Eliot's Eats

A life well read and well fed

Freezing Blackberries

I said that the last post was my last blackberry jam post.    It was not my last blackberry  post.

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I still had a few more quarts to go.   I was  tired of making jam so I decided to freeze the rest for pies and cobblers and making them  much later.   (I was becoming a bit tired of berries at this point, you see.)

The easiest way to freeze berries is to follow these steps.

  1. Wash berries and drain well.   (Even let them set in the colander for a while to drip dry.)
  2. Spread them out in a single layer on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet.   (I also used cardboard flats for this and that worked great, too.)
  3. Place in the freezer for at least 6 hours or until firm.
  4. Remove from freezer and seal in airtight bags.    (If you don’t have a seal-a-meal-a-thing, you can place the berries in a sealable bag and careful submerge it in water.   The water will displace the air and you can then seal up the bag.)
  5. Freeze for later use.
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Berries removed from the freezer and ready to be sealed.
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A frosty bunch.
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Ready to go back in the freezer.

You can remove berries a little at a time from the bags and reseal them.     Individually frozen berries like these are great for drinks (they even muddle a bit better for flavored waters) or to add to muffins or other breakfast fare.

Tip-o’-the-day:
Did you know you can use your seal-a-meal-a-thing to reseal other stuff?    It works on most chip bags too.

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Pecans have nothing to do with freezing blackberries. I just think this is a nifty trick.

 

Abigail, for your virtual flowers today, I present to you Big Fish Mouth.

2013-07-04 14.05.08This potted whale is in my mom’s garden as well.    (I think it’s sort of cute….I have to admit that I gave it to her for Mom’s Day last year.)     My mom’s and my brother-in-law’s gardens were on a garden tour recently.    I will post more about that soon.    Good thoughts and bright smiles today!!!!!!!

Comments & Replies

12 responses to “Freezing Blackberries”

  1. Angie@Angie's Recipes Avatar

    Today I saw some really juicy and big blackberries in our supermarket….but 100 grams cost about 2 Euros…I have decided to wait a bit longer and bought some blueberries instead.
    The planter looks really cute.

    1. Eliot Avatar

      Hope you can get some berries at a reasonable price.

  2. john@kitchenriffs Avatar

    Great tips! We don’t freeze many berries – we usually eat them all first – but sometimes we do. And when I do I do it in a similar method. I’ve found them do keep better if I let them totally dry after they’ve been washed, but that could be my imagination. 😉 Good stuff – thanks.

    1. Eliot Avatar

      We always go overboard and end up with lots more than we can eat before they go bad. Have to freeze and jam.

  3. kalamitykelli Avatar

    Those froze up lovely! So – they stay pretty like that even after being frozen? NICE!

    1. Eliot Avatar

      That is why I like to freeze them whole like the.

  4. Cindy Harris Avatar

    Seeing a freezer full of fresh frozen goodies is a thing of beauty! Until your power goes out–how do I know???
    These berries look great–I’m trying this soon. Thanks.

    1. Eliot Avatar

      Oooh—don’t jinx me. We have only lost power for three hours and that was four years ago when everyone else in the state was out for weeks and weeks at a time because of an ice storm.

  5. mjskit Avatar

    You are killing me! I would give anything to have your source of blackberries! What gorgeous berries! Can’t wait to see what you make with them this winter.

    1. Eliot Avatar

      M.J., I am the worst at butting things in the freezer and then forgetting about it. I know The Hubs is planning in sangria with the frozen cherries and berries.

  6. Cathy at Wives with Knives Avatar

    I just bought a flat of marionberries for the freezer and appreciate your tips on freezing them. They are such a treat in the winter when no berries are available.

    1. Eliot Avatar

      That is for certain, Cathy. 🙂