When you want to buy strawberries, you obviously do not want to keep going to the market over and over again and would certainly want to spare some for tomorrow after getting fresh strawberries from the market. But the thing is, how can you do that? The following steps will guide you on how to store strawberries for future use.
How to Store Strawberries
The Best Storage Set-up
Get a rimmed plate and line it with a number of paper towels. A kitchen towel can be used in the place of the paper towels. Place your strawberries on the paper towels. Don’t place them on top of one another. Freeze the berries until a time when they will be required for use. The most important thing to consider is to make sure you have the paper towels to soak superfluous moisture and that the strawberries do not sit one another.
The Cookie-Sheet Method for Your Strawberries
Fresh strawberries can be placed on a cookie sheet in a single layer after their stems have been removed. The next thing you do is to put them in a freezer while in the sheet for some hours for them to freeze. While in the frozen state, the strawberries can be placed in a Tupperware container and then be sealed completely. This kind of storage can be used for long time periods of about six months. An airtight container can be a perfect storage vessel.
Simple Syrup for Storage
Simple syrup can be used to store your strawberries. Mix a cup of sugar with water in the ratio of 1:4. Most importantly, ensure that the sugar thoroughly mixes with the water. The solution must be frozen before use. Place the strawberries in clean containers. Cover the berries with at least half a cup of the sugar syrup in each container. Seal the storage containers and chill them. When you want to use the berries, the containers can be defrosted at room temperatures in the fridge.
Tupperware Container Storage
A sealed Tupperware container is a perfect storage for your strawberries. The container should be perfectly sealed. Remove the ends and stems of the berries and place them in the Tupperware container. The cut-side should be down. Make sure that the berries are not in contact with one another as you line them in a row. This will enhance the storage process. The Tupperware container must be sealed completely using a well labeled lid with the date of storage carefully written on it. The container can then be placed inside the fridge to be removed when needed for eating.
A Colander for Your Strawberries
Strawberries need to breathe well under storage. A colander will just be a perfect storage container to facilitate that. Instead of placing them tightly, put the strawberries loosely in a colander. This will make them breathe well. The colander can then be placed in the fridge until when they will be required for eating.
Guide for How to Store Strawberries
Don't Wash Them
Do not wash strawberries if you plan to store them in fridge as strawberries absorb moisture like sponges. Strawberries would become highly perishable once they get soaked up. If storage is to be done in a freezer, washing can be done sparingly. Excess moisture should be removed so that they don’t get very frosty.
Remove the Moldy Strawberries
Mold spreads like bushfire. Therefore, any mold-infected strawberries should carefully be separated from the fresh ones taken for storage lest they contaminate the entire batch. The mold-infected strawberries are easily identifiable because they don’t look bright. This is a basic process where the bright ones can be picked and placed on a clean surface.
Room Temperature Is Enough If You're Eating Them Soon
Strawberries to be eaten in a short while would require a simple storage procedure.It is highly recommended that your strawberries are kept at room temperature if they will be used within the day. This will make them fresh and tasty by the time you use them for whatever recipe.
Don’t Use Plastic Containers
Strawberries from the market are usually packaged in plastic containers. However, they cannot make suitable storage facilities. Strawberries need dry air for preservation. Plastic containers cannot provide such dry air conditions as would be made possible using Tupperware. The absence of dry air makes strawberries spoil quickly.
Make Local Strawberries Your First Choice
Locally available strawberries are good for storage. The reason for this is that local strawberries are fresher and can stay longer without spoiling than shipped berries. This freshness makes them taste good. Even by the time they are being preserved for future use, they are still fresh to guarantee a longer preservation period. Their state will always be better than the shipped ones.
Freeze the Strawberries
Sometimes, you may not want to use your strawberries any time soon. The best option for you is to freeze them. Your frozen strawberries are kept fresh for use in the future for whatever recipe you may need. They will just be perfect for smoothies, pie and cake ingredients, having the freshness of newly picked ones.
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