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Freezing strawberries is easy and the perfect way to enjoy the flavor of summer all year round. These are all the best tips for how to perfectly freeze strawberries.
Why You’ll Love this!!
Whether you pick your strawberries at the local u-pick, buy them at the local farmer’s market, or at the grocery store, freezing them is the perfect way to to maintain their taste and nutritional value and enjoy strawberries all year long. Note: Freezing them will change their texture and they will be softer once they are thawed.Â
If you are wanting to make something like Strawberry Cream Pie or Strawberry Pizza, I would buy fresh strawberries rather than using frozen strawberries.
How to Freeze Fresh Strawberries
- Hull your strawberries (remove the stems). I love to use this strawberry huller to make the job quick and easy. Or use a paring knife to remove stem.
- Wash your fruit and drain.
- Allow berries to dry on a few layers of paper towels. Gently pat them dry.
- Place the berries onto a large baking sheet in a single layer, not touching each other and place in the freezer until they are frozen solid. Freezing them in a single layer will prevent them from sticking together. Having the berries individually frozen allows you to pull out just a few berries at a time if needed. This is called flash-freezing.
- Remove them from the freezer once frozen solid. Don’t forget about them and leave them in the freezer for days on end because they can develop freezer burn if left exposed on the sheet for a long time.
- Remove from pan. You may need to use a spatula to detach them from the sheet if they have frozen to the baking sheet.
- Place the frozen berries in a zippered freezer bag.
- Remove as much air as possible from the bag.
- Label the bag with the date and the quantity of berries in the bag for easy reference later.
Tips for Freezing Strawberries
- Choose ripe strawberries that are firm, not overly ripe and soft.
- Before closing the freezer storage bags, remove as much air as possible. Air will cause freezer burn.Â
Pair This With:
- Use frozen strawberries to make strawberry lemonade.
- Throw them in smoothies.
- Eat them frozen straight out of the freezer.
- Use in rhubarb strawberry pie or rhubarb strawberry crisp or other favorite strawberry recipes.
- They are amazing in this fresh strawberry ice cream recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I slice the strawberries before freezing?
If you prefer, yes you can slice them before freezing.
Can I freeze strawberries that are overripe?
It is best to freeze strawberries that are at their peak of ripeness but if you have overly ripe strawberries cut out any brown of mush parts and then use them to make strawberry jam or a strawberry syrup or compote which can then be frozen.
What is the best way to thaw frozen strawberries?
Allow them to sit at room temperature for a few hours or place in the fridge overnight. You can also thaw them by placing them in a microwave, Microwave in 30 second increments.
Use frozen strawberries in these recipes:
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How To Freeze Strawberries
Ingredients
- 1 lb Strawberries washed and hulled
Instructions
- Wash and hull strawberries.
- Place the berries in a single layer onto a baking sheet. Make sure the strawberries are not touching.
- Place in the freezer until frozen solid.
- Once frozen solid, remove them from the freezer.
- Remove from pan and place in a zippered freezer bag. Remove the air, close, and label.
Tips & Notes:
- Choose ripe strawberries that are firm, not overly ripe and soft.
- Before closing the freezer storage bags, remove as much air as possible. Air will cause freezer burn.Â
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Nutrition Facts:
Beth says
This worked great for the berries we picked. They are perfect for smoothies.