How to keep raspberries fresh

The main rule for storing raspberries in the refrigerator for a long time is to keep them in a well-closed container, away from other foods. This is necessary because raspberries perfectly absorb foreign odors and this significantly spoils their taste.

Raspberries are one of the most versatile berries. It is not only eaten fresh and frozen, but also made into all kinds of jam, wine, jellies, liqueurs and much more. Raspberries are a rather fragile berry, therefore, both fresh and when frozen, they must be handled very carefully in order to pamper yourself with a bright taste for more than one day.

Storing fresh raspberries

If raspberry bushes grow in your garden plot, use a few simple rules when picking this berry:

storing fresh raspberries

  • Start collecting in the morning, provided that the dry weather has lasted for several days.
  • We carefully pick the berries from the bush, without damaging them if possible.
  • Picked raspberries are best placed in small containers.
  • Raspberries that will be stored for some time should not be washed. Rinse only those berries that you will eat immediately.
  • It is better to immediately place the picked berries in a cool place, otherwise they may spoil. In the shade, containers with raspberries can stand for about three hours.

At room temperature, picked raspberries can last no more than eight hours. The best option would be to immediately pack it into containers (no more than a couple of layers), after sorting and removing the berries with defects, cover with a paper towel and place in the refrigerator on the middle shelf. Under these conditions, the berries will retain their freshness for about seven days.

Frozen

Freezing is one of the most effective ways to preserve the taste and health of fruits and berries. You don't need anything special to freeze raspberries, you just need to follow these steps:

Storing frozen raspberries

  • Gently rinse the raspberries with a spray bottle so as not to damage the berries.
  • Dry the washed raspberries by placing them on paper towels.
  • Place completely dry berries on a baking sheet and place in the freezer for one day.
  • Pack frozen raspberries in special zip-lock bags and store them in the freezer.

How to freeze raspberries for the winter

There are three main ways, and then everything depends on your imagination. Raspberries are a fragile berry; you can keep them whole and beautiful if you follow a few rules when preparing for freezing:

  1. Select large, whole berries without damage.
  2. Before freezing, place the raspberries on napkins and let them sit so that small insects that like to get inside the sweet berry scatter.
  3. Do not wash raspberries under running water. Berries from your own garden do not need this at all, but those bought in a store or market should be placed on a sieve and carefully dipped into water several times and allowed to dry completely.

Now your raspberries are ready, let's begin the procedure.

Dry method

Place the prepared berries in one layer on a tray or flat dish so that the berries do not touch, and place in the freezer. Pour the frozen portion into a bag or container and put it back, and place a new one on a tray and put it in the freezer. It’s better to store raspberries in portions so that you don’t have to defrost the whole berry later, because you can’t re-freeze it.

Dry-frozen raspberries remain intact throughout the entire storage period.

If you pack berries in plastic bags, try to place them in 2-3 layers so that the packaging is flat. This way the berries will take up less space in the camera. It’s even better to store the preparation in containers so that the berries remain whole and do not crumble into grains.

With sugar

For the sweet freezing method, you will need containers. Place the prepared berries on the bottom and add sugar on top (amount to taste), so fill the container layer by layer, but not to the top so that the top layer is not crushed by the lid. Send the containers for quick freezing.

It’s better to spread the raspberries in small portions for use at a time - it’s much more convenient.

You can freeze not only whole berries with sugar, but also raspberry puree. Mix it with sugar (3-4 tablespoons per half-liter jar) and mash with a masher or mix in a blender. Place the finished mixture into containers. These can be plastic disposable cups or containers. Cover the tops of the glasses with cling film.

Combined freezing

Combined freezing of raspberries is also popular among housewives. Place dry selected berries at the bottom of the container, possibly in several layers. Prepare a puree from smaller and damaged raspberries and pour it into a container on top of the whole berry. Cover with a lid and freeze.

Dried raspberries

This is not as popular a storage method as freezing, but it is also quite effective. The most economical way is to sun-dry the berries by laying them out on a clean surface in direct sunlight for several days.

How to store dried raspberries

If this is not possible, many housewives dry raspberries in the oven. At the right temperature, this process will only take a few hours. We pack the dried berries in glass jars or craft bags and leave them in a cool pantry. So raspberries can stand for up to two years and retain their taste.

Here are all the most effective ways to store raspberries. Choose the most optimal one for yourself and prepare this healthy delicacy for the winter, now is the best time for this!

Read: Rules for storing vegetables and How to properly store drinking water?

How and how long to store raspberries in the refrigerator, fresh, with sugar

Raspberries are a unique berry. It has healing properties and excellent taste. The delicate aroma of this berry can be recognized immediately. And not only jam or jam is made from it.

Tincture, wine, and wonderful liqueur from this berry will decorate any table. You can also make marmalade and jelly from it. It is very tender and does not last long when fresh. And frozen, it will preserve its beneficial qualities for a long period.

For those who are interested in where, how and how long to store fresh raspberries, this article will be useful.

Storage conditions for fresh raspberries

When the berries are already ripe, you can begin harvesting. To do this, you need to choose dry, preferably sunny weather. There are points that are taken into account when picking raspberries:

  • the berries need to be removed when they are not yet too soft so as not to crush them;
  • The harvest should be stored in special baskets made of wood shavings, which should be prepared in advance;
  • Raspberries cannot be washed with water. This is done only before direct use;
  • The already collected berries are taken into the shade, otherwise they will spoil within 3 - 4 hours.

You can store raspberries immediately after picking at a temperature of +19 - 20° C for no more than 8 hours. Therefore, it is better to take care in advance of transporting it to a cool place.

  • To increase shelf life, the berries are carefully poured into plastic containers.
  • You should pay attention to the fact that it lies in no more than 2 rows.
  • First, the berries are carefully examined. At the first sign of mold damage (which is often found in berries purchased at the market), the entire batch should be rejected for storage.

The smallest mold spores instantly penetrate all the berries. Even if there are no visible signs of damage on nearby berries, they will definitely show themselves in the near future.

  • Then, after covering with a napkin, the container is placed in the refrigerator.
  • There is no need to keep it close to the freezer - it’s too cold for raspberries. The optimal storage location would be the middle shelves of the refrigerator.

Raspberries tend to absorb foreign odors and therefore should be stored separately from other products.

Shelf life of raspberries

In a cool, dark place, raspberries can be stored without loss of properties for up to 10 days. The best place to store it is in the refrigerator. If the temperature at the storage location exceeds +20° C, the berry will be suitable for consumption for only 8 hours.

FRESH RASPBERRY

First of all, of course, a few words about how to properly store fresh berries recently picked from the bush. But before that, you need to say a few words about how to pick berries.

Raspberry picking should be done in dry weather. You need to pick the berries carefully so that the raspberries do not get crushed. Before placing the berry in the prepared container, free it from the receptacle (the white, rough cone inside the fruit).

...If you comply with the entire set of conditions, then a week after picking you can taste all the joys of life, i.e. raspberries.

There is no need to wash raspberries. This is a very delicate berry, so when exposed to water it quickly begins to deteriorate. It is better to leave the raspberries in their natural form, so to speak, and wash only a small amount of berries needed at one time or another.

You should not place the dishes (which, by the way, must be dry, otherwise the berries may also begin to spoil) too close to the freezer. Avoid the top shelves of the refrigerator when storing raspberries.

As we have already said, this is a very delicate berry and can also begin to spoil very quickly if exposed to extreme cold. However, there is no need to place raspberries at the very bottom of the refrigerator.

In the summer, and this is precisely the time of year we are talking about when we advise storing FRESH raspberries, the temperature on the lower shelves of the refrigerator is not only not minus, but, on the contrary, much above zero.

So, the optimal place for raspberries is the top of the refrigerator and dry dishes. Try to make sure that there are no strong-smelling products adjacent to the raspberries. Raspberries (like any other berry) absorb odors very easily, and you must admit that eating a berry that smells like, say, garlic or stewed cabbage is not so pleasant.

METHOD FOR PROCESSING RASPBERIES FROM RASPBERRY BUG

The raspberry bug infects raspberries, leaving mealy-colored larvae on them. Such berries subsequently become unsuitable for further use if they are not treated with a special solution.

To process raspberries, use a solution prepared from 1 liter of cold water and 20 g of table salt. Soak the raspberries in salt water for about 15 minutes. During this time, all the larvae will float to the surface.

Drain the salt water and wash the berries carefully in plain water.

In addition to the fact that raspberries can be eaten fresh, they can also be dried.

DRYING RASPBERIES

There are two types of drying: natural, that is, under the influence of solar heat, and artificial, that is, that which is carried out in special dryers.

Almost all garden and wild berries can be dried. Among them are raspberries (garden and forest). Dried raspberries are used to prepare fortified drinks (teas and compotes) and healing infusions.

Artificial drying of raspberries at home requires more attention, unlike solar drying, when all you need to do is occasionally stir the berries so that they all dry evenly.

If you decide to dry raspberries artificially, then remember that throughout the drying process you must ensure that the berries do not stick together, dry out or burn.

Home drying of raspberries under artificial conditions is done in the oven. To be able to dry as many raspberries as possible, a special box should be made.

It should be large, and its edges should be low. If we take into account that artificial drying is done in the oven, then the box for raspberries should be metal. If you don’t have such a box, but you really want to dry raspberries, then you can use an ordinary baking sheet for this purpose.

Naturally drying raspberries in the sun is very simple to do. Place the prepared berries in a thin layer on trays or sieves covered with thick paper and place in places accessible to direct sunlight. However, you need to remember that the place in which the raspberries will dry must be “dust-proof”. In other words, make sure that no dust gets on the raspberries.

To get better and faster results, solar drying should be done on hot days. A gentle breeze will also improve and speed up the drying process. You need to dry the berries for a week or a little less.

Dried berries should be stored in cotton bags or plastic containers at room temperature and moderate humidity.

FREEZING RASPBERIES

Everyone knows that this method of freezing vegetables, mushrooms, fruits and berries is very convenient for preserving the appearance, taste and nutritional value of plant products.

Freezing raspberries is one of the main storage methods. It does not require constant attention, any difficult conditions, or a lot of time. You should have a refrigerator and raspberries at your disposal. Well, yes, also electricity, so that the raspberries do not turn from frozen to soaked.

The quick freezing process is carried out at minus 18–35 degrees Celsius. The best varieties of berries should be frozen: Marlboro, Usanka, Novost Kuzmina, Kaliningradskaya, Barnaulskaya, Newburgh, Ottawa.

For freezing, prepare ripe, but not overripe, medium-sized raspberries. Raspberries prepared for freezing should not show any damage or foreign bodies: traces of crumpling, cobwebs, raspberry beetles. The berry must be completely dry, otherwise it is in danger of decomposition.

Raspberries can be carefully packed in plastic bags, tying the open edges with a not very tight knot so that they are easy to untie, or by melting them using a special device or an iron heated to medium temperature. Raspberries can also be placed in plastic containers with tight-fitting lids. In general, before storing raspberries, make sure you have airtight containers.

DRYING RASPBERRY LEAVES

For drying, prepare raspberry leaves that are not damaged by caterpillars. The leaf size should be normal, not too small and not too large.

Place the leaves on trays or other flat surfaces covered with thick paper. Dry them at room temperature and moderate humidity.

The same conditions are necessary for subsequent storage of dried raspberry leaves. Dried raspberry leaves are widely used to prepare medicinal decoctions.

In addition to all these storage methods, there is another great way to keep all the properties of raspberries safe and sound. This method is jam. But we'll talk about this a little later.

Storage methodShelf life
Fresh, at a temperature of +20 ° Cno more than 8-12 hours
In a refrigerator7-10 days
Frozen6-12 months
Dried12-24 months
Grinded with sugar and frozenUp to 12 months
Jam1-3 years

Raspberries, grated with sugar

Jam is a great way to preserve this beautiful berry for a long time. In this form, it can delight with its taste for up to two or three years, and at the same time remain an excellent antipyretic.

The fact is that the substances contained in the leaves, branches and fruits of raspberries contain the entire spectrum of vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C alone per 100 g. raspberries as much as 25 mg, and potassium (one of the most important minerals for the body) - 224 mg. Fresh raspberries, ground with sugar, retain almost all their beneficial properties, since they are not subjected to heat treatment.

In order to prepare it, you need:

  1. First, the berries are sorted and the stalks are removed. Unlike strawberries, you should not rinse them.
  2. When the raspberries are already placed in a large container, they are covered with sugar (1.5 kg per 1 kg of berries).
  3. Using a blender or wooden spoon, grind the berries with sugar until a mass of homogeneous consistency is obtained. Some berries may not be completely crushed. It's not scary, the taste will be more natural.
  4. When the raspberries have already been ground with sugar, they are laid out in sterile jars so that there is still a little space left to the top (about 2 cm).
  5. You need to pour sugar on top so that it becomes a crust over time and protects the workpiece from interacting with air.
  6. The jars are tightly closed with plastic lids and moved to the refrigerator or other cool place.

In the refrigerator, cellar or pantry, such a preparation can be stored for quite a long time. Almost a year, and sometimes longer if you increase the amount of sugar.

How to store raspberries in the refrigerator

In order to store raspberries and sugar in the freezer, they are poured into small plastic containers or cups and sealed on all sides with film.

Then each container (cup) is placed in a separate plastic bag and sent to the freezer for further preservation.

It can stay there for several months and retain its taste and beneficial qualities.

How to Preserve Frozen Raspberries

Raspberries can also be frozen. This is practically the most popular way to store berries. She can remain in this state for a very long time. To freeze raspberries efficiently, you need to follow several rules:

  • the berries are washed under low pressure of water so as not to damage their delicate structure;
  • To dry completely, lay the raspberries on a towel or napkins;
  • the berries are placed on a tray and placed in the freezer for 24 hours;
  • after freezing, the berries are poured into bags (plastic or paper) and placed in the freezer, where they can remain for an unlimited amount of time.

To dry raspberries, they are laid out in the sun in one layer and left for a week. If this is not possible, it is dried in the oven at low temperature and constant ventilation. This procedure will take up to 7 hours. Then the dried berries are placed in paper or plastic bags and sent to a cool, dark place with little humidity, where the raspberries can be stored for up to two years.

Source: https://kakxranit.ru/produkti/kak-xranit-malinu.html

Rating
( 1 rating, average 4 out of 5 )
Did you like the article? Share with friends: