Probably the most ideal and the easiest approach to store fresh strawberries is to freeze them in your freezer. Freezing is a very easy and simple way to increase the shelf life of fresh strawberries. It likewise enables you to enjoy the sweet, fruity flavor of strawberries throughout the year. Besides, you can use these frozen strawberries to make different healthy smoothies, baked items, drinks, desserts, and frozen yogurt.
You can freeze fresh strawberries at home or can also buy them from the market. Commercial chest freezers play a vital role in freezing fresh fruits and vegetables and keep them frozen for longer. So, now you can also buy fruits and vegetables of your choice from the grocery stores.
Freezing Fresh Strawberries is Quite Simple
Freezing fresh strawberries is an incredible method to maintain their flavor and freshness for quite a long time. There are a couple of steps to freeze fresh strawberries:
Step 1: Wash and Clean Fresh Strawberries
When you have bought fresh strawberries in bulk and now want to freeze them, the initial step is washing. It will remove all the debris or dirt. It is likewise a great approach to rapidly look for any rotten, soft, or spiling strawberries and discard them immediately. Otherwise, they would also spoil others. Now put strawberries into a sieve, colander, or strainer and rinse through running water. Wash the strawberries twice with running water to ensure no dirt is left.
Step 2: Cut and Slice the Strawberries
After washing, the next step is cutting the strawberries. For this, remove the leaves as well as core prior to freezing as it is simpler to do at room temperature. Cut the strawberries in half before freezing. It will be helpful when using frozen strawberries for making smoothies, desserts, baked items, and so on. Moreover, it is easier to thaw out sliced strawberries than whole ones.
Step 3: Freeze the Strawberries
Take a baking tray and line it with parchment paper. Place all the sliced strawberries on the parchment paper in a single layer and put the tray into the freezer for at least 4 – 6 hours. When the strawberries are frozen, remove them from the baking tray and store them in an airtight container, Ziplock bag, or plastic bag in the freezer.
It is essential to ensure the strawberries are completely dry prior to putting them in the freezer. Any extra water droplet on the strawberries will become icy subsequent to freezing and can make strawberries mushier and softer when thawed.
Reuse Frozen Strawberries in Different Recipes
Frozen strawberries are usually mushier and softer, and their texture is less firm as compared to the fresh ones. Frozen strawberries are very easy to use in different recipes such as smoothies, sauces, and many desserts including frozen yogurt and cheesecake. Moreover, these are also used to make baked items such as hotcakes and waffles. To utilize frozen strawberries in recipes that involve fresh strawberries, sprinkle some cornflour or cornstarch on the frozen strawberries.
When frozen strawberries thaw out during heating, they will release more juice than fresh ones and have a bad effect on the texture. Therefore, try not to thaw out the strawberries before adding them to your mixture or dough. Thus, you can add frozen strawberries into your mixture or dough. Here is a list of different dishes in which you can directly use frozen strawberries:
- Different smoothie recipes
- Strawberry jam
- Strawberry syrup
- Cocktails such as margaritas, mojitos, smashes, and lemonades
- Strawberry BBQ sauce
- Scones and Muffins
- Pancakes and Waffles
- Coffee Cake and Cinnamon Rolls
- Strawberry ice cream and frozen yogurt
- Strawberry popsicles and decorative ice cubes
- Oatmeal, pudding, and porridge
- Cobbler, Pie, Cheesecake, and Crisp,
- Doughnuts and French Toast