Freezing fresh strawberries?

Options
soup78
soup78 Posts: 667 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Okay, I've tried this once and got really mushy results. :ohwell: I bought a couple of big containers when they were on sale and thought, hey I'll just freeze some. Save some money, good idea right?! I've bought frozen strawberries before, by Dole, and I'm not sure if there were any additives or preservatives. So, I just put 'em in a ziploc container and threw 'em in the freezer........I do have a foodsaver, to vacuum seal - that would probably be better. :huh:

Do I need to add anything? Has anybody done this before?
It just seems so simple and I'm making it complicated! :laugh:

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated :happy:

Replies

  • soup78
    soup78 Posts: 667 Member
    Options
    Okay, I've tried this once and got really mushy results. :ohwell: I bought a couple of big containers when they were on sale and thought, hey I'll just freeze some. Save some money, good idea right?! I've bought frozen strawberries before, by Dole, and I'm not sure if there were any additives or preservatives. So, I just put 'em in a ziploc container and threw 'em in the freezer........I do have a foodsaver, to vacuum seal - that would probably be better. :huh:

    Do I need to add anything? Has anybody done this before?
    It just seems so simple and I'm making it complicated! :laugh:

    Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated :happy:
  • Benson
    Benson Posts: 444
    Options
    I lay mine out on a cookie sheet and put that in the freezer then you can bag them. They will maintain the shape but will still be mushy.
    Heather
  • dothompson
    dothompson Posts: 1,184 Member
    Options
    They come out much better if you put them on a cookie sheet and freeze them individually. Then transfer them to ziplock bags. This keeps them from getting mushy and turning into a giant block of strawberry mush in the freezer.
  • CristaAmy
    CristaAmy Posts: 67
    Options
    They are probably "flash frozen" by food distributors so they don't get as mushy. Though ... if you think about it frozen berries are never quite the same as the fresh.

    Using the cookie sheet method will definitely help them from freezing into one giant mass. I do this with my extra blueberries.
  • soup78
    soup78 Posts: 667 Member
    Options
    Sounds like I'll have to try the cookie sheet method! Thanks guys! :flowerforyou:
  • MargieM
    MargieM Posts: 2,248 Member
    Options
    There's a product called Fruit Fresh also. Don't know what it's made of, but it's supposed to help...
  • Phoenix_Rising
    Phoenix_Rising Posts: 11,417 Member
    Options
    Try searching up Alton Brown's method of freezing strawberries. I saw his show -- cannot for the life of me remember the name of it now.... it's on the Food Network -- about how to freeze strawberries. The 'mushy' is due to how the water in the strawberries crystalizes when frozen and breaks down when thawed. He has a method that will save your berries but I can't remember it.

    Alton Brown.
    Food Network show....
    Freezing strawberries.

Categories