4 Best Ways to Store Strawberry Harvest

Unfortunately, in our latitudes, summer does not last too long, and therefore all kinds of gifts of this time of year only delight us for a short time. To extend the “life” of precious products, you need to know the basic principles of their storage, and therefore today the portal “Your Cook” will tell you how to store strawberries at home. We will consider options for both short-term storage of fresh berries, and methods that allow you to preserve berries for up to a year.

How to properly store fresh strawberries in the refrigerator

First, let's figure out how long fresh berries can be stored. There are often cases when, having purchased fragrant strawberries from hand or in a store, after 1-2 days we discover that almost the entire product is spoiled and it is no longer possible to prepare anything from it or simply eat it. Why is this happening?

In fact, there may be a lot of reasons for this, and therefore it is important to strictly follow the algorithm of actions described below.

• Even at the purchasing stage, you should carefully examine the product you are purchasing. Typically, strawberries can be stored for up to a week after picking, but how long they have been on the shelves is unknown. Only a detailed inspection will eliminate the possibility of purchasing a product that is about to deteriorate.
• If there are no darkened fruits among the berries or their number is at least not very large, then we buy a strawberry, take it home and move on to the next step. It is better to refuse to buy obviously “spoiled” berries - you will not be able to save them even if you wanted to, and the risk of food poisoning is very high.
• When we get home, we take the berries out of the container or bag in which they were located. Now our task is to examine each berry even more carefully. If you find whitish mold on the surface of a strawberry, then you need to get rid of it immediately - such a berry will spoil all other fruits. You should also discard those berries that have darkened or are too soft in texture.

• Next, we need to rinse each berry well. This stage is especially important if in the previous step you found spoiled fruits - this way you will clean the good berries from bacteria that lead to spoilage of strawberries.
• Place the washed berries on a paper or regular towel and let them dry thoroughly. If you can’t wait, just blot each berry with a towel or napkin.

• Now we transfer the dried berries into a vacuum container, close it tightly with a lid and put it in the refrigerator. The best place to store strawberries is on the bottom shelves of the refrigerator, where the temperature is lowest.

You can also put the container with berries in a container for fresh vegetables, fruits and berries, here your strawberries can last for about a week.

Particular attention should be paid to the preparatory stage if, when purchasing strawberries, you find a lot of crumpled and moldy berries. In such a situation, the berries must not only be washed, but treated with a special vinegar solution.

It is very simple to make - you need to mix three parts of purified water with one part of table vinegar and rinse the strawberries in this solution, and then rinse them with clean water. After this, the berries can be dried and stored, just as we described above.

How to store strawberries at home

No matter how you decide to store strawberries at home, they must be prepared for storage. This applies to both berries grown in your own garden beds and those purchased from private individuals or in a store.

The preparation process is as follows:

• If you pick your own strawberries, it's best to do it when they're dry.
• Sort through all the berries one at a time, inspecting them from all sides
• Even slightly spoiled strawberries need to be removed - not only will they spoil themselves, they will also “infect” their neighbors

We also discard bruised and damaged berries - they can be eaten, made into jam, compote, or put in a pie.

• no need to cut off the tails
• We take fully ripe berries for storage; overripe or underripe are not suitable
• Under no circumstances should you wash strawberries before storing them at home!

If you need strawberries to last for several days, put them in a glass or plastic container. It is ideal that the berries do not touch each other. However, with significant volumes this is unrealistic. Then it is necessary to rearrange the berries as carefully as possible so as not to damage or crush them.

One of the excellent options for storing strawberries is a colander or sieve. Berries “breathe” through their pores. But there is no need to put large portions in such containers.

The container with berries cannot be tightly closed, but it needs to be covered. A light cloth such as gauze, a kitchen linen napkin, a thin towel or a paper circle is suitable for this.

One of the rules on how to store strawberries at home is to be sure to review the berries after a while. Great once a day or at least every other day. We carefully sort through the berries, identifying those that are spoiled, wrinkled, or overripe. We remove them from the total mass.

If you decide to store the berries frozen, then they need to be laid out on a flat surface so that they do not touch each other. Then place in the freezer compartment. After an hour or two, the berries should be completely frozen. They must be carefully transferred to a bag or plastic container and sent back to the freezer. The berries frozen in this way will not freeze into a single mass. If you wish, you can take as much as you need.

However, such storage requires a certain place, because individually frozen berries scattered together have spaces between each other. If you plan to use the berries without preserving their integrity, for example, in jelly or for filling a pie, the strawberries can be cut into pieces or mashed. Then freeze in the required portions.

The third way to store strawberries at home is with sugar. To do this, properly prepared garden gifts must be carefully rinsed, dried on a napkin or towel and crushed. A blender, a masher, or just a spoon will do. Mix mashed strawberries with sugar in a ratio of 1:1.5. Place in clean containers, close, and put in the refrigerator. If necessary, take it out and use it as jam - all the vitamins are preserved here, and can also be used in various dishes and drinks.

If you don’t need so much sugar, then reduce the amount, but then it’s better to put the strawberries in the freezer or consume them within the next few weeks.

What is the best way to freeze strawberries for home storage?

Of course, fresh strawberries are good, but every housewife wants fragrant berries to be on hand all year round. As you know, heat treatment during cooking destroys almost all useful compounds in the berries, and therefore there is only one way out in such a situation - freezing.

It seems that there is nothing complicated in this process, but it is not. Failure to follow the simplest rules will result in the fact that when you remove frozen berries from the freezer, you will not get a flavorful delicacy, but a tasteless or even spoiled mass.

• As with storage in a refrigerator, strawberries must be sorted out when frozen - darkened, too soft and moldy fruits, even if frozen, will obviously not please you with their taste after defrosting.
• When we have selected elastic and beautiful berries, it’s time to remove their stalks and wash them thoroughly.
• We transfer the finished clean berries to a towel or paper napkins and leave them there for an hour or an hour and a half - during this time, at room temperature, the moisture from the surface of the strawberry will evaporate and it will dry out.
• Cut the berries in half, spread them on a plate or board in one layer and put them in the freezer for a couple of hours. Just don’t forget to cover the berries with cling film or place them in a bag.
• Now take the board or dish out of the freezer, pour the berries into a vacuum bag or container and put them in the freezer for long-term storage.

This way, the fragrant strawberries can be stored for up to a year. By the way, so that it retains its sweetness, before putting it into a bag or container, you can sprinkle each layer of berries with sugar.

Where to store strawberries at home

Strawberries are approximately 80% liquid, which does not contribute to their long-term storage. It wrinkles easily and becomes deformed even with little impact. In addition, the berry, due to its protruding seeds and pores, may contain dust and dirt particles that can cause rotting. Therefore, you need to be very responsible when storing strawberries.

Before telling you where to store strawberries at home, you need to note where they definitely CANNOT be stored:

• indoors at room temperature or higher - the berries can quickly ferment or become moldy
• in non-enamelled metal containers - the acids contained in strawberries can react with the metal
• in a tightly sealed container - evaporation of liquid from the berries can lead to rapid mold growth.

Where can strawberries be stored at home? The rules are:

a) cool, ideally in the refrigerator at a temperature no higher than 6 degrees above zero

b) in plastic, glass or, in extreme cases, enamel containers

c) not tightly closed - it is best to cover the vessel with cloth or paper to ensure air exchange.

This applies to storage in the regular section of the refrigerator. However, strawberries can be stored at home in the freezer. The third option is storing strawberries with sugar. Options in the freezer and/or sprinkled with sugar are designed for longer storage of berries at home.

How to can your own strawberries for long-term storage

If you don’t like freezing, but still want to preserve fragrant summer berries, then you can use canning. The main difference between such a twisted berry and boiling is that we will not really boil it, which means that almost all the beneficial substances will be preserved in the strawberry.

• We sort through the fresh strawberries, discarding spoiled fruits, remove the green stalks and wash the berries.
• Place them in a colander and let the water drain properly. Then transfer the berries to a deep bowl or basin, add the same amount of sugar and mix. Let it sit for 6-7 hours, or overnight.
• In the morning we sterilize the jars - this can be done using steam, in the oven or in a saucepan. We recommend using liter jars as they are the most convenient for making twists. Also, don’t forget to sterilize the lids.
• Pour the berries and juice into a deep saucepan and bring everything to a boil, then immediately remove from the heat.
• Pour the strawberry mixture into jars so that half is juice and the other half is the berries themselves.
• Screw the lids on, turn the jars upside down and wrap them in a blanket. After waiting for complete cooling, put the jars away for storage in a cool, dark place.

Such strawberries can also be stored for about a year - surprisingly, when you uncork the jar in winter, you will feel the same aroma of fresh berries, as if they were picked only from the garden.

Now, knowing how to store strawberries correctly, you can easily use this berry for your culinary purposes for a long time. Remember that the most important thing is to prepare the berries well, and then this delicacy will definitely delight you with its aroma and taste for a long time.

Purchase in store

Unfortunately, in the store you can buy candies that have a white coating on them, this happens even if the product’s shelf life has not yet expired. The whole point is that the store or suppliers stored it incorrectly. In refrigerators, for example.

This can be done in the summer when it’s hot, so it’s better to buy chocolate in the cold season. Look at the date of manufacture - if the candies were produced very recently, then the likelihood of buying spoiled chocolate is reduced.

If you buy many boxes of chocolates for gifts at once, keep in mind that these gifts should not be stored for long, no more than 3-4 months. And calculate the quantity based on this period.

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How to make chocolate covered strawberries

Need to make a treat for a romantic occasion in a few minutes? Chocolate-covered strawberries are the way out.

Chocolate covered strawberries may be the simplest of treats, but there are a few important things that will ensure the best results.

1. Use the best quality chocolate you can find. It really makes a difference.
2. Avoid using chocolate chips as they contain stabilizers that help them maintain their shape at higher temperatures.
3. Use the freshest strawberries you can get your hands on. If they have any soft spots, the sugar in the chocolate will draw out their liquid and you will have puddles of juice. Look for berries that are firm, plump and shiny.

Gently rinse the strawberries in cool water and dry thoroughly with paper towels. In order for the chocolate to stick properly, the berries must be completely dry.

HOW TO MELT CHOCOLATE

You can do this in the microwave or in a water bath.

The microwave is the safest method because there is no water in it and chocolate really doesn't like water. Simply place the chopped chocolate in a bowl and heat it in quick 20-second bursts, stirring after each interval. Be careful not to overheat it, otherwise it may burn.

If you don't have a microwave, you can melt your chocolate in a double boiler. Heat about an inch of water in a small saucepan, place the chopped chocolate in a glass or metal bowl and place it on top. The water should be barely simmering and the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water.

As you stir, the chocolate will melt from the heat of the steam, but be very careful not to allow the steam to escape from the bowl, otherwise condensation may get into the chocolate and cause it to seize.

Once your chocolate is melted, transfer it to a small, tall bowl and begin dipping your strawberries.

HOW TO DECORATE STRAWBERRIES IN CHOCOLATE

Dip the strawberries into the melted chocolate. To avoid a puddle of chocolate underneath the berries, gently run the bottom of the strawberry along the edge of the bowl to remove any excess. Then place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.

While the chocolate is still wet, you can cover it with all sorts of delicious things. Here are some ideas:

• chopped nuts,
• coconut flakes,
• multi-colored confectionery sprinkles,
• crushed Oreo cookies or whatever you desire.

It's best to make the chocolate covered strawberries the same day you plan to serve them. But the good news is that the berries can be stored at room temperature for up to 10 hours.

With mascarpone cheese

Mascarpone cheese will give strawberries with chocolate a special, melt-on-your-tongue “creaminess”.

To make chocolate covered strawberries with mascarpone, you will need:

• strawberries – 300 – 400 g;
• mascarpone cheese – 150 – 200 g;
• dark chocolate – 2 bars;
• heavy cream - 100 - 150 ml;
• crumbly cookies (Yubileiny type) – 1 pack;
• spices and powdered sugar to taste;
• butter – 50 g.

How to prepare dessert:

1. Melt the chocolate with spices and place on the table to cool under cling film.
2. Crush the cookies or grind them into powder.
3. Mix softened butter with cookie crumbs. For adults, you can add a few teaspoons of liqueur, rum or cognac to the mixture.
4. Place the cookie mixture on the bottom of a wide glass or bowl without leveling it.
5. Dip half the strawberries in warm chocolate and place on skewers to set.
6. Beat the other half of the berries in a blender with mascarpone and cream, adding powdered sugar if necessary. You can mash the berries with a fork and mix with cheese and cream until you get a fairly thick (like rich sour cream) cream.
7. Place mascarpone mixed with strawberries on the cookies in each bowl and top with chocolate-covered berries. Cool the dish in the refrigerator.

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You can prepare a dessert with mascarpone by cutting out the middle of the berries and stuffing them with cheese whipped with the removed part of the strawberries. Then dip the stuffed berries in hot chocolate and then cool.