Freezing blueberries

[hazelton farms]

Just had to share my mother's tip to freeze our blueberries. Freeze them single layer on wax paper or foil on cookie sheets before putting them in bags for storage. I used foil and layered them 3 layers high (foil between each layer) last night. I took them out just now and came up with a gallon and a half. Going to pick more soon. They froze great and now are not stuck together because of the way they are frozen.

Any more freezer storage ideas????

Stacy

Edited for clarification

 

[coffeemama]

That's what I do too-with all berries. This makes me wanna go pick some berries!

 

[ibpboo]

Thanks for the tip!

 

[hazelton farms]

LOL! Awesome pic coffeegirl! LOL!! YUM!

They are good this year, I'll give it that much. I wish I could find some blackberries now!

Stacy

 

[ninjapoodles]

Ditto! Strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries all put up so far this year. I do them in a single layer at a time so that they'll flash-freeze faster, with fewer ice crystals.

 

[clarkestep]

Also put them up unwashed so they won't get as mushy when you thaw them out.


Blueberries also make great wine. Oh but you said 'freezer' storage ideas. My bad! LOL

 

[hazelton farms]

Funny enough, my 15 yr old asked while we were picking yesterday if they made blueberry wine. We don't drink wine, but I'll have to tell her they do (so when she's old enough she can look into that herself LOL!).

Thanks for the pic ninja! That's exactly what I was talkin' about.


Stacy

 

[ninjapoodles]

I wash and dry all of mine before freezing--doesn't seem to have any effect on how they thaw (they're not going to ever be like "fresh" again), as long as the berries are completely dry when they go in the freezer.

We use 90% of ours in smoothies. Using frozen fruit = no ice needed! So your smoothies can be all fruit, not watered down.

 

[robinaggie]

I WANT BLUEBERRIES!! They're $4 per half-pint here.

 

[hazelton farms]

I got 3 quarts yesterday for $4 each, hand picked by someone's little girl raising money for summer.

Then we stopped and picked another 4 quarts. The guy wanted $3.50 a quart, but I was walking to get into the van after paying and mentioned DH was navy (long story) and he gave me back $.50 a quart! I felt badly about it since he was older and a vet himself! But didn't know how to refuse it.

So I got good prices. I'm thinking I'll stop there again with all six of us this time and see if we can't just pick the heck outta his bushes and see about putting in a few more gallons.

We've got our own cow that'll be in milk come Feb. and in the meantime we milk three goats. Milk shakes with blueberries sounds AWESOME!! Good idea!

Stacy