How to Properly Select and Store Strawberries

Strawberries are sweet, aromatic berries that you want to enjoy not only in summer. Flavoriso.com tells you how to choose and store berries throughout the year.

How to choose strawberries

• Let’s look at the appearance

The berries should be a rich red color with smooth leaves. The shape may not be perfectly smooth, as this does not affect the quality of the strawberries. When choosing, pay attention to the uniformity of the color. If the tip is green or the surface is pale pink, the berry is unripe.

• We determine by touch

Fresh berries are firm and do not dent when pressed. Fruits that are too soft lose their shape and cannot be stored for long. If the strawberries are too hard, they are likely tasteless.

• Checking the aroma

The delicate sweet aroma of ripe strawberries is felt immediately. If it is present, the berries are most likely sweet and tasty. Strawberries should not have a fermented aroma – in this case, the berries are spoiled.

• Select the size

Many people choose berries based on the principle: the larger, the sweeter. Large, bright strawberries do look attractive. But this does not at all speak about their taste properties: as a rule, small and medium-sized fruits are sweeter and tastier.

How to Store Fresh Berries

Choosing the right strawberries affects their shelf life. But even if you have chosen the perfect berries, pay attention to them after purchase:

1. Carefully sort the strawberries at home. The berries should be firm, without dark spots or dents. If there is pulp on the walls of the container, the berries have begun to spoil and need to be sorted again.
2. Wash soft and slightly bruised strawberries and eat them right away. You can make a smoothie or strawberry cream for dessert from overripe berries.
3. The most suitable container for berries is a glass or plastic container. If you bought it in a wooden container, it is even better. Make holes in it for ventilation and store it in the refrigerator for no more than a week.
4. Place the berries in a thin layer: this way they will last longer and will not crush each other.
5. Don’t forget to sort the strawberries. Even two bruised berries can spoil the rest and they will have to be thrown out.
6. Wash only those berries that you will eat. Washed strawberries should not be stored in the refrigerator.

How to Store Strawberries in Winter

The juicy taste of summer berries can be enjoyed in the cold season. The easiest way is to freeze them. In this form, strawberries can be stored until the next berry season. They will retain the maximum amount of nutrients and vitamins since they are not subjected to heat treatment.

The freezing method depends on how you will use the berries.

• Whole berries

This method is used to freeze whole, firm strawberries without dents. Defrosted berries can be eaten, used to decorate cakes or as a topping. You can also make homemade ice cream from them .

How to freeze:

1. Sort out the berries and leave only whole, fresh fruits for freezing.
2. Rinse the strawberries in a colander. Shake gently to avoid damaging them.
3. Clean the fruits from leaves and stem remains.
4. Place the berries on a towel, leaving space between them.
5. Leave to dry naturally.
6. Carefully transfer the berries into a reusable zip-lock bag and place them in the freezer. To prevent them from freezing together, make sure there is enough space in the compartment, and do not put other berries on top.

• Slices

Sliced ​​strawberries are a convenient way to store in the freezer: they don’t take up much space and are perfect for a sweet pie or smoothie. Strawberry slices will decorate a dessert or morning porridge.

How to freeze:

1. Sort and wash the strawberries.
2. Select large and medium berries.
3. Take a thin, sharp knife and cut the fruit into 1–1.5 cm thick slices. Do not press hard on the berries.
4. Place the slices in a ziplock bag in rows, keeping some distance between them. Don’t put too many, otherwise the berries will get crushed and will lose their beautiful appearance when defrosted.

You can also make a homemade strawberry preserve. It is suitable as a stand-alone dessert, porridge topping and pie filling.

The advantage of this method is that you can take any berries by size and appearance. If you have a large strawberry harvest and it has started to spoil, use it for strawberry preparation.

There are several options:

1. Strawberries with sugar

An option for those who like to eat mashed strawberries sprinkled with sugar. In frozen form, it is no less tasty.

To prepare, place the strawberries in a deep bowl, crush them lightly with a masher, and sprinkle with sugar. Leave the strawberries for a few hours so that they release juice. Then transfer them to plastic containers and put them in the freezer.

2. Strawberry puree

Quick jam that preserves all the benefits of strawberries. Mash them with a masher or beat them with a blender. Add granulated sugar at the rate of 100 g per kg of strawberries. If they are sweet, you can reduce the amount of sugar or not add it at all.

Another option is to add honey: the berry puree will be healthier and the strawberry flavor will be brighter.

3. Frozen berry puree

The method is almost the same as puree from fresh strawberries. The difference is that it will be more homogeneous and slightly watery. Eat as a cold dessert or put it in the freezer.

4. Strawberry compote

A fragrant healthy drink that can be made from fresh or frozen berries. Small ripe fruits are suitable for the recipe. Fill the jars with strawberries up to a quarter, then make sugar syrup and pour it over the berries.

5. Strawberries in their own juice

This method can be used to process small berries: they will retain their appearance and natural taste with a minimum amount of sugar.

1. Wash a kilogram of strawberries and add 300 g of sugar.
2. Shake the container to distribute the granulated sugar evenly and leave the berries overnight. During this time, the sugar will dissolve and turn into syrup.
3. Sterilize the jars and pour the strawberry mixture into them.
4. Add a pinch of citric acid.
5. For long-term storage, strawberries in jars need to be re-sterilized.

6. Strawberry jam

The summer aroma of strawberries will warm you up in winter, especially with pancakes. The ratio of sugar to berries should be one-to-one. Strawberry jam is ideal for tartlets and open pies due to its jelly texture.

To make jam, you don’t need to choose berries. Feel free to take overripe and bruised ones, they won’t be visible in the dish. Add citric acid five minutes before it’s ready: it preserves the color of the strawberries and prevents crystallization.

7. Strawberry chips

Fruit and berry chips are a healthy snack with a natural taste. They are convenient to store at home and easy to prepare. If you don’t have a special dehydrator, use the oven.

1. Cut the strawberries into 4mm thick slices.
2. Place on parchment paper and place in the oven for 4-5 hours.
3. Open the door slightly and dry the berries at a temperature no higher than 100 degrees.
4. Check the strawberries: if they come off the paper easily, they are ready.

How to defrost strawberries

To keep the berries in shape and taste, they need to be defrosted properly. The most gentle method is to leave the strawberries in the refrigerator. If you don’t have time, put them in a deep plate and leave them to defrost at room temperature.

You shouldn’t put berries in the microwave or hot water. They will turn into mush and lose some of their vitamins.

Remember about quantity: defrost as much as you need. There is no need to put the berries back in the freezer.

What can be done?

Along with strawberries, freeze other berries for the winter. For example, cranberries, raspberries, and blueberries.