Why does blackberry keep freezing

Whether you grow your own, or you stocked up when they were on sale, freezing blackberries is a fast and easy way to save them for a taste of summer later. Before you freeze your blackberries, make sure all the stems and leaves are off, and clean them with cool running water get more tips on washing blackberries here.

The best way to freeze blackberries is by flash freezing. Flash freezing freezes the berries individually, instead of in one large clump. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper. Spread the cleaned blackberries out in a single layer on the paper. Loosely cover the baking pan with plastic wrap. Place the pan in your freezer. Freeze the berries overnight. When they are frozen, they should easily lift off the parchment paper. Transfer the frozen blackberries into Ziploc freezer bags.

Label the bags with the date and contents, and stash them back in the freezer for a rainy day! Blackberries are fairly fragile, so be gentle during the soaking and rinsing process. Try to avoid jostling the berries too much, as smashed berries do not freeze as well as intact fruits. Be sure there is adequate space around each berry to allow for optimal airflow. You can dab the berries lightly with a piece of paper towel or rotate them occasionally to speed up the drying process.

Find a cookie sheet that is large enough to hold all your berries or multiple sheets, if needed. Then use parchment paper to line the sheet—this will keep the berries from sticking to the metal as they freeze. Place the berries on the parchment-lined tray and spread them out so none are touching. The more space between the berries, the faster they will freeze.

Leave the tray in the freezer for at least 3 hours. At this point, the berries should be frozen through and ready to be transferred to another container. Once the berries are frozen through, transfer them from the cookie tray into a freezer-safe container. Ziplocks, reusable silicone bags, and solid containers will all work well for this.

There are two super-simple methods for thawing frozen berries: the microwave and using cold water. To thaw blackberries in the microwave, first, place the berries in a microwaveable safe container. Then set your microwave to defrost for 30 seconds.

Stir the berries and put them back in for another 30 seconds on defrost. One minute is usually enough time to thaw blackberries, but repeat as needed until the berries are defrosted all the way through.

To thaw your blackberries using the cold water method, simply pour the berries into a large bowl and fill the bowl with cool water. Wait for about 5 to 7 minutes. Once the berries are fully thawed, gently drain the water and enjoy. Thawing your blackberries may or may not be necessary depending on how you plan to use them. Sweetened blackberries should last for a minimum of nine months, though some sources say that they can last up to a full year.

However, if using the berries in baking recipes, it's important to remember to take the sugar you added to the berries into account and adjust your recipe accordingly. Because of this point, you may find that it's a wise idea to label your freezing container with a volume of berries in the container and the amount of sugar added along with the date of freezing.

Method 3. Don't thaw berries for most baking recipes. As noted above, when you use frozen berries in baking recipes, you'll almost never want to thaw them before adding them to the recipe.

Doing this creates extra moisture in the recipe and can lead to a final product that's mushy or watery. Some people find that thawing their berries about halfway in the microwave before baking produces great-tasting results without adding too much moisture. Roll frozen berries in flour to prevent bleeding.

Sometimes, when using frozen berries in baking recipes, the berries can "bleed", producing discolorations throughout the batter. To minimize the effects of bleeding, try gently rolling your frozen berries in flower before adding them to your baking recipe. This helps contain the berries' moisture, minimizing bleeding.

Thaw berries for liquid recipes. There are some instances where you'll want to thaw your berries before using them in your recipe. Usually, these are cases where the extra moisture that comes from thawing is a benefit to the dish, like blackberry sauces and toppings for ice cream, shortcake, and so on. To quickly thaw blackberries, place them in an airtight plastic bag or keep them in their original freezer bag and submerge them in cold water for about minutes.

To keep the bag of blackberries from floating and thawing unevenly, you may want to weigh it down with a heavy dish or bowl. Thaw berries intended for raw consumption.

Another situation in which you'll want to thaw your blackberries is if you intend to eat them raw. Though frozen berries make a great summertime treat, sometimes there's nothing like ordinary berries. For raw berries, you may want to use the quick thawing method above, or simply leave them on the kitchen counter overnight.

Dumping your berries in a container of cool, clean water after thawing them to wash away any frost or debris leftover from freezing. At this point, you may also want to sift through your berries and remove any crushed or damaged ones. Don't be put off by the soft, juicy appearance of thawed blackberries. Though they may not look as pristine as fresh berries, if they were fresh when they were frozen, they're safe to eat.

Did you know you can get answers researched by wikiHow Staff? Unlock staff-researched answers by supporting wikiHow. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0. Once the pie is done cooking, place it in the freezer uncovered. Once it's completely frozen, wrap the pie tightly in plastic wrap or place it in a freezer bag. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 3. Yes, you can definitely use frozen blackberries in a smoothie, it would be tasty. Yes, just make sure you've patted them dry after they've been thawed.

Too much water will make a runny cobbler. Not Helpful 3 Helpful 3. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published.

Related wikiHows How to. How to. More References 3. About This Article. Co-authored by:. Co-authors: 8. Updated: April 15, Categories: Berries. Article Summary X To freeze blackberries, start by washing them in a colander and removing any damaged berries. In other languages Deutsch: Brombeeren einfrieren. Italiano: Congelare le More.