Strawberry freezing advice wanted

[Rockntractor]

I've frozen strawberries without using a vacuum seal. I've never really had a significant loss of taste but the texture changes, obviously. Depending on what you want to do with them later, you could do what we've done from time to time - puree them.

If you are going to use them in smoothies, fruit soups, baking, or things like that just puree them in recipe batches. You can also add whatever other fruits you want in puree-form if you want mixed flavors.

I've found the puree is fine for up to 4 or 5 months and the sliced sugar-pack (or plain) strawberries are fine for a couple of months. The vacuum seal would extend that, obviously.

I personally like to use some apple juice, it does impart another flavor but if your freezing whole berries they stay in better shape because it fill the voids between berries. Maltodextrose also preserves the quality and is less sweet than sugar.

[Gingersnap]

I personally like to use some apple juice, it does impart another flavor but if your freezing whole berries they stay in better shape because it fill the voids between berries. Maltodextrose also preserves the quality and is less sweet than sugar.

I'm no sugar monster but I use sugar to dry-pack the slices. A person could always rinse them off, I guess. Most fruit is already pure starch and sugar anyway so I figure, what's a little more?

I've heard about the apple juice trick but never tried it. I just don't like most fruit juices and I especially loath apple juice unless it's pretty hard.

Another thing to do with excess strawberries is to make fruit leather (if you like that kind of thing) or dehydrate them. They make a nice addition to muesli or trail mix in that form or just as a snack.

(Pro-tip: don't try to rehydrate them. This method is a one-way street.)

[Rockntractor]

I'm no sugar monster but I use sugar to dry-pack the slices. A person could always rinse them off, I guess. Most fruit is already pure starch and sugar anyway so I figure, what's a little more?

I've heard about the apple juice trick but never tried it. I just don't like most fruit juices and I especially loath apple juice unless it's pretty hard.

Another thing to do with excess strawberries is to make fruit leather (if you like that kind of thing) or dehydrate them. They make a nice addition to muesli or trail mix in that form or just as a snack.

(Pro-tip: don't try to rehydrate them. This method is a one-way street.)

The fruit leather is excellent but it turns brown on me even with fruit fresh, I eat it anyway, it doesn't change the taste.

I wonder how white grape juice would work instead of apple juice?

[Gingersnap]

The fruit leather is excellent but it turns brown on me even with fruit fresh, I eat it anyway, it doesn't change the taste.

I wonder how white grape juice would work instead of apple juice?

I might find that a bit better (or cranberry juice? ). Do you use citric acid with your fruit leather? It helps a lot with the color.

[Rockntractor]

I might find that a bit better (or cranberry juice? ). Do you use citric acid with your fruit leather? It helps a lot with the color.

Fruit fresh has some.

Ingredients
Dextrose, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Citric Acid, Silicon Dioxide (Anti-Caking).

I have some pure citric acid, I might try adding more.

[Gingersnap]

Fruit fresh has some.

I have some pure citric acid, I might try adding more.

I use it (I keep it around for sourdough, if it needs it). You will have to experiment. I like the tangy part; some people will want to add sugar (or something) to level it out.

[Rockntractor]

I use it (I keep it around for sourdough, if it needs it). You will have to experiment. I like the tangy part; some people will want to add sugar (or something) to level it out.

I always use some type of sugar, it's a preservative from way back.

[SaintLouieWoman]

I was asking because I overdid it buying strawberries. I have about 6 pounds here. We've had fresh strawberries mixed with a little cool whip (SR loves it) and fresh blueberries every night. Tomorrow I'm making waffles with strawberries cut into the batter. They'll be covered with what else, fresh strawberries. :D

I'm afraid SR will rebel with the excessive amount of strawberries. He's been good about drinking all the fresh orange juice I've been making from the orange tree in the back yard. The tree produces Valencia juice oranges. I have a small electric juicer. So far this season I've made almost 4 gallons of orange juice. No matter what happens, we'll be in juice for some time to come. :p

The smaller tree produces blood oranges, which are delicious eating oranges. Sadly there were only about 10 on the entire tree. I'd rather have more of them than all those juice oranges.

[Articulate_Ape]

I don't have a hand held pump. Do you think if I try to squeeze the air out of a regular freezer bag it will work?

Regular freezer bags are fine unless you are planning on keeping them for more than 12 months. If you don't want to bother with vacuum bags, dipping the filled bags in a deep bowl or tub of water will compress most of the air out. Dip them up to the ziplock strip then seal them. Voila!

[SaintLouieWoman]

Regular freezer bags are fine unless you are planning on keeping them for more than 12 months. If you don't want to bother with vacuum bags, dipping the filled bags in a deep bowl or tub of water will compress most of the air out. Dip them up to the ziplock strip then seal them. Voila!

Thanks, this sounds like the easiest. I don't want to have to buy a lot of stuff for about $5 worth of strawberries. I just got carried away with the sales on strawberries and wanted to preserve some of them for a short time. :)