It is convenient to toss your blueberries in a Ziploc and toss them in the freezer. That works. Mostly. While no additives are needed to preserve this harvest, when it comes time to take a handful or two out to stir into a cup of yogurt, have an icepick handy.
Refrigerate fresh berries right after grocery shopping or a visit to the blueberry patch. You can store them in the plastic clamshell they come in, or in a large, un-covered bowl or container. Don't store fresh blueberries in an airtight container as this can trap moisture and speed up mold and rot.
It's best if the berries are not touching one another so that they don't freeze together. Freeze for around 30-60 minutes or until berries are hard and completely frozen. Remove from the freezer and use a spatula to scrape frozen berries off of the baking sheet. Transfer blueberries into a freezer-safe gallon-size bag.
Freezing blueberries is a simple way to make sure you always have a boost of blue on hand for snacking, cooking or baking. If your blueberries came in a plastic clamshell container, you can pop them right in the freezer. Otherwise, use freezer containers or resealable plastic bags.
Frozen blueberries are the best meal prep hack I have discovered! While I freeze strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries; of all the berries, blueberries freeze most beautifully and easily. They don't get mushy and last for months.
Rinsing blueberries before trying to freeze them can cause the berries to stick together in the freezer.
Defrost berries: Use a cold-water bath
Instead of microwaving, which can make frozen berries soggy, pour them into a bowl and cover with cold water. This will thaw one cup of blueberries in about five minutes.
But once you store them, how long do blueberries last? When you store blueberries in the fridge, they should keep for up to a week and when you freeze blueberries, they should keep for up to eight months. Want to keep your other berries fresh? Learn how to freeze and store strawberries.
Cold Pack Method for Canning Blueberries
In the cold pack (or raw pack) method, you pack the cleaned blueberries into one hot jar at a time leaving a 1/2 inch of headspace. Then fill the jar with boiling water or syrup, again, leaving a 1/2″ headspace. Wipe the rims with a clean, damp cloth, and seat the lids.
Storing the berries with a paper towel will act as a fresh absorbent pad and keep the moisture off the fruit.
Frozen fruits and berries are safe to consume raw, cooked or even frozen out of the bag. However, frozen vegetables should always be cooked before consumption to minimize any foodborne illness risk. Luckily for us, there are several ways to make frozen vegetables just as delicious as fresh.
Store berries in paper towel-lined sealable container, with layers of paper towels between each layer of berries. Keep the lid slightly open to allow excess moisture to escape. Place in the refrigerator to store.
Line a container with paper towels and lay your berries out in a single layer, leaving the top of the container off to vent the berries. You should store blueberries in a low-humidity, low-moisture part of your fridge, such as the middle rack.
"We recommend the washing of berries to remove any debris, soil, bacteria, or residues that may be on the surface from the growing, harvesting, and handling activities involved with getting this fruit from the farm to your table," says Meredith Melendez, an Agriculture & Natural Resources County Agent and an assistant ...
Commercially frozen blueberries have been washed—use them directly from the bag. Refrigerate thawed blueberries and use within 3 days. Use any frozen blueberries within one year of purchase.
Frozen berries are full of excess moisture and when you thaw the berries, all of that moisture pours out. That is why a frozen bowl of berries tends to look like a mushy mess.
To dry berries after washing, carefully spread them in a single layer on a tray or baking sheet lined with paper towels. Gently pat the berries dry with another paper towel.
Studies on blueberries and nutrition have shown that since blueberries are frozen soon after they are picked, they are equal in quality to fresh where antioxidants are concerned.
Place the blueberries in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 1-2 hours or up to overnight. Once firm, transfer the berries to a freezer-safe bag, breaking apart any berries that are stuck together. Write the date on the front and store in the freezer for up to a year.
If you thaw frozen berries most of them will be very soft and almost puree like. They aren't that pleasure to eat anymore as such. However, they do still contain all the sugars and flavors from the fresh berries. As a matter of fact, they likely contain a bit more of it.
The most common cause of sour blueberries is over-production on your blueberry plant. Some experts suggest removing all blossoms for the first year or two as you let the plant's root system fully establish itself. This should lead to bigger and sweeter blueberries in later years.
2. Lay washed berries out evenly and place in the freezer. 3. After 12 hours, when completely frozen, place into Ziploc bags.