by Trenna Sue Hiler

Created on: May 25, 2007   Last Updated: May 22, 2012

Strawberries are a special treat. They can be used in many sauces and desserts. They are wonderful to have fresh around the house. However, for some areas the season for fresh strawberries doesn't last too long. Frozen strawberries will keep their flavor. However, the color and texture of the berries often change. A little red food coloring is a trick many use for presentation with frozen strawberries.

Get the proper containers to freeze the strawberries. The container needs to be airtight. It needs to provide protection from freezer burn. It needs to be designed so that there is no absorption of odors or flavors.

The containers should be strong enough to survive breaking or cracking in low temperatures. The containers should be those designed to preserve in the freezer.

There are several methods of freezing fruit. Often times people choose to use all these methods based on how they plan on using the strawberries later.

Unsweetened Dry Pack-This method allows the berries to be frozen separately. If there are just a few berries needed they can be plucked from the container and keep the others in tact. Wash the berries in cool water. Place the berries on a baking sheet. They should be close, but not touching. Cover them with a non-stick wax paper and freeze for six hours. Transfer the strawberries to the freezer container. It is best to leave about an inch of headroom so the strawberries can be pulled as needed.

Sliced-

Wash the strawberries in cool water. Slice to the desired thickness. Mix one tablespoon of lemon juices with one quart water. This solution will help with color retention and not effect the flavor of the berries. Pour just enough of the juice to cover the sliced berries and freeze.

Whole Strawberries Syrup Pack-

Make a simple sugar syrup. This is done with a mixture of one cup of sugar to every cup of water. Heat to dissolve the sugar and allow to cool completely. With this method it is best to use the same method of freezing the strawberries individually on the baking sheet. The simple syrup will dispense between the berries and help hold shape and color. Put frozen strawberries in the freezer container and cover with simple syrup and freeze.

For the best results strawberries should be used within seven months of freezing. It is always a good idea to keep a list of the freezer of items and use by dates. Do not miss out on these good ways to enjoy strawberries beyond the typical season.

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