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The delicious blueberry season, which is also called the blueberry in some regions of Germany, begins in July. Over a period of several weeks, new fruits continue to ripen. The sweet fruits do not keep for long, which is why you have to preserve larger quantities quickly. If you have a freezer, you can easily preserve the berries. Properly frozen, they won't get mushy even after thawing.
Local superfood
The small blueberries are a true superfood: in addition to vitamins A, C and E, the blue mini balls contain many vitamins from the B group as well as minerals, tannins and anti-inflammatory anthocyanins, which, according to recent research, slow down the aging process and even to a certain extent to prevent cancer. So it's no wonder that the sweet berries are not only delicious, but also healthy.
Freeze blueberries
Why should you freeze blueberries?
However, blueberries do not last long and should be preserved as soon as possible after purchase or harvest. This can be done quickly and easily by freezing in the freezer, especially since this method is the best way to preserve the valuable ingredients as well as the taste and consistency. Properly defrosted, they can then be used like fresh fruit and have hardly lost their aroma.
Of course, besides freezing, you have other options for preserving fresh berries for a longer period of time. For example, blueberries are wonderful:
- Drying (e.g. in a dehydrator)
- Cooking jam or jelly
- Cooking of preserves
- squeezing juice
The disadvantage of all these methods, however, is that the many healthy ingredients in blueberries are destroyed by heating, and fruits processed in this way are no longer as versatile as fresh or frozen ones. They also lack the crisp bite that is so typical of the popular berries.
Harvest right
In order to freeze blueberries properly, they must be neither too unripe nor overripe: unripe berries neither have the characteristic aroma nor are important vitamins, minerals and the like fully developed at this point. Overripe berries, on the other hand, tend to lose their bite, become soft after thawing and lose flavor. You should therefore adjust the right harvest time precisely by regularly checking the bushes and shrubs. It is best harvested as follows:
- as early as possible in the morning
- Store berries loosely in a basket or other airy container
- touch carefully, don't squeeze
- Blueberries are very sensitive to pressure and then quickly go moldy
- do not store too many berries on top of each other
- Process as soon as possible after harvest
- Store in the fridge for a day or two at most
tip: Forest blueberries are much more aromatic than the large cultivated blueberries from the garden. However, you should always rinse them thoroughly and then heat them to render any fox tapeworm eggs harmless. Freezing them will not kill them!
preparation
Before freezing, carefully select the fruit so that only undamaged and fresh berries find their way into the freezer. Take this opportunity to pluck off any stems that are still sticking. Carefully fill the sorted blueberries into a large sieve and rinse them carefully under clear, running water. Then dry them just as carefully with and on a kitchen towel, because moist frozen fruit tends to burst when thawed and can become mushy.
Freeze
After washing and sorting, you now freeze the blueberries, whereby the fruits are first pre-frozen on a tray or on a baking sheet. This will prevent solid clumps of berries that have frozen together from forming later. That's how it works:
- Clean and dry the tray carefully
- Scatter the blueberries on top
- may only be next to each other, not on top of each other
- don't pack too many berries on the tray
- prefer to use multiple trays or start multiple passes
- Place the tray in the freezer with the berries uncovered
- Let freeze for about an hour or two
- Pour the berries into a sealable container in portions
- freeze properly
Blueberries preserved in this way will keep for around six months.
Tip: If you don't have a chest freezer, but only a freezer compartment or small freezer cubes, you can also pre-freeze the blueberries on a small plate.
Thaw blueberries
If you want to use the frozen blueberries for cooking or baking, you do not need to defrost them beforehand. The still frozen fruits can also be used wonderfully for smoothies or mixed milk drinks. For muesli or snacking, pour warm (not boiling!) water over the berries. When the water cools, discard it and baste the fruit again if needed. Afterwards they are like fresh, only the shell may have become a bit tough.
