Freezing Strawberries

Local Fresh Strawberries

It's Strawberry Season!!!

Now!!!  The time of year when we can drive out to a local roadside stand and purchase a quart/ quarts of the sweet, juicy, red, local strawberries.  This week was the week to drive out to Meadowbrook Farm in East Longmeadow and purchase a flat + 2 quarts of these tasty local berries.  No, there is no way we are devouring them all at once.  The strawberries were prepared for the freezer and then frozen.  There were other plans for 3 of the quarts.  During the remaining months of the year a bag needs only to be defrosted to enjoy as a topping on Belgian Waffles, Oatmeal Pancakes or on ice cream. 

Living in MA where this fruit does not grow year round, I like to freeze the local berries in June.  The quarts purchased during the winter/ colder months in our grocery stores are not very tasty. 

Packaging the Strawberries!

Freezing the strawberries is an easy process.  Well worth the time, too, if you enjoy eating the local tasty fruit during the winter months. 

There is always a little "strawberry snacking" going on after the bags are placed in the freezer.  Some berries are saved out to enjoy now!  Yum!  While preparing the fruit, my kitchen has the aroma of a strawberry field.

Freezing Strawberries

1. Working with a quart at a time, the tops are cut off. 
2. Then, the strawberries are triple rinsed in cold water.
3. Drain.
4. Slice each strawberry in half or thirds and measure out 2 and 1/2 Cups to place in a Ziploc Quart sized Freezer Bag.  
5. I prefer to add about 1 Tablespoon Sugar to each Ziploc Bag before freezing.
6. Move the Sugar/ Strawberries around in the bag to dissolve the Sugar.
7. Close, label & date each bag.  Then, place in your freezer.
8. Defrost in fridge when needed.

This year the Strawberries are so sweet & so juicy!  What a delicious local fruit!  We need to make a return trip and purchase a few more quarts.

Do you also freeze the local fruit??

Enjoy!
Yummy!