How to freeze strawberries: the rules for harvesting for the winter at home

Garden strawberries, or strawberries, are a fragrant berry loved by both adults and children. This is a fruit that has a pleasant taste and contains a lot of vitamins, organic acids and minerals. One way not to lose them is to freeze them. There are several ways to freeze strawberries for the winter. We're sure you've never even heard of some of them.

General principles for preparing and storing berries for the winter

The berry tolerates low temperatures well and does not lose its useful qualities after freezing. Thawed fruits can be eaten raw or used as an ingredient in drinks, desserts and pastry toppings.

Garden strawberries will retain their quality and appearance if harvested correctly.

Tips:

1. Use fresh, freshly picked fruit, free from rot and overripe.
2. Pick berries to freeze early in the morning, before the dew falls.
3. Maximum dry clean, no water rinse.
4. Dry wet strawberries well before freezing.
5. Spread the berries in containers so that there is a gap between them.
6. Avoid temperature differences during freezing storage.
7. Do not refreeze fruits.

It is not recommended to keep strawberries in water for a long time - the fruit quickly absorbs moisture, which is quite difficult to remove. Usually, the result of soaking garden strawberries is sticking, glaciation of the workpiece.

Collecting and preparing berries for freezing

Strawberry picking time depends on the type of berry. Most often this is the beginning of June. Determining maturity is easy. The fruit should be completely red, without green gaps, firm to the touch.

You need to pick berries daily.

To extend the shelf life of fresh strawberries, you need to remove it with the stalk, so the fruit stays dry longer and does not get moldy.

It is better to put garden strawberries in cardboard or wooden boxes - they allow air to pass through.

Preparing berries for freezing:

1. The harvest is sorted out, the stalks and sepals are removed.
2. Sand and dirt are removed with a wide soft brush so as not to damage the fruit.
3. Rinse under cool water if necessary.
4. Dry on a paper towel.

Ways to freeze strawberries at home

You can freeze fruits in any convenient way. Usually the preparation technique depends on the further application.

Whole

Most often, garden strawberries are frozen whole. The right way to do this is by dry freezing:

1. Mature fruits are cleaned of leaves, stalks and sand.
2. Wash and dry if necessary.
3. Spread the strawberries on a tray or a large dish covered with a plastic bag or film.
4. Frozen in the freezer in the open.

After complete freezing, garden strawberries are placed in a bag or plastic container.

Halves

You can freeze strawberries cut in half. The principle of processing, as in the preparation of whole berries. The halves are laid out cut side up and frozen for 2-3 hours. Hardened fruits are packed in bags or containers.

Strawberry Puree

For harvesting strawberry puree, use overripe, mashed or large berries:

1. The fruits are washed, cleaned of debris.
2. Crushed in a blender.
3. Sugar is added - 100-200 g per kilogram of berries.
4. The resulting mass is distributed into disposable cups, frozen.

This berry can be used as an independent dessert. To change the taste, you can add honey, cinnamon or other fruits. Before use, the puree is slightly defrosted.

Sanded sugar

You can prepare berries with granulated sugar without grinding them to a soft mass. Strawberries of the same size are placed in containers and sprinkled with a layer of sugar. Alternate layers until the container is completely filled. Shake lightly and freeze.

With syrup

A delicious dessert will be berries frozen in sweet syrup:

1. Place the peeled berry in a container in several layers.
2. Make 4:1 sugar syrup.
3. Cool the liquid and pour over the berries, let it brew for 20-30 minutes, freeze.

The shelf life of such blanks is slightly less and is 6 months.

In the ice

Strawberries frozen in ice are used to decorate and at the same time cool drinks or desserts. In cosmetology, such berries are good to use instead of facial tonic.

For preparation, strawberries are crushed and placed in ice molds. Pour cold boiled water, send to the freezer.

Whole strawberries in strawberry puree

You can also add whole berries to strawberry puree. Before freezing, garden strawberries are dipped into the sweet fruit mass and gently mixed.

You can freeze the product not only in cups, but also in any convenient molds or small jars.

Defrost Rules

You need to defrost garden strawberries slowly, gradually increasing the temperature. Initially, the container with the workpiece is placed in the refrigerator for 30-40 minutes. Then the berries can be pulled out and continue thawing at room temperature.

Usually the process takes 1-2 hours.

Speeding up the process using a microwave oven or hot water is not recommended, such a berry will quickly lose its shape and a lot of useful substances. Strawberries do not need to be defrosted if their appearance is not important for cooking.

Shelf life of frozen strawberries

The shelf life of the frozen blank is 6-9 months at a temperature in the chamber from -18 to -25 degrees. Humidity in the chiller is 90-95%.

At higher temperatures, frozen strawberries should be consumed within 1-2 weeks.

During storage, it is important to avoid defrosting, otherwise strawberries give juice, which, when re-frozen, turns the workpiece into a lump.

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