Can blackberries be washed and frozen as they are?

Question

Will I still be able to use them in all recipes if frozen this way

Answer 1

Steps in freezing fruits
Get materials and equipment. Be sure you have enough containers of the proper size. Check plastic or glass containers for chips or cracks. Be sure containers are clean. Make syrup, if you are using a syrup pack for your fruits. Be sure it is cold when you use it.

Select the fruit. The fruit you use should be well-ripened, firm, plump, and tender. Freeze it at the stage it would taste best when eaten fresh. Sort out all fruit that is bruised, decayed, or under-ripe. Under ripe fruit may develop a poor color and a bitter off flavor during freezing.

Prepare the fruit and berries. Wash fruit or berries gently and quickly in cold water. Over-soaking makes for a poor frozen product. Drain fruit in colander or sieve. Work with a small amount of fruit at a time to allow for easily handling. Peel or cut. Use an anti-darkening agent, ascorbic acid, citric acid, or lemon juice to prevent darkening of fruit.

Pack fruit. Fruits may be packed in sugar syrup or in dry sugar or dry-packed with no sugar. Follow the directions for the pack you want. In syrup-pack, fruit should be well covered with syrup or juice during freezing and thawing to prevent darkening of the top surface. You can place crumpled freezer paper under the lid of a rigid container to hold fruit under the syrup or juice. When you use plastic bags, press out all of the possible air. See that your container is sealed properly.

Ways to pack fruit. How you plan to use the fruit will help determine how you will pack it. Syrup pack is best for dessert use; dry sugar or unsweetened packs are best for most cooking purposes.


Strawberries, packed in sugar
Strawberries, sliced and sweetened with dry sugar, are the pride of the freezer. Follow the general steps shown here for other fruits packed in sugar. The container illustrated is a pint plastic box, but other types of containers may also be used. Freezing jars are excellent containers.

Select firm, ripe strawberries. About 2/3 quart fresh berries are needed for each pint frozen.
Wash berries a few at a time in cold water. Lift berries gently out of water and drain.
Remove caps; then slice berries into a bowl or shallow pan.
Using 3/4 cup sugar per quart of strawberries, combine it with 1/2 teaspoon crystalline ascorbic acid (or follow directions on package of commercial ascorbic acid mixture). Sprinkle sugar mixture over the sliced berries. Turn berries over and over until sugar is dissolved and juices is formed.
Pack berries in container, leaving 1/2 inch head space in the wide-mouth pint box. Place a small piece of crumpled wax paper on top of berries. Press berries down into juice.
Press lid on firmly to seal. Be sure the seal is watertight. Use low-temperature tape to assure a tight seal. Label with name of fruit and date of freezing. Place in freezer immediately.
NOTE: Other berries except blueberries can be frozen using the above recipe.


Using frozen fruits & berries
Now that you have frozen berries and fruits in your freezer, you can serve fruit for dessert or tempting snacks. To thaw, leave berries in their sealed containers. You can thaw berries in three ways:

In the refrigerator – six to eight hours for one-pound package.

At room temperature – one to two hours for a one-pound package.

In a pan of cool water (turned several times) – 1/2 to one hour for a one-pound package.

The times given here are for berries in syrup packed. Fruit packed with dry sugar thaws slightly faster.

The type of pack you used in freezing your berries will help you decide how to use them.

Fruit packed in syrup is usually best for eating as fresh frozen. Berries packed in sugar or unsweetened are good for using in recipes because there is less liquid in the pack. You can use unsweetened packs for jams and jellies or in baking when you need to know how much sugar the ingredients contain. Use the unsweetened pack for a diabetic diet.

If you want to serve your berries uncooked, thaw them before serving. To cook your berries, thaw them until the pieces can be loosened; then cook them like fresh berries. You may need to add water if there isn’t enough juice to prevent scorching.

Other uses for your berries are as a crushed fruit topping for ice cream or cake, as a filling for sweet rolls, or for jam. You can also use them for fruit cups, fruit salad, fruit-flavored yogurt, cobblers, or pies.

Answer 2

Can't see why not; I freeze strawberries whole with great success. Typically let them thaw in refrigerator before using them....but if it's been FOREVER since I've had strawbs, the microwave is nice for thawing.....
Have picked some wild blackberries and raspberries for the birds and threw them into a freezer bag for later winter feeding; they looked pretty decent overall but sure the birds will not mind.
Because brambles are so very fragile, I'd suggest you freeze them on a single layer (try a cookie sheet or pie pan, whatever fits in the freezer), then transfer the frozen-hard berries to freezer bags.
Good luck.

Answer 3

Yes, they can be - but there is a trick to the freezing.

Using a cookie sheet, spread the berries in one layer before freezing. Do this until all the berries are frozen. This way they will not be clumped todether when you need them - you can remove a cup or a handful without having to thaw the rest.

Good luck!

Answer 4

My answer to you is yes, you lucky duck. Blackberries are one of my all time favorites, actually all berries are my favorites. Most berries after being frozen lose some of their firmness but can be use in cooking. I prefer to wash dry then freeze in a single layer, on a cookie sheet then store them in zip lock bags. For pies, jams, tarts,even smoothies.

Answer 5

Take blackberries wash put on a paper towel to get dry. The put them on a cookie sheet pan freeze, the put in freezer bags or box, Use as if they are fresh. you can do this with almost any berry blue berries are great.

Answer 6

Yes. It's a great way to have the berries when they're out of season!

Answer 7

yes that works great for jams and jellies! Not sure about pies and other stuff, after thawing the berries i would guess the berries wouldn't be as firm?

Answer 8

Yes, if done this way you can use them in many different recipes

Answer 9

yep.
It's a grate way to keep them for longer and use them whenever you want.
But I sometimes like to eat them frozen, they're really nice that way. :)

Answer 10

Yes make sure the container you put them is is airtight with air removed so they wont get freezer burn.

Answer 11

Nope if you freeze them they get a bit squaschy after best is conserving!
Take care!