How to freeze blackberries for the winter in the refrigerator: TOP 3 simple recipes

Blackberry is considered to be a source of various vitamins and minerals. You can get them by eating berries not only in summer, during the ripening season, but also in the cold season. The fruits tolerate low temperatures well and do not lose their taste and composition. However, you need to know how to properly freeze blackberries for the winter. We will talk about this below.

Can I freeze blackberries for the winter?

Freezing fresh blackberries is similar to harvesting raspberries. This must be done carefully, following some rules. It is better to use the quick freeze method. This feature is available in any modern refrigerator.

Freezing Tips:

1. Do not wash fruits. Water, freezing, will break the pulp and turn the workpiece into a ball.
2. Choose ripe berries with no signs of damage.
3. Use food-grade plastic containers for packaging.
4. Close container tightly.

It is not recommended to put garden fruits in bags - you can crush a soft berry. It is allowed to freeze slightly on a tray and then pour into a bag. Air must be expelled from polyethylene, tightly tied.

How to prepare the product for freezing?

It is better to use blackberries collected in your own garden for freezing. If fruits are purchased in a store, they will have to be washed. It is not recommended to treat fruits with water, as it is difficult to dry them later.

Berries for harvesting are taken large, dense, dark blue.

Preparing for freezing:

1. Go through the harvest, remove twigs, leaves, soft and rotten fruits.
2. If necessary, rinse under a fine stream of water, lay on paper towels to dry.
3. Select a container for storage, rinse with water, dry.

When choosing storage containers, keep in mind that the product cannot be re-frozen. Therefore, it is better to use small containers.

How to freeze blackberries at home?

It will take a lot of time to freeze blackberries, but in winter it will be possible not only to decorate pastries, but also to enjoy the taste of fragrant berries. You can harvest it in many ways.

Whole berries

Whole berries are harvested if they are supposed to be used as a decoration for dishes. Freeze-dry method is commonly used:

1. The harvest is sorted out, sepals, stalks are removed.
2. Washed with a colander.
3. Spread the fruits on a dry cloth or paper towel, let dry for 10-15 minutes.
4. A tray or a large dish is covered with a packing bag or film.
5. Blackberries are laid out in rows so that the berries do not touch each other.
6. Sent to the freezer.
7. After complete freezing, the fruits are placed in a container or a plastic bag.

With sugar

Blackberries with sugar are often prepared by housewives for consumption in their pure form as a dessert. You can also make stuffing for pies from it.

How the process works:

1. The harvest is cleaned and washed of dust.
2. One or two layers of berries are placed in a plastic container and covered with sugar.
3. Continue to alternate layers of sugar and blackberries until the container is full.
4. Close container tightly and shake gently.
5. Sent to freezer.

150-200 g of sugar is used for 1 kg of crop.

Pure berry with sugar

Grate a fresh berry with sugar if the fruits are overripe and soft. How they do it:

1. Sorted and cleaned of debris, the fruits are crushed with a blender until smooth.
2. Mix puree with 4-5 tablespoons of sugar.
3. The mixture is laid out in disposable cups or small containers, frozen.

Pure with blackberry pieces can be obtained by lightly crushing the berries with a fork or using a potato press.

Seedless mass will turn out if you pass the berry through a sieve.

Blackberries mixed with fruit or honey will be a delicious delicacy in winter. Smoothies are poured into glasses. Defrost slightly before use.

Blackberry shelf life in the freezer

A properly frozen berry can be stored in the freezer for up to 9 months. Let's allow a longer freezing period, but the fruits will lose their taste and useful qualities. The temperature of the chamber should not exceed -18 degrees. A short-term increase in the temperature of the cooling unit to -12 degrees and above is allowed, but such a berry must be consumed within a week.

Defrost Rules

Thaw blackberries, like many berries, slowly. The required amount of goodies is laid out on a flat plate and placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Let it thaw for half an hour. Finish the process at room temperature.To remove excess liquid, defrosted fruits can be spread on a paper towel.

Blackberries are not thawed for making drinks. The berry should thaw slowly if it is used in dessert decorations. To prepare the filling for baking, frozen fruits are breaded in starch.

Re-freezing is not allowed.

Recommended