Poetry and music are very good friends. Like mommies and daddies and strawberries and cream – they go together.- Nikki Giovanni
Strawberries are a sure signal that summer has arrived and is one of the first things I harvest out of my garden.
I can hardly wait for those beautiful white flowers to emerge and watch closely the progression from pale green little nobs into bright red juicy gems. In the beginning only one or two are ripe for the picking, and I have to admit, I can act like a bear just emerging from hibernation after a long winter… don’t mess with my berries!
One of the way’s I enjoy the pleasure of these summer strawberries all year long is by preserving them in the freezer. I have tried several methods but have found three that work best for me. I use brown sugar or honey for the Lightly Sweetened Syrup Pack, and the Dry Sugar Pack methods. In my experience, I’ve noticed that white sugar tends to bleach out the berries when thawed, but brown sugar seems to help them retain their color, and as a bonus lends a fresher taste to the strawberries as well. Honey can have a very distinctive flavor so it is important to use a milder form, like Clover, Locust, or Alfalfa. Honey is also sweeter cup for cup than sugar, so use about half as much as you would when using sugar.
A few tips before you start – Always choose the freshest quality strawberries available for best results and taste. Wash your berries lightly right before preparing them and then hull your berries, this helps to prevent your berries from taking on too much water which can lead to waterlogged and mushy results. Always allow berries to air dry or lightly pat dry with paper towel, taking care not to bruise the berries while doing so. Water when frozen on berries causes an icy buildup which can reduce the quality of your berries and shorten their freezer life.
Method 1 – Freezing Strawberries Whole
- Strawberries
- Prepare strawberries by lightly rinsing to remove any dirt or debris and hull with a small paring knife or a strawberry huller (I like to remove the stem and a small amount of strawberry at the top to make an even edge so the berries will sit more easily on the baking sheet).
- Allow strawberries to air dry or lightly pat dry with paper towel taking care not to crush or bruise them.
- Prepare your baking sheet by placing wax paper or parchment paper on top.
- Place berries cut or hulled side down on baking sheet spaced where they are not touching.
- Place in coldest part of freezer and freeze until completely solid.
- Remove berries from freezer and place in heavy duty freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible and close or use vacuum sealer.
- Label, date and return to freezer.
Method 2 – Dry Sugar Pack
Shared on Thank Goodness It’s Thursday, Let’s get Real and Sweet Haute Link Up Parties where you will find other great tips, recipes, craft ideas and DIY’s.
Hands down, your berries are bigger than mine! GREAT tips and beautiful pictures. Thanks for this helpful post. Carrie, A Mother’s Shadow
Bigger isn’t always better, I am sure your little berries are sweet and delicious. This year my berries are quite a bit smaller, but they are concentrated with flavor! Thanks for stopping by!
I absolutely love strawberries and probably one of my favorite fruits, but believe it or not I have never tried to freeze them to use. Totally pinned to try this and thank you so much!!!
Janine Huldie recently posted…Forever In Our Hearts: Eating Wildly – Foraging for Life, Love and the Perfect Meal
I have such an overabundance of berries, I can not use them all fast enough. Freezing is a great option, so many things I can use them for throughout the year. I love having a freezer filled with all the homegrown goodness throughout the year. Warms me up just thinking about it!
Shari,
I love fresh fruit. I do not can fruits or at least I have never tried too, but I do freeze a ton of peaches, blackberries, and strawberries. I use them all year long. This is truly a great way to freeze strawberries. They turn out wonderful and perfect for smoothies, milkshakes, and many other recipes. Thanks for sharing!
Blessings,
Diane Roark
You are welcome Diane, I am right there with you! Their is something magical about pulling out beautiful fruits and veggies in the dead of winter that makes my heart sing! Blessings…Shari
I love visiting the u-pick strawberry farm nearby. Usually, we eat fresh or I make jam and jelly. Thanks for sharing some different ways to freeze strawberries at Green Thumb Thursday.
Thanks for stopping in Rachel. I love making jam and jelly too, but last year my little strawberry patch kept going and going like the little energizer bunny…hoping for the same great crop again this year!
I love freezing fresh summer fruit so I can enjoy it later, especially strawberries and pineapple. Thanks for the tips!
You are welcome! Thanks for stopping by and sharing.
Are those strawberries from your garden? I’m so jealous. I’d need a field of strawberries to satisfy my kids and they eat them so fast that I’ve never had the chance to freeze them. Although freezing them would be great for smoothies.
These were last years strawberries and I had a ton of them. They produced all summer and fall. I was quite sick of messing with them by the end of the year. I am hoping for the same great crop again this year!