The juiciest and most delicious blueberries can be harvested in a short time of the year from June to August. If you freeze them when they are perfectly ripe, you will be able to enjoy their fresh and summery flavor in any season. Arrange them on a tray and leave them in the freezer until they are hard, then transfer them to a food bag so as not to take up too much space in the freezer. If you want to know how to freeze blueberries while preserving their texture and taste, read on.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Prepare the Blueberries
Step 1. Harvest the blueberries when they are ripe
To obtain an excellent result, you must start with a fresh product of excellent quality. Blueberries need to be juicy, soft, and full of flavor. If they are tart or mushy, once thawed you may be disappointed.
- It is best to harvest blueberries early in the morning, they will have more flavor.
- If you are unable to freeze them immediately after harvesting them, store them in the refrigerator.
Step 2. Decide if you want to wash the blueberries
There are two schools of thought in this regard. According to some people, the peel may harden slightly if the blueberries are washed before they are frozen. According to others, this is an imperceptible difference and it is better not to put dirty food in the freezer.
- If you decide to wash them before freezing them, you can eat them without having to wait for them to thaw.
- If you intend to use them to make a cake, cake or jam, you can wash them before freezing them as the skin will soften during cooking.
- If you decide to wash blueberries, rinse them gently and then wait until they are completely dry before freezing them.
Step 3. Spread the blueberries on a tray or baking sheet
Make sure they are not overlapping or squashed.
Part 2 of 3: Freezing the Blueberries
Step 1. Place the blueberries in the freezer and wait for them to freeze
It will take about 2-3 hours. Do not leave them in the freezer without transferring them to a closed container to prevent cold burns.
Step 2. Transfer the frozen blueberries to a resealable food bag
If you want you can vacuum-pack them. In any case, try to get as much air out of the bag as possible to reduce the risk of damage due to low temperatures. Write the date on the bag with a permanent marker.
Step 3. Store the blueberries in the freezer
They can stay in the freezer for up to a year.
If you package and store them well, blueberries will keep their qualities intact for 6-8 months (for optimal yield), but after this date they will still be edible.
Blueberries freeze well, keeping both shape and texture when used in baking.
Part 3 of 3: Using Frozen Blueberries
Step 1. Let the blueberries thaw slowly
The best method is to transfer them to the refrigerator or wait for them to reach room temperature. Do not use the microwave unless they need to be cooked afterwards.
- If you want to put blueberries in an oven-baked cake, you don't need to let them defrost. For example, you can add them to muffin dough before putting it in the mold. This way you won't risk crushing them while mixing the rest of the ingredients. The blueberries will slowly thaw in the oven and will have a full, juicy consistency when cooked.
- If the blueberries have not yet been washed, you must wait until they have thawed and then rinse them with gentle gestures.
Step 2. Finished
Advice
- Remember to write the date on the bag to know by when it is best to use blueberries.
- Read this article to learn how to store blueberries once thawed.
