It’s strawberry season around here! Since I have plenty of strawberry jam still on my shelves, I decided to freeze the abundance of fruit for my kids to snack on throughout the hot summer months.
Freezing strawberries couldn’t be easier. For those who have never done it, here’s how simple it is.
First, gather as many strawberries as you think you can handle in one day. Freshly picked strawberries won’t last long before getting soft and moldy. I prefer to process no more than 5 gallons at a time.
Here’s a tip I’ve learned from experience. Don’t pick strawberries right after it has rained. Give them a few days to sit in the sunshine and warm up again. Strawberries absorb water like a sponge, and will have little to no flavor after rain.
Wash the strawberries well in cold running water.
Pick off the stems.
Cut out the hull. Make a circle around the stem with a knife and pull out the hard center of the strawberry.
You can freeze strawberries whole or sliced. I prefer to cut them up before freezing to make it easier to give to my kids as a snack. Sliced frozen strawberries are also easier to process in a blender (smoothies!) than whole ones. Take this time to cut off any bad spots as well.
Fill freezer bags and label with the date. If you don’t want the strawberries sticking together, you can spread them out on a cookie sheet and place them in the freezer for a couple of hours, then transfer to a freezer bag to finish freezing.
That’s all there is to it! Try to squeeze as much air as possible out of the bags to avoid freezer burn. We’ve enjoyed strawberries from the freezer for up to 12 months.
*Did you know you can make strawberry jam from frozen strawberries? Read–> How To Can Strawberry Jam for a step-by-step tutorial.
A city girl learning to homestead on an acre of land in the country. Wife and homeschooling mother of four. Enjoying life, and everything that has to do with self sufficient living.
It’s just as easy ‘hulling’ them with a knife or spoon and taking stems and core out at the same time, rather than taking the stems off and then hulling them. I’m all for saving steps! If I ever get my strawberry patch going, I’ll be freezing them myself. Thanks for the reminder.