Berries (2052)

Freeze berries such as raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, and boysenberries. Choose firm, plump, ripe berries with bright, glossy skins.  Avoid bruised, immature, or overripe berries. Remove leaves and stems. Wash berries gently in cold water. Drain well.

When using a "dry pack," pack berries into freezer containers with or without added sugar. Use in cooked foods. To add sugar to dry-pack berries, use 3/4 cup sugar to one quart berries. Mix gently until the sugar dissolves. Then pack in freezer containers, label, and place in freezer for later use.

Another way to freeze berries is a method called "tray pack."  Wash and drain berries and place them in a single layer on a tray or cookie sheet. Freeze until the fruit is firmly frozen. Pack frozen fruit into freezer bags. No sugar is added. This method lets you remove as many berries as desired without thawing the entire container.

A third method is a "syrup pack."  Pack washed and drained berries in a freezer container, then fill with a light sugar syrup. Use syrup-packed berries for dessert. A light sugar syrup uses 1 cup sugar and 4 cups water.  Mix sugar and water in a saucepan and cook until sugar dissolves. Chill syrup before using.

When covering the fruit with syrup, leave a 1-inch headspace to allow for expansion during freezing. Keep fruit under the syrup by placing a small piece of water-resistant wrapping material (like wax paper) on top, and press fruit down into the syrup before sealing the container.

For more information about freezing fruits, contact your local cooperative extension office.

For more information on this subject, Please visit the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Web site.

Feel free to forward, post or reprint any of the "Solutions" in their entirely, but please credit http://www.solutions.psu.edu/ as the original source of information, and please do not change the content.