Why do blackberries freeze

Wash the berries gently. When you've picked or bought a selection of ripe, juicy blackberries, give them a gentle but thorough washing. Pour the berries into a colander and run cool water over them while you gently shake them or sift through them with your fingers. Allow to drain well and gently pat dry with a soft towel to remove excess moisture. As you wash and dry your berries, take the opportunity to remove any rotten, under-ripe, or damaged berries.

You'll also want to remove any leaf litter, dirt, or other debris. Spread the blackberries on a baking tray or sheet. Line a metal pan or tray with parchment paper and spread your blackberries out on it so that none are touching each other. Do not forget the parchment paper -- without it, the berries will freeze to the pan and can break up when you try to remove them.

If you have too many blackberries to give each their own space on your baking tray, it's alright to simply pour them all over the tray. However, if you want separate, individual blackberries later, you'll have to break up the frozen block of berries that you'll get from this method.

If you've got lots of berries that you want to keep separate, an even better idea is to lay down a second layer of parchment paper over the top of your first layer of berries to double your working space. Place the blackberries into the freezer. Set your tray on a level surface in your freezer so that your berries don't roll to one side of the tray and allow your berries to freeze completely.

You may want to leave your blackberries in the freezer overnight to ensure that they're completely frozen through. If you do this, don't forget about them — left uncovered in the freezer, berries can easily develop freezer burn within a few days. Transfer berries into a freezer-proof bag. When your berries are frozen solid, pour them into a plastic freezer bag. Squeeze as much air as you can out of the bag, then seal it and return it to the freezer.

The thicker the plastic and the less air in the bag, the better — thin bags and air pockets can both contribute to freezer burn. If you own a vacuum-sealing device like, for instance, the FoodSaver , use it here to remove the air from your bag for the absolute best possible protection against freezer burn. Alternatively, if you're not worried about your berries freezing together, you can skip the baking sheet altogether and simply place the washed and dried berries into a freezer bag directly.

If you do this, the berries will freeze together into a large block, which can hurt their visual presentation, but shouldn't effect their taste. Freeze for up to six months. Berries frozen this way are good for at least six months, though some sources recommend using them up to eight months after the date of freezing. As a general rule, you shouldn't thaw berries before using them in baking recipes, as this can throw off their moisture content.

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review. Method 2. Rinse and dry the berries as normal. Sweetening your blackberries before freezing them helps keep the berries' natural color and texture intact through the freezing process. It also makes the berries last longer in the freezer. As above, you'll also want to remove any unripe or overripe berries before proceeding, as well as any leaf matter or debris.

Mix with sugar. Mix the berries and sugar thoroughly, but very gently — your goal is to coat the berries with sugar, not to mash them into a jam or paste. The sugar should combine with the natural moisture of the berries along with the juice of any berries that do break to form a syrupy mixture that should cover the berries. Yes Can You Refreeze Blackberries?

No Do Blackberries Freeze Well? Tip your blackberries into a colander and run cold water over them. You can also fill your sink with cold water and dunk your colander into the water to submerge the blackberries and get them completely cleaned. Give them a gentle shake trying not to damage them.

This is the best way to freeze blackberries as it will allow you to easily grab a handful or two at a time whenever you need blackberries in your cooking. It will work with all berries and small fruits such as cherries.

You can even mix different berries on the same tray to create a fruit mix. Well, you can freeze blackberries and any fruit without washing them beforehand but what would be the point?

By spending just a few minutes washing them, you can ensure you remove any dirt and bugs which you are not going to want to eat in future. Instead, we would advise taking those extra few minutes to give them a quick wash under running water before freezing them. Pin Share Tweet Email. Table of Contents show. Step 2: Lay the Blackberries Out to Dry. Step 4: Place Cookie Tray in the Freezer.

Step 5: Transfer Frozen Blackberries to Container. How to Use Frozen Blackberries. How to Freeze Blackberries. There's nothing like the taste of fresh-picked blackberries! But what happens when they're all ready to be picked at once? Freezing them is the perfect solution that allows you to use your blackberries later in smoothies, pancakes, muffins, and more.

Here's how to freeze them. Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack. Cuisine: Any. Keyword: how to freeze blackberries. Prep Time: 20 minutes. Freeze Time: 3 hours. If you are defrosting blackberries in sweetened form, simply remove the container from them from the freezer and allow them to defrost in the container for minutes on the container top.

Then, you can eat the sweeten berries as is or any other way you choose. Skip to content Can you freeze blackberries? How to Freeze Blackberries? However, after about two years of the blackberries being However, after about two years of the blackberries being frozen, they can lose some of their flavor and freshness. Image used under Creative Commons from Jeffrey Beall. Image used under Creative Commons from Jeremy Jenum.