fine.
How To Use Up Extra/Leftover Strawberries?
Ideas:
-Blend them into a strawberry smoothie
-Top off a bowl of oatmeal or yogurt
-Make a healthy fruit salad with other complementary fruits like bananas, kiwi, and blueberries
-Chop them up and add to pancake or waffle batter
-Freeze them for later use in smoothies or blended drinks
-Add them to a savory salsa or sauce for chicken or fish
Strawberry Recipes
The Strawberry Yogurt Parfait desert is not only aesthetically pleasing. Its taste is as heavenly as whipped cream with natural strawberry flavor and crushed biscuits.
With Strawberry Shortcake Parfaits, your leftover strawberries will not go to waste. Combined with pound cake, this strawberry recipe makes a ravishing desert during summer.
The taste of love is much more savored with this Strawberry Cheesecake. The tartness of fresh strawberries and cottage cheese is made perfectly delicious with the chocolaty biscuit base.
Wrap Up
Yes, you can freeze strawberries. Frozen strawberries will last for 3-4 months in the freezer if stored properly. They also taste good and you don’t even need to thaw them before use! Follow these simple steps on how to freeze strawberries: rinse the berries, cut off the stems and leaves, spread out on a tray or container (in a single layer), freeze them for about 12 hours or more depending on your refrigerator, transfer them to an airtight container (or bag) and place back in the freezer.
Now that you know how to freeze your strawberries, please share your experience with me in the comment section below.