Preserving
Raspberries by
Freezing
Add a handful of raspberries at a time to
a bowl filled with clean clear water. Clean and dry the
raspberries. Raspberries are particularly fragile , so
handle with care or you could end with raspberry mush. I
like to scoop the raspberries out with a religious spoon {a
holy spoon, one with holes} and lay them out on a cloth or
napkins to dry. Some people just use a strainer or colander.
Continue until all the berries are clean. Notice the berry
colored water ? That's a considerable amount of flavor and
nutrients being thrown away, some people don't wash them
before freezing - surprise you don't really have to - I just
feel it's the sanitary thing to do.
Next have a cookie tray or trays on hand
sprayed with a nonstick coating such as PAM or other food
grade sprays.
Spread your raspberries on a clean cookie
sheet[s] so that the berries are not too crowded together.
Place the cookie sheet[s] in the freezer for a few hours.
You can also freeze them directly in freezer bags , but you
end up with a cluster of raspberries frozen together this
way. Placing them on cookie sheets first keeps the
raspberries separated and solid.
After a few hours , remove from the
freezer , then put them in freezer bags or ziplock bags
Freezing puréed strawberries. Wash and hull the
raspberries. Purée using a blender or mashing device. Pour the
purée into plastic containers or individual ice-cube trays or
whatever suitable container your little heart desires. Pureed
Raspberries can be frozen for up to 6 months. You want to
pass the puree through a cheesecloth if you find the
raspberry seeds bothersome
Freezing sugared Raspberries. Wash, hull and drain the
raspberries. Sprinkle with fine sugar , I prefer confectioners
sugar. Pack the berries into plastic containers or bags.
Berries frozen this way can be stored for up to 6 months.
Preserving
Strawberries
by
Dehydrating / Drying
Unlike
frozen raspberries, dried ones can be
stored at room temperature .
When selecting
raspberries for dehydrating choose the highest
quality ripe raspberries . Wash them
with white vinegar and rinse thoroughly with water.
Remove the tops.
Spread the raspberries out
evenly on trays allowing space for air to
circulate freely around the strawberries during the
drying process.
If the weather
permits you can use the sun to dry your berries.
Sun, or air drying requires a warm day with
temperatures in the 90s and very little humidity.
Place the raspberries in a sunny window, or outside
covered with screening to keep the bugs away.
You
can also dry them in an oven. Place the raspberries
in the oven at 130 degrees. Check them periodically.
raspberries should be brittle when done.
Pack your berries in a moisture proof
container . Label them with the date of
preservation. Store in a cool dry place.
Raspberries should be used within a year.
If Using a Dehydrator
Wash, and dry (gently pat dry) the
raspberries.
Remove raspberry stems.
Dehydrate raspberries at 100 degrees (F) for 8-10 hours or
until brittle
Store dried raspberries in a clean, dry, airtight container,
in a cool dark location.
