How To Store Strawberries Correctly. Part 2

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

In the first part of the article, we got acquainted with the methods of storing strawberries in the refrigerator and in the freezer. Now, in order for ripe berries to be preserved as long as possible, it is necessary to learn the basic rules of their preparation for storage. In addition, the possibilities for storing strawberries are not limited to the refrigerator or freezer - wonderful berries will also be perfectly preserved in sugar or pectin syrup

How to prepare strawberries for storage

Before you send the fragrant berries for storage, you need to carefully sort them out - if moldy or heavily dented specimens come across during this event, they should be immediately discarded and thrown away. If this is not done, the mold will quickly cover other berries as well. And to find the "marriage" was easier, you can scatter strawberries on a clean surface - then you don't have to disturb whole berries unnecessarily.

If during sorting strawberries you come across soft berries that are not suitable for storage, which have not yet had time to turn sour or moldy, they can be mashed or added to baked goods. The faster you use it, the better.

In the event that the strawberries are sent for storage in the refrigerator, they do not need to be washed. The fact is that this juicy berry absorbs moisture like a sponge, and the more moisture it absorbs, the sooner it will finally deteriorate.

Washing strawberries is permissible only for storage in the freezer, however, in this case, you must always get rid of excess moisture so that there is not too much ice in the berries.

If you plan to eat berries soon

If you plan to consume strawberries in the next few hours, then it is best to store them at room temperature - this will preserve their unique fresh taste. Just do not store berries in plastic containers - for this, special food containers are best suited (packaging plastic does not allow air to pass through the strawberries, which inevitably leads to rotting).

Strawberries should be washed immediately before use - the berries, washed in advance, begin to actively absorb water and become limp. And you need to wash them in order to eliminate all kinds of harmful substances from their surface. The berries, washed just before use, are slightly dried with paper towels.

To ensure that harmful bacteria are removed from the berries, some housewives wash the strawberries in a vinegar solution (three parts water and one part vinegar). At the same time, each berry should be carefully washed with your hands, and only then rinsed under running water.

Storage in sugar syrup

Perhaps this is the sweetest and most delicious way to store berries. To use it, 800 g of thoroughly washed berries are dipped in boiling water for about 30 - 60 seconds, after which they are transferred to sterilized jars and, pouring sugar and water syrup (for 3 glasses of water - 400 g of sugar), they are tightly closed with well sterilized lids …

Storage in pectin syrup

This storage method is less common than all the others, but at the same time it is also very effective. By the way, pectin is called a natural stabilizer, most often obtained from apples.

In order to try to preserve strawberries this way, you need to purchase pectin powder. Washed berries are put in sterile jars and poured with cooled boiled pectin syrup, which is prepared in accordance with the instructions on the package (for different manufacturers, the proportions of preparation may differ significantly).

This approach helps to preserve the excellent flavor of the strawberries, but is less reliable than when stored in sugar syrup.

It's important to know

When purchasing strawberries, you should not rely entirely on its color - after picking the berries really darken, but this does not mean that they will be sweet.

Despite the fact that frozen strawberries retain their taste and most of the nutrients, their appearance can differ significantly from the appearance of fresh berries. So if the strawberries become softer and darker during freezing, do not be alarmed, this is quite normal.