Capture the magic of strawberry season all-year long with this tutorial on how to freeze strawberries.
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How to Freeze Fresh Strawberries
Even though strawberries are virtually available year-round (and who doesn't love Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pie or Chocolate Strawberry Tartlets in February!), we all can taste the difference between out-of-season strawberries that have traveled a long distance from industrial farms and locally grown and harvested in-season berries.
If you're like me, you tend to magically accumulate a surplus of in-season berries when they're available locally. And if you're also like me, you've considered using your freezer space to preserve some of those berries for later, less bountiful times.
The truth is I love my freezer, though I feel "frozen food" has gotten an undeserved bad reputation (I also love using frozen berries in double crust fruit pies, like this Frozen Cherry Pie). I use it regularly as a means of preserving in-season fruits and veggies, as well as whole meals. It's an easy way to preserve the seasonal food without having to go through the canning process. Canning was for my pre-child days when I had so much more extra time. These are not those days.
This article is a quick guide on properly freezing in-season strawberries so you can enjoy their goodness all year round. Frozen berries are perfect for use in pies such as Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie, Cherry and Strawberry Slab Pie and Strawberry Rhubarb Pie!
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Best Way to Clean Strawberries
Wash your strawberries, even if they appear to be clean. You may not be aware of the amount of dirt on the fruit until you clean them and notice the grit at the bottom of the bowl.
- Fill a large bowl with cold water and a generous splash of distilled white vinegar. The recommended ratio is 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water, but feel free to estimate. Vinegar's acidity helps to remove dirt and potential pesticides, and its mild antibacterial properties can extend the freshness of strawberries.
- Optional: Remove the green tops. They're where a lot of the dirt, debris, and bugs are hiding, so doing this will bypass the need to wash through something that will eventually get removed anyway.
- Add the strawberries to the vinegar-water mixture and gently swish them around. Let them soak for up to five minutes.
- Rather than pouring the strawberries out, carefully lift them from the water, being mindful not to disturb any debris settled at the bottom of the bowl. Transfer the strawberries to a strainer, rinse them thoroughly, and place them on a lint-free towel to dry.
Overview of Steps to Freeze Strawberries
Here is a quick visual overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. This is not the actual recipe, which is located at the end of this article and has much greater details to ensure success.
Step 1: Start with thoroughly clean, dry strawberries free from visible mold or bruising.
Step 2: Remove the green tops and either slice them in half or leave them whole. See below for more info on these options.
Step 3: Place the strawberries on a parchment-lined sheet tray and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours.
Step 4: Once frozen, transfer to long-term airtight storage.
Freezing them spaced apart on a sheet tray is important so they don't get stuck together. If you just toss them in a bag and throw them in a freezer you'll have one big hunk of strawberry.
Preparing the Strawberries
There are several ways to prepare strawberries before freezing, including leaving them whole, slicing them, or halving them.
Keep in mind, the more cut surface area of the strawberries that are exposed, the higher the chances of freezer burn due to increased exposure to air. It's okay to store sliced strawberries, but they won't keep as long as whole strawberries.
Decide what makes the most sense for what you plan to use them for in the future. If you have a lot of strawberries, they can be prepared in various ways.
If freezing them whole, simply remove the core.
If freezing them halved or sliced, prepare as desired and dry off any excess liquid on the surface.
Best Storage Ideas for Frozen Strawberries
Store the strawberries in an airtight container. Plastic or silicone bags are good. Try to remove as much air as possible from them. Obviously, if you have a vacuum sealer, that would be the best way to preserve them for longer.
Mason jars are also useful, and it's often how I store them, but they won't last as long since it's hard to remove air from them.
Using + Defrosting
Once the strawberries are frozen, they can be used frozen as is or defrosted.
The best way to defrost is by thawing them slowly overnight in the refrigerator. They will naturally change the texture and lose some liquid. But it's all delicious, and you might even enjoy having that strawberry syrup that naturally comes out.
Here are some recipes that are perfect for using frozen strawberries:
- Strawberry Pie Filling
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
- Homemade Strawberry Pop Tarts
- Strawberry Pretzel Dessert Jars
- Strawberry Ice Cream
- Strawberry Cobbler
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Full Recipe
How to Freeze Strawberries
Capture the magic of strawberry season all-year long with these instructions on how to freeze strawberries.
- Prep Time: 00:10
- Freezing Time: 04:00
- Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: As Desired
Ingredients
- Fresh, in-season strawberries
- Water
- Distilled White Vinegar
Instructions
- Wash the strawberries: fill a large bowl with cold water and a few splashes of white vinegar. Swish the strawberries around, then let them sit briefly to let the dirt settle to the bottom. Lift the strawberries out of the water without disturbing any debris from the bottom. Rinse well in a strainer.
- Gently pat the strawberries dry, letting them sit for a bit so the towel soaks up any excess liquid.
- Prepare the strawberries as desired. If freezing them whole, simply remove the core. If freezing them halved or sliced, prepare as desired and dry off any excess liquid on the surface.
- Place the strawberries on a parchment line sheet tray. If cut, place cut side down. Freeze until solid, at least 4 hours
- Once frozen, transfer to long term air tight storage, such as plastic bags. Remove as much air as possible to help prevent ice crystals forming on the berries.
- Frozen strawberries will last 6-12 months in the freezer.
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